Thoughts on calling an adult woman Jenny (instead of Jennifer or Jen)

That was my grand aunt’s name, “Aunt Jenny”. It wasn’t Jennifer.

Love both Jenny and Jen and I don’t find Jenny too girlish. A great name!

It’s fine with me. But my concern is always with the person and their preference. If she asked me to call her Jennifer, I would call her that. If she liked Jenny or Jen, I would call her that.

I have a name that people often use a nickname for. I hate the nickname. If a person is someone with any possibility that we will have further interaction, I will ask them to call me by my full name. If I really don’t give a shit about the person, I won’t bother and I’ll hope not to see them again. Or if they are a vendor, I’ll bargain extra hard for the disrespect of not listening to me when I provided my name.

My name is my name. I will not be called by any other by people I care about.

If someone else feels the same, I totally respect that. I want to call you by the name you feel most happy with. Please let me know.

Sure, why not. Just make sure to talk like Forrest Gump when you say it.

It’s really the choice of Jen, Jenny, or Jennifer. She should be called whatever she prefers and makes her comfortable.

With a three syllable name like Jennifer, I usually just shorten it to Jen when I am talking to someone else, as long as they are ok with it, I use Jen and Jennifer equally with my Jen friends. And, I have a lot of them. I have about 14 facebook friends, and the majority I really know them, not just online friends. Additionally I have other Jennifer acquaintances who are not fecbook friends. I have one friend who goes by Jenny, she introduces herself Jenny, facebook name is Jenny (her legal name is Jennifer) I met her as an adult, and it is a little odd for me for some reason to call an adult Jenny, but she is the only one of all those girls I grew up with and have met over time who uses Jenny regurlarly.

I agree with @wundayatta the thing that matters most is what the person herself prefers to be called. My real name can be shortened to a y ending and only a few people call me that. My dad on rare occasion, three male friends, who one of which says it to kind of tease me, but I think he has become used to it now, so that is my name at this point for him. And, my husband sometimes uses it. I don’t really identify as that name, so when a stranger calls me it I don’t know they are talking to me, unless they are littleraly right in front of me talking to me. But, the few people who call me it, It is endearing, it makes me smile, I like it. I would not really like it at work though or to be introduced by that name.

I adore the name Jenny. Sweet and ageless. Jennifer is too formal for me. And I’m definitely not crazy about Jen. I have a weird cousin named Jen.

I would call the person whatever they ask to be called.

Jenny, one of my favorite names. Like @SadieMartinPaul and @wundayatta, it all depends on what the person wants to be called.

Jenny, Jenny, you’re the girl for me.
You don’t know me but you make me so happy
8 6 7 5 3 0 9

I will tell you one thing I do not at all like: self-conferred nick-names. A guy joined my fraternity and told everyone his nick name was Tigger. Sorry that doesn’t work, nick names are bestowed.

I am the Jenny/Jennifer/Jen. Personally, I don’t like to be called Jennifer. Too formal. Jen is normally what I’m called (and what I tell people to call me), but a part of me likes to be called Jenny.

When I was younger, I was known as Jenny to family and friends. Still am to my niece and nephews, aunts and uncles.

I prefer Jen to Jenny for all ages. I like the name Jennifer a lot but not many Jennifer’s I know are called that.

My sister’s name is Jennifer. We called her Jenny until she was about 20. She’s been Jen ever since then.

Not sure it makes a huge difference.

I think Jenny works just fine for an adult.

I agree that Jenny is perfectly fine for an adult, but that you should call a person what they prefer to be called. Frankly, I always wished people would call me by the diminutive of my name (Joanie), but the only person who ever did was one of my older sisters. I guess people just think I look more like a Joan, but the rare times I am called Joanie I enjoy it, it seems more affectionate.

“but the rare times I am called Joanie I enjoy it, it seems more affectionate.”

Exactly! The same with Jenny.

Whatever her preference is.

@ragingloli I do get a lot of “Jen-nay” from my partner. Also, you’ll often hear a “why don’t you love me, Jenny?” (Forest Gump voice) from my sister.

My sister calls me Jenny Lynne.

I think there is still a gender bias with names that could be considered childish as an adult.
“Jenny” for a woman is far preferable than calling adult men Bobby and Tommy and Johnny.
I have never felt an attraction towards any adult make that still goes by the little boy versions of their name. My real name is “Laurie” and you can’t infantilize a Laurie.
I guess you could callme “Laur Laur.” lol

Do you introduce yourself as “Jenny?”

My sister-in-law is Jenny. I’ve never heard her called, or used the full name Jennifer. She is an attorney, so I imagine she uses Jennifer, but around family and friends she is Jenny.

I don’t mind it. She should just be prepared for lots of Forrest Gump “Jen-nay”‘s instead, at least if I were around her.

That’s what I get, dammit. :)

I like Jenny but I wouldn’t call someone Jenny if they are usually called Jennifer.
Have you heard this poem?

Jenny Kissed Me

Jenny kissed me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in!
Say I’m weary, say I’m sad,
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Say I’m growing old, but add,
Jenny kissed me.

James Henry Leigh Hunt

Our two Jennifer friends go by Jenny.

It’s up to Jennifer. If she likes Jenny – great. If she doesn’t – not great. I have a name that can be similarly shortened and who is using the shortened version can determine how I feel about it. Professionally I want my full name. If my husband used the equivalent of Jenny I would be fine with it. I think before you shorten anybody’s name you should check – can I call you xxx.

I have a friend called Vivienne and she prefers Vivienne to Viv and will tell people this if they bother to ask. Most people don’t ask. They just shorten.

One of my aunts is Jenny. She’s now in her late sixties and I couldn’t imagine her being Jennifer or Jen.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using Jenny for an adult, but would call you whatever you preferred. My name is Lisa and another Lisa I knew used to call me “Li-Li” because that was her nickname. I couldn’t stand it! We weren’t close or anything, and it just struck me as so odd.

@zenvelo I agree. That only works if the nickname is how you introduce yourself, or how you’re introduced to other people.

“Lurch, meet Pepperoni, Maggot, and Fuzz”

@Bellatrix So, Vivienne (I love that name) doesn’t correct people if they don’t ask?

Oh she does! She is very forthright. It’s common here for people to shorten names and I have had a mutual friend comment on being told by Vivienne not to shorten her name. To say the friend was offended would be an overstatement but she was a little taken aback. My point is people should ask before shortening and often don’t. I get this myself. People even think my initials are based on the shortened form of my name. I mostly don’t bother about it. One of those ‘life is too short’ things. On occasions it ticks me off a little though.

So I quite understand the point of your question @Mama_Cakes.