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A friend's mother, from a non-English speaking family, was Wilhelmina, nn Minnie. When we were in about grade 8, we read a story in class in which there was a minor character called Minnie, and the class giggled. My friend was sad and also offended - "Why do people think it's funny?" - to which I had no answer. I was rather scared of her mother, but I couldn't take the name seriously and to this day I can't.

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DH's cousin had a son named, I think, Andrew but nicknamed Pinny because as a baby and toddler his legs were extremely thin. Then his little sister Caroline became known as Minnie, just because it rhymed, and perhaps because she was smaller. We seldom see or hear about them, but I think that both nns have been dropped. Which is good!