I honestly don’t get the appeal of [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] or [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] just sounds awkward, like something someone
hurriedly gave their kid at the last second. [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]-I just can’t get over the ‘pee’, and it’s like a confused combo of [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] and [name_f]Parthenope[/name_f]-both of which I don’t like, either(although I like [name_u]Penrose[/name_u] for a boy’s mn). I get that both of these names have long histories, but that is literally the only reason I feel the would be appealing. Can someone please explain where the charm is? I don’t see it. No offense to anyone of whom likes [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], of course.
I don’t mind [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] but I can’t defend it because I’m not exactly a fan
I love the sound of [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] (and [name_m]Clement[/name_m], [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], [name_f]Claire[/name_f], [name_u]Claude[/name_u], etc). I love nature name; I live in [name_f]Florida[/name_f] and clementines are everywhere. It feels warm and sweet, like a clementine. It’s feels flexible; [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] could be a prim & proper [name_f]Belle[/name_f] or a rough & tumble tomboy.
I have [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] on my short list, kinda like [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] too but I’m not a fan of the -pee ending, so I guess I’ll only answer for my beautiful [name_f]Clementine[/name_f].
I have [name_f]Clemency[/name_f] on my list before [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]. I love the meaning (mild, merciful). It’s my absolute favourite virtue name and [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] is such a lovely variant (I can say I love all [name_m]Clement[/name_m]/[name_f]Clemence[/name_f] names, for both girl and boy). I agree with nameberry’s description, [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] suggests peace and happiness, a lovely image. I know it’s also an orange, but hey, what’s wrong with an orange? I also like the song and the [name_f]Eternal[/name_f] [name_f]Sunshine[/name_f] of the Spotless Mind connection.
There are some wonderful nickname possibilities too. [name_u]Clemmie[/name_u] is the most obvious one, of course, but in case you don’t like it (I don’t), there are [name_f]Cleo[/name_f]/[name_f]Clea[/name_f], [name_f]Lea[/name_f] (a stretch, I know, but that’s the one I’m going to use if I ever have a daughter with this name), [name_f]Emmie[/name_f], [name_f]Minty[/name_f], [name_f]Tina[/name_f]…
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] sounds very, very sweet. It doesn’t sound awkward at all to me. I don’t think it’s something someone hurriedly gave their kid at the last second. I don’t know you, but for me last second names tend to be something traditional, popular, or safe.
I’m not a fan of [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], but I love [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]! I think they both sort of have a princessy feel to them - obviously feminine, vintage-classic, regal sounding, it helps them quite a bit. [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] is also a virtue name (sort of), meaning merciful, and I’m fairly certain that, like [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f], the name came before the fruit (The idea of sisters named [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f] and [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] really make me swoon!).
For me, [name_f]Clementine[/name_f], [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_f]Henrietta[/name_f], [name_f]Lucinda[/name_f], [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f], etc all have a similar feel for me - royal sounding, yet versatile.
I really like how [name_f]Elea[/name_f] from BBN explained the names on her Upright Elegance list ([name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] are both on);
Top hats, waistcoats and taffeta gowns: elegant ladies and distinguished gentlemen. Here are the names that epitomise refined propriety.
They would all feel at home lighting the stage in an Oscar Wilde play, or gracing a rural stately home. In fact, stick “Lady” or “Lord” in front of any of them and they just roll easily off the tongue.
And while all these names bear a dignified elegance, they also have a solid and reassuring quality.
Here is the list: http://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2011/11/upright-elegance.html
Maybe seeing the names classed there will help you understand the appeal a bit better?
I love [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]! It is the epitome of happiness! It is a sunny name. I’m neutral in [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband loves [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], and I don’t. He loves the nn [name_u]Penny[/name_u], which I can somewhat get behind. He thinks it’s really pretty, a real traditional name that’s still uncommon and interesting. Our compromise is that we’ll save it for a dog, haha. [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] is cute, but seems very hipstery to me - not something that I think I could pull off.
I love [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], and [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] is nms but cute. To each their own…
[name_m]Don[/name_m]'t ask me - I don’t like either. [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is ok but I despise [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]. It’s a fruit!
I like them, but they aren’t my style for baby names. I stay a little bit more on the shorter name side. I did name my pig [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] though:) —Not comparing children to my pig…haha
I don’t really like [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] either (although I do like the mythological reference). [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] seems to be growing on me as of late although I still don’t think it’ll ever make it on my list, it reminds me too much of the fruit for that. I understand the appeal though, I think it sounds soft and sweet yet grown-up.
For me [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] conjures a cute little girl or a spunky old lady, but feels ill-equipped for any age between the two (if it makes any sense). As for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] I think it’s beautiful but hard to wear, because the name’s mythological history and the type of femininity it denotes might be a bit overwhelming in real life ([name_f]Salome[/name_f] ditto).
I’m neutral about [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. I like the sound, but it’s a bit much and I don’t like the nn [name_u]Penny[/name_u].
But I really don’t get [name_f]Clementine[/name_f]. At All. It sounds so harsh to me. And it reminds me of this [name_f]Lizzy[/name_f] [name_m]McGuire[/name_m] episode where [name_m]Gordo[/name_m] makes fun of the name [name_f]Clementine[/name_f].
I love both names, but [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] has received most of the love here, so I’ll white knight for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
I like the way [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] tastes when I say it, the way the syllables dance. It’s like music, up and down. I like a bit of complication in a name. I like most of the long E Greek names. [name_f]Evadne[/name_f] and [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f], [name_f]Kalliope[/name_f], [name_f]Hermione[/name_f], [name_f]Persephone[/name_f], [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] and [name_f]Ariadne[/name_f], Xanthippe and [name_f]Xanthe[/name_f]. I like the melody of the ‘nel’ sound in the middle. [name_u]Penny[/name_u] is wonderful, the perfect balance of sweet and sassy. I also like the mythology behind [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], I think it’s very regal and cute, vintage without being grandma-ish. I also love the nn’s that you can have for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] too. [name_f]My[/name_f] partner would agree with you on [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] though - he doesn’t see the appeal
I’m not a fan of [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] either though. Each to their own I guess.
I despise both names. I dislike [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] because it’s a fruit and because of the annoying song. I dislike [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] because it sounds like the name of an insect. Sorry to be so blunt and I hope I don’t offend anyone, but that is just my opinion.
I like [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] just sounds so happy and sweet. I can imagine it on an adorable little girl, a teenager, a middle aged woman, and an old lady. Plus it offers the nicknames, [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] and [name_f]Minnie[/name_f], both of which I love. I would consider using it one day. I probably wouldn’t ever use [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] as anything more than a middle name because it’s getting really popular. It’s cute though, and it offers [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], [name_f]Pippa[/name_f] and [name_u]Pepper[/name_u] as possible nicknames.
[name_m]Both[/name_m] names feel really feminine and playful, but not common. I saw a little [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] at the pool last week. It was a surprise to hear her mother calling it out. I’ve yet to meet a [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. I would consider top ten names to feel like careless last minute decisions (though sometimes people do have great reasons for choosing them).
I see the appeal of both names, even though I don’t like either of them. [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] has history, and names with long ee sounds are in style ([name_f]Zoe[/name_f], [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], etc), it has tons of awesome nns, and it has the celebrity bonus, making it seem more usable.
I think [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] has a sunny image and a sweet sound, which makes it appealing. All I can see is the fruit though.
I like [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], and did have it on my list for a while. But, I didn’t like that it is rising fast in the charts (though not as fast here as in the US), and the only real reason I wanted to use it was to get to the nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. So I decided to just use [name_f]Nell[/name_f], as it works fine on its own.
I like [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] too, but I really dislike the nicknames [name_u]Clem[/name_u]/[name_u]Clemmy[/name_u] and I feel that they would be used more than less intuitive nicknames like [name_f]Cleo[/name_f]. I think the name in full is very pretty though, makes me think of meadows full of flowers and a cool summer breeze.