We recently found out we will be welcoming a second daughter come [name_f]April[/name_f]. I had posted quite awhile back looking for some ideas and while we do have a short list, I just keep coming back to [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. It had been runner up for our DD and I really didn’t think we’d even consider it again. I just really dislike how popular/common it has/will continue to become. I suggested to DH that maybe we should just use [name_f]Nell[/name_f] instead of the full [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], but I’m really on the fence about that. I love how it sounds but feel it may not be enough. Thoughts?
I think [name_f]Nell[/name_f] works if you want to stick to one syllable names. [name_f]Mae[/name_f] and [name_f]Nell[/name_f] are sweet together. Or you could reverse the pattern and do a long first name with a short middle name. [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] or [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_f]Lark[/name_f]? And call her [name_f]Nell[/name_f]?
I say stick with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. You can always call her “[name_f]Nell[/name_f]” as a nickname.
I prefer [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_u]Wren[/name_u] is gorgeous.
But [name_f]Nell[/name_f] works well with [name_f]Mae[/name_f]. If you used just [name_f]Nell[/name_f], what middles are you considering?
If we go with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], we are leaning towards [name_f]Joy[/name_f] as a middle name, although I do love [name_u]Wren[/name_u]! As for [name_f]Nell[/name_f]… I would like to use something biblical, but haven’t quite found anything. DH likes [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f]. I love the story of [name_f]Esther[/name_f] and have always wanted to incorporate it into a name, but all I hear when I say that is “molester.” If we weren’t using anything biblical, I’d probably lean towards something like [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] or [name_u]Juniper[/name_u].
I like the balance of [name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f]. And using [name_f]Nell[/name_f] as the nn for a longer name makes sense to me. If you’re concerned about [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]'s rising popularity, i think calling her [name_f]Nell[/name_f] will help balance that - i expect it’s one of the less common nn’s for [name_f]Penelope[/name_f].
FWIW, [name_f]Esther[/name_f]'s Hebrew name was [name_f]Hadassah[/name_f]. [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Hadassah[/name_f] sounds cool to me 
But it’s more out there. I like [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Keziah[/name_f] or [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Moriah[/name_f] too if that helps.
I’m thinking [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is the better choice. There are so many more nickname options and middle name options. I’ve never been much for nicknames, but I think this could be the exception! We still have awhile before she arrives so we will see what we actually end up doing
I say go with [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f]. [name_f]Nell[/name_f] just sounds like a nickname, as if it’s not meant to be a full name.
But [name_f]Nell[/name_f] is sweet and the more I think about it, the more I like it. [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f] doesn’t have great flow [name_f]IMO[/name_f]. [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] is beautiful! And so is [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]!
[name_f]Mae[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] & [name_f]Nell[/name_f] [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] sighs stunning.
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] is adorable!
I love the nn [name_f]Nell[/name_f] <3
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] with the nickname [name_f]Nell[/name_f], definitely.