Penelope or Martha?

[Poster1343]

Thoughts on the name Penelope or Martha? Also, any suggestions on middle names for both?

I have a 20 year old Martha who loves being called Martha. She enjoys having a traditional , recognised , easy to spell name that isn’t overly popular but isn’t completely unusual either .
Shes known as Marta or Marty and likes both those nicknames .
Penelope is also pretty .
I'm a bit surprised that people still refer to Martha as a scullery maid name - it’s 2025 and I don’t know any scullery maids 😂
enjoy naming your baby :)

Of the 2, Martha. Far less chance of it being shortened.

I prefer Martha of the two

Martha Penelope or
Penelope Martha ?

Martha Penelope is great.

Like them both but prefer Penelope. I’m not keen on Penny but I like Nell as a potential nickname.

I’d go with a family name in the middle. Don’t see much see the point in middles unless it’s to honour someone.

Martha is a name that was historically given to maids and servants. It’s not a great name. Penelope is fine but Penny will be the nickname, personally I think Penny is nicer — don’t like “mouthful” names.

Penelope is nice, it's a long name that I don't find frilly/fussy.

I'm not at all keen on Martha.

Penelope, I really dislike Martha

I love Martha, just love it. To me if sounds like a really beautiful and cool post graduate student in 1970's New York studying something like English Literature or Fine Art with a little apartment full of plants and posters of high brow theatre shows she has seen and books everywhere.

This.

Nell for Penelope is nice though - but if you don’t like that, I’d have a rethink

Handmaid’s Tale innit

And tradwives I spose

Ahhhh . I hadn’t thought of HandMaids Tale . Don’t watch Trad Wife.
We all have associations with most names. We choose what sounds right for us and babies invariably grow into their names .

both your choices sound lovely OP