We are due for a little girl (our 2nd to a little boy who is now 2 1/2 in [name_f]October[/name_f]. I would [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] to name her after my maternal grandmother and my mother (who passed away in 2014 and 2012, respectively). My grandmother was [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] and my mom was [name_u]Lynn[/name_u]. I think [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] is magical, and [name_u]Penny[/name_u] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] sounds like that beatles song ([name_u]Penny[/name_u] [name_u]Lane[/name_u]).
My husband cannot get on board with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. I insisted we keep it on the list because our ultrasound even looks like my mom. We have several other contenders, but nothing I love. I’m so stressed about this.
For reference, our son is named [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] Kitzerow.
Girl contenders:
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u]
[name_u]Allison[/name_u] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_u]Riley[/name_u] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u]
[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] (to be called [name_f]Katie[/name_f] or [name_u]Wren[/name_u])
[name_f]Cadence[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] ([name_f]Cadey[/name_f])
[name_f]Summer[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] (I love the name, but it sounds very close to my son’s name and makes me think of feminine hygiene products)
[name_u]Bryn[/name_u] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] or [name_f]Brianna[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is very cute! I also love the name [name_f]Cadence[/name_f], and I think [name_f]Cadence[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is sweet!
I love [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]! Too bad your husband isn’t a fan. Out of the other contenders you listed, I really like [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] and [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u]. I love [name_u]Wren[/name_u] but I’d say if you plan to call her [name_u]Wren[/name_u], just name her that. I think [name_u]Wren[/name_u] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] would make a beautiful combo. Also like [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] or [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
Have you considered using your mother and/or grandmother’s middle names? Or what about a name similar to [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Madelyn[/name_f], [name_f]Linnea[/name_f], etc?
Is [name_u]Penny[/name_u] an option? [name_u]Penny[/name_u] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] is super cute!
What doesn’t your dh like about it? Does he like any others on the list?
My favorite from the rest of your list is [name_f]Alice[/name_f]. It’s so perfect with [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u].
Alternatives to [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u]…
[name_f]Nell[/name_f] (short for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] and sounds similar to [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] backwards)
I saw [name_u]Eloise[/name_u] nn Elo on here a few days ago. Elo:[name_u]Eloise[/name_u] also could work as a nod to [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
Or what about 2 middle names?
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] sounds perfect!
Thanks! my husband likes [name_f]Alice[/name_f] so far (says it is growing on him).
Not sure if I would be able to make a stronger case for [name_u]Penny[/name_u] [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], but I feel REALLY strongly that I want her to have a piece of my mom and grandmother, which is a pretty compelling argument.
And as a suggestion, is there another name you could use that runs through you, you’re mother and grandmother, like a maiden name or something they both shared at one point? Both of our families and even we have done this. My husband has his grandmothers maiden name for a first name as example. But you could use it in first or middle place.
This is just a guess, but do you think any of his resistance is because you feel so strongly about the connection to your mom and grandma? If there’s any bit of that (even subconsciously), maybe it would be worth seeing whether there’s a creative option that would also include someone important from his side of the family. [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is a such a great name to have in the family, and [name_u]Penny[/name_u] is so darling that I can’t imagine someone really disliking it — especially if he likes [name_f]Alice[/name_f], which seems similar in many ways.
If you feel strongly about honoring your mother and grandmother, you might just have to get more creative. You could use middle names, similar names, surnames, similar meanings of names, names related to their birth months… There are many ways to honor them. You have some good contenders, but I get the feeling you want a really meaningful combination.
I love the po suggestion of a -[name_u]Lynn[/name_u] name with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] or [name_u]Penny[/name_u] in the middle!
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Rosalyn[/name_f], [name_f]Madelyn[/name_f], or emmalyn would all be gorgeous!
Also [name_u]Lynn[/name_u] means [name_u]Lake[/name_u] and I adore that name so I wanted to throw it out there as another option with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]/penny
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Lake[/name_u] would be stunning!
Are 2 middle names an option?
Good luck finding a meaningful combo-you have stunning choices!
I like how [name_f]Alice[/name_f] sounds along with [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u].
But I am also partial to [name_u]Bryn[/name_u] or [name_u]Wren[/name_u] with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] as a middle name.
Could you perhaps let him choose he middle name…someone from his side or a name he really likes? Then your daughter would have a bit of both families in her name?
My daughter is actually [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] so I’m pretty partial to that name Her middle name is [name_m]Kent[/name_m] after my husband - he chose the first name and I chose the middle name. I love that she’s got a peice of all of us in her name!
It’s quite rare in our area and people always comment on how sweet it is. We use the nickname [name_u]Penny[/name_u] a ton, but [name_f]Poppy[/name_f] and [name_f]Pippa[/name_f] were also contenders. [name_u]Penny[/name_u] just seemed to stick. We loved [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] as well but our last name ends in -ell and it was too rhyme-y!
I went to school with a girl named [name_u]Penna[/name_u].
In the same way that [name_f]Jenna[/name_f] is often used in order to avoid the very common name, [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], I think [name_u]Penna[/name_u] is a good way to avoid the very common [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
Some say [name_u]Pen[/name_u]-a-lope like cantalope and this may bother your husband.
As for [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], I know a [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f], [name_f]Jerilyn[/name_f], Bonnilyn, [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f], Allynn and a Kerrilyn!
Then you could try Annalyn, [name_f]Addilynn[/name_f], [name_f]Emmalyn[/name_f], [name_f]Evalynn[/name_f], [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] or Rhylynn.
OR maybe when your husband finds out how common [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is… this could make him feel better about it!
I once heard a character on [name_m]Gilmore[/name_m] Girls named Pennilyn (pronounced [name_u]Penna[/name_u]-lynn). It always sounded so cute, but worked on an older woman.
I 100% agree with your husband on this one. I don’t want to be mean, but since most the people on this thread really love the name, I thought I would speak up for his side. I think you can find a cool, creative way of honoring the wonderful women who are dear to you without using the name [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. I can understand why he feels so strongly about it because it just doesn’t work for me and never will. I love [name_f]Alice[/name_f], and I think it would pair wonderfully with a maiden name or word name that reminds you of your mother and grandmother. I like [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] as well, and they both sound great with your son’s name. Or if you can’t let it go, how about the middle spot for [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
Her middle name is [name_m]Kent[/name_m] after my husband - he chose the first name and I chose the middle name. I love that she’s got a peice of all of us in her name!