We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little one (due in a few weeks) and are batting around a couple of names - one of which we have concerns about its level of cuteness - i.e., it works for a child but will it work for an adult?
The two names with their respective problems are as follows:
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] - we [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] this name, despite the fact that it is popular and we usually stay far away from popular names, we both just love it and want to use it. BUT we are concerned that it is too cute to be used by a professional woman in the future - thoughts (kind of like naming your daughter [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] - although we don’t think it is on that level)? Nicknames would be [name_m]Penn[/name_m], [name_u]Penny[/name_u] and maybe [name_f]Nell[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] - we also love this name, and it has a lot of good things going for it, but we have been set on [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] for so long, going with [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] just seems wrong. We don’t have the “too cute” issue with [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] - BUT we are unsure of the inevitable nickname of [name_f]Trixie[/name_f] - which we hate (to us the name [name_f]Trixie[/name_f] sounds a bit ditzy). This could be mitigated by referring to her as [name_f]Bea[/name_f] or [name_f]Trix[/name_f] I guess (or Bumble when she is a kid).
My mom has a good friend whose full name is [name_u]Penny[/name_u]. She’s a very successful woman in her early 50s, so the name hasn’t held her back at all. I’d say [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] isn’t too cute for an adult
One of my favourite names and one of my least haha. I absolutely adore [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]; the stylish, vintage feel, the associations, the strength, and feistiness of the name and I even love [name_f]Trixie[/name_f] (and I like it as a full name too!). [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is a very different story, but to answer your question, I don’t think [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is too childish, or at least it’s definitely a name that’s been and is perfectly wearable for women. It seems like it would bug you much more to give up [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], and it doesn’t rule out [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] for the future, they work well together, so in your case I think [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] is the way to go.
I have an aunt [name_u]Penny[/name_u]! It’s a lovely name, I don’t think it’s too cutesy at all. It’s much better than [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] to me, which I don’t love. I much prefer [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f].
My youngest dd’s full name is [name_f]Penelope[/name_f]. I’ve never considered it too cutesy for an adult woman. In fact, it’s a fall back in case she decides her nn ([name_f]Pippa[/name_f]) is too cutesy.
I like [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] a lot but prefer [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] (another dd’s mn). I love the nn [name_f]Bea[/name_f] but like you, I wouldn’t want [name_f]Trixie[/name_f] to become a thing.
I think that if you like [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] but aren’t sure about “[name_f]Trix[/name_f]/[name_f]Trixie[/name_f]”… go with [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f].
I’ve never thought of [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] as being a cute name, actually. It’s always felt a bit heavy to me.
You probably don’t need another suggestion… but I’d really like to mention [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]. Seems a bit more suave than [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] and her nns, plus [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] can be nn’d [name_f]Bee[/name_f].
Your welcome :). Mostly my problem is that I don’t like the -nelope sound at all, and there’s just something about the image I get from [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] that I really dislike. It comes across as spoiled and stuck up to me, quite girly and pink too, which isn’t a bad thing, just not what I like in a name. But I haven’t actually met a [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], and I’d maybe like it more if I did meet a little one.
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] was on my list until my husband vetoed it (I forget why). I actually have a list that is labeled “used to be on the list” where I keep my favorite castoffs and it lives there. So I will always encourage others to use it so I can live vicariously through them! I think it wears just fine, love [name_u]Penny[/name_u] as a nickname, and have never considered it (or [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]) to be childish in the slightest! (So I think [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] is just fine too!) [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t let [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] get away if you both love it!
I’ve never considered [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] to be a “cutesy” name at all. To me, it’s the opposite - a really grown-up feeling, sophisticated name that might need a cuter nickname for while she’s little. I think it’s a great choice and as another poster said, it sounds like that’s where your heart is.
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] is one of my favourites, and I actually love [name_f]Trixie[/name_f]! I personally find [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]/[name_f]Bea[/name_f]/[name_f]Trixie[/name_f] much more “cute” than [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], but it still works for all ages I think.
When I hear [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], I think of a sophisticated adult woman. In fact, it’s a bit too polished and ladylike for a rambunctious little girl in my view, which is where an nn like [name_f]Nellie[/name_f] or [name_f]Pippa[/name_f] comes in.
We are still leaning [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] and the middle name will be an honour name - so it will either be [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] or [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] as a first.
I don’t think of [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] as particularly “cute” or childish (nor [name_f]Clementine[/name_f], for that matter). I’ve heard of it more on babies than adults, but that has nothing to do with the intrinsic stylistic qualities of the name. I’ve never even encountered anyone describing [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] as a cutesy name–though it does lend itself to a variety of nicknames that wear well on a little girl. If you like [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], use it. I’m not sure why it reads as cute to you, but it’s unlikely to read that way to anyone else.
