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HelpRe: Penelope
in reply to a message by Barbra
I'm with you on this one: it is very lovely with a longer history than most names and yet it was used in English as far back as, I think, the 16th century and has never been either too popular or ignored. Given enough daughters, which one never is, I'd certainly use it. I suggested it when our second daughter was born, as she looked very like her father's cousin Penelope (known as Penny), with long red hair; but I was outvoted. The possibility of Nell as an alternative nn is also attractive.
My only reservation is strictly personal: I knew a girl at uni whose name was Yvonne but, because she squeaked a lot as a baby, she became known as Penny Squeaker (it's OK, I don't fully understand it either!) and was always and only known as Penny from then on. Her other nn at uni was Lopes, as in Penny lopes ...
I'm amazed that people still stress about the rather ordinary syllable 'pee'! Surely that wouldn't be an issue after the age of about 8, if it ever was? Not one single Penelope that I've known, and I've known plenty, ever encountered it as a problem; but they were all known as Penny and not by the full form. Perhaps that matters?
My only reservation is strictly personal: I knew a girl at uni whose name was Yvonne but, because she squeaked a lot as a baby, she became known as Penny Squeaker (it's OK, I don't fully understand it either!) and was always and only known as Penny from then on. Her other nn at uni was Lopes, as in Penny lopes ...
I'm amazed that people still stress about the rather ordinary syllable 'pee'! Surely that wouldn't be an issue after the age of about 8, if it ever was? Not one single Penelope that I've known, and I've known plenty, ever encountered it as a problem; but they were all known as Penny and not by the full form. Perhaps that matters?
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You know, my niece is sometimes called lil'P, and I never thought "pee" when I heard it. She is Penelope.
On the other hand, I probably will now...
On the other hand, I probably will now...
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That may not be so, hopefully...
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It's not that I think the "pee" syllable would be a problem or invite any teasing. It's just that I don't like it because it means, well, pee.
Actually that's just a part of it. "Piss" means the same thing so I started to imagine a name that has that sound as the last syllable and to be honest that wouldn't bother me as much. I guess mostly it is just a sound I don't like, and since it's at the end of the name, it's very noticeable.
Actually that's just a part of it. "Piss" means the same thing so I started to imagine a name that has that sound as the last syllable and to be honest that wouldn't bother me as much. I guess mostly it is just a sound I don't like, and since it's at the end of the name, it's very noticeable.
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Penelopiss
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Much better!
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