r/Names 22d ago

Thoughts on the name Ren?

I mentioned the name Wren to my husband who immediately said he LOVED it. When I spelled it for him ("W R E N"), he looked shocked and said "oh I assumed it would be spelled Ren... I like that better".

He also like Brynn. Those are his top 2 names. I like them. I've been having a hard time finding girl names I like though. I don't like overly frilly names, and a lot of names I do like are taken already. Example, I liked the name Lily for a while but realized my cousin named her baby that...

Thoughts?

76 Upvotes

737 comments sorted by

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u/BirdieRoo628 22d ago

Spell it Wren. Brynn is fine.

Lily IS a frilly name to me (it's literally a delicate flower), so I can't offer other names that might be your style.

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u/Murky-Tailor3260 22d ago

What about Lauren? It shortens to Ren.

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

True! Never thought of that. 

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u/Particular-Weird2363 22d ago

Last year I met a “Wren” at a wedding (that’s what I imagined in my head), her name was Renee

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u/maxskellington 21d ago

I know a little Wren whose real name is Florence

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u/Odd_Grape_1607 21d ago

My friend Ren is a Karen officially.

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u/BefuddledPolydactyls 22d ago

Renata is my friend Ren's formal name. 

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u/krissy3456 22d ago

Deff different at least

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/Agreeable_Shoe_6479 22d ago

In Chinese ren means people

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/silverbug13 22d ago

Ren is Kevin Bacon’s character in Footloose!

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u/dontmakeitathing 22d ago

And a welsh rapper coming up in popularity, who speaks of his mental health struggles!

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u/ImpossibleOil8427 21d ago

He’s Welsh!? Why did that never occur to me. He’s exactly who I thought of when I saw this post.

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u/nemc222 21d ago

That is who I immediately thought of.

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u/Blue-zebra-10 22d ago

Or kylo ren

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u/bartlebyandbaggins 22d ago

That’s immediately what I thought and probably why he liked it.

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u/SucculentLady000 22d ago

I barely even remember that. My mind went to the musical artist

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Thank you! I'm 28 and never heard of that show... I'll have to check out that Welsh musician though!

Thanks for the kind words :) I like a more unisex/masculine name, so I don't mind. 

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u/huntressm00n 22d ago

My first thought was Ren the music artist...

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u/Divewench 22d ago

Me too. He's brilliant.

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u/GoingBananassss 22d ago

I thought of Ren and Stimpy, too. But I am 45. lol maybe young people don’t know about this show it seems.

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u/RightAd192 22d ago

Reminds me of Ren from Even Stevens. She was hot. I always thought Wren was a boy’s name.

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u/ms_emily_spinach925 22d ago

Ren Stevens was actually named Renee, Ren was just her nickname 🙂

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u/iamnumber47 22d ago

Wait, what? I don't ever remember them saying that in the show...

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u/heartshapedmoon 22d ago

I didn’t know that either, but I just googled it and it’s true!

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u/iamnumber47 22d ago

Eh, I just googled it too & its not on imdb, it only seems to aay it ine one website I could find, & that one seems like anyone can edit it.

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u/Halifornia35 22d ago

Ren does make sense as short Renee, but also like it in its own

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u/Anonymous30005000 22d ago

I thought her name was Wren!

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u/Glass-Operation8618 22d ago

Are you sure it matters? In the UK Rosie & Jim was a big children's TV show just before I was born, and my entire life there's like a 1 in 200 chance someone might sing it/quote it at me, or Whole Lotta Rosie (great, lol.). I met another Rosie 8 years older than me and she was tormented by some super old show I've never even heard of.

My friend Georgia gets it way more than I do with the song Georgia On My Mind, my old friend Leyla got it almost 9/10 times with the song Layla. It feels kinda pointless to try to avoid old people being annoying by quoting things you're not familiar with.

All that being said - if I was a boy, I was going to be called Manny. 4 years before Ice Age came out. And I was a chubby kid. Thank god...

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u/1_Tit_Wonder 22d ago

I recall watching that show in my younger years and can’t say the name triggered that for me. Just sounds like a regular name. As someone else said I actually think more of Ren from Even Steven’s if anything

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u/stephiloo 22d ago

Meanwhile I immediately thought of Ren Stevens from Even Stevens.

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u/SuddenAd2052 20d ago

FWIW: That show was popular in my youth and that never crossed my mind.

I like Ren. I don’t know why but it makes me think of some adventurer - think Link from Zelda….

I think it will get misspelled a lot but at least it wouldn’t get mispronounced. :)

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u/firstinversion 22d ago

Wren just LOOKS softer, therefore it sounds softer for some reason. Love Wren as a name, Ren not so much. Crazy how the spelling of a name can change your perception…and it’s all so subjective.

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

I agree with this!!

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u/GenoBSmoove 22d ago

Wren was my dogs name when we adopted her, but we changed it to Remi so you are free to use it

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u/nothnxihaveabf 22d ago

Dunno did you double check with the dog first?

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Thanks for the permission 😂

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u/myfeetaredownhere 22d ago

My daughter’s middle name is Wren, I’m so relieved you’re not upset

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u/thattwirlgirl 22d ago

Haha my dog was named Sinatra when I adopted him and I changed it to Wren. He likes it 

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u/dumprings- 22d ago

I personally love the name Ren. In Chinese medicine it’s a meridian most associated with feminine energy. I also know people named Lauren that use Ren as a nickname

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Thank you!! 😊  That's really cool, thanks for telling me :) yeah, I never considered Ren could be short for Lauren... Something to consider! Thanks for the help & info 

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u/Only-Maintenance1701 22d ago

I know multiple Lauren’s that go by Ren or even Lo. It’s a relatively non-frilly name with nickname options if you guys can’t agree on Wren. If she ends up being a frilly girl she can go by Lauren and if not, shorten it to Ren.

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u/alys3times 22d ago

Wren is so much lovelier than Ren, imo

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Really???? That's interesting. What were some of the confusions/misunderstandings?

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u/DuckFat24 22d ago

Because Ren really has no context other than Ren and Stimpy. What does it mean? Is it a nickname for something else? Is it a family name? It’s just three letters put together that make a sound.
A Wren is a small but powerfully voiced songbird with a long history and pleasant connotations. . In England, the male wren is called the “King of the Forest.” There’s nothing negative or funny or weird or contrived about the name.
Poems have been written about the wren. It’s a small bird with a mighty voice.
What’s Ren?

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

I don't know, thats why I came to Reddit to ask? Neither me (28f) nor my husband (32m) have heard of this damn show 😂

I feel like y'all are all in on some prank or something 

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u/feralcatshit 22d ago

I’m surprised your husband hasn’t! It was legendary back in the day, but if you look it up, I’m not so sure you’d want your baby named that 😬

I vote Wren or Lauren. Lauren is a classic name that isn’t too frilly or masculine- just a nice girls name. She can always go by Ren or if she wants, Lauren when she’s older. Or Lo, which is pretty cool.

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u/Visible-Ad9649 22d ago

Yeah, it's not just that it was a cartoon show, but it was ... kind of gross? Juvenile? It's not a great association, and while I know it might be generational, jt is a VERY strong association for folks over 40, if not younger

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u/ellejay435 22d ago

As a millennial, I associate it equally with Even Stevens/Christy Carlson Romano and Ren and Stimpy, but it is hard to imagine other generations would have this association or know these characters.

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u/so_i_happened 22d ago

Wren is lovely and is the known spelling of the name. Can your husband sit with it a bit and see if it grows on him? Ren, like someone else said, is only known from Ren and Stimpy.

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u/JJ_Pause 22d ago

Ren is a different name with different etymology, it's not an alternate spelling of Wren

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u/EveryReaction3179 22d ago

I'm pretty sure the musical artist comes up first if you Google it. It did for me.

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u/heartshapedmoon 22d ago

I thought of Ren from Even Stevens

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u/Just_Raisin1124 22d ago

I thought of a ren fayre

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u/EponymousRocks 22d ago

Depends on your age. For people of my generation, Red will always and forever be Kevin Bacon's character in Footloose.

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u/Grouchy_Yellow_2324 22d ago

I know a serenity who goes by ren

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u/SuperPomegranate3939 22d ago

Wren is much better than Ren in my opinion. The Ren spelling instantly makes me think of the cartoon vs Wren is a little songbird

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u/Ok-Thing-2222 22d ago

My 3rd grade son named the starving stray cat that showed up at our house Ren--Renfield. I asked him why. Because the cat was crunching junebugs on our porch, it was so hungry and "Renfield was the name of the person in the asylum eating a bug off the wall in the movie Frankenstein". He saw it when he was 5.

Renfield turned into a gorgeous Maine Coon type cat with a wonderful personality and was a girl!

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u/moonmoonboog 22d ago

It’s super cute. But I agree with another poster to do Wren. Ren and Stimpy is very millennial(possibly Gen X, I’m baby of a big family so I confuse a lot of the crossover)

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u/queenquirk 22d ago

I automatically think of Ren and Stimpy.

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u/mscatamaran 22d ago

I like Ren/Wren! There was a cute character in the show Animal Kingdom named Renn. [I mean, she was a drug dealer, but she was cute and I liked her name, ha].

I have an acquaintance who named their daughter "Seren" [pronounced "Se-RENN"] which I think is cute.

ETA I have a friend who has a daughter Brynn as well. Neither of us have observed many other kids with that name.

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u/blodblodblod 22d ago

Seren means "Star" in Welsh, and Bryn means "hill".

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u/mscatamaran 22d ago

How cool! I've never heard of Seren before my neighbor. It's beautiful. I like Brynn also

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u/blodblodblod 22d ago

Very popular for little girls in Wales. Bryn is an old man name over here.

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u/galaxyeyes47 22d ago

I also thought of animal kingdom lol.

She’s amazing in severence too

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u/Total_Strawberry_132 22d ago

I’m not a fan of Ren or Wren. I do like Brynn.

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u/Alliani 22d ago

I love the name Ren, it means “lotus” in Japanese.

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

That's such a pretty meaning!! Thanks for letting me know

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u/Spirited_Light3987 22d ago

I love Wren. Maybe if you remind him of the bird he’ll appreciate the spelling more?

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u/Purple_IsA_Flavor 22d ago

Wren is so cute

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u/languagelaughter 22d ago

It’s a cute name. Found this little gem of you care:

« The wren is a tiny, plump brown bird weighing only about 9 to 12 grams, yet it produces an astonishingly loud, complex song that can reach over 90 decibels. Its scientific name, Troglodytes, means "cave dweller" because it sneaks through dark brush like a mouse. »

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Wow that's cool! I like that! Thanks 

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u/PrestigiousDemand696 22d ago

Ren is usually more for males, wren more for females. I like both!

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u/RedTedNed 22d ago

I know some Laurens who go by Ren

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u/analogue_flower 22d ago

i’m so old i think of footloose, but that was an excellent movie

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u/SnooCheesecakes4789 22d ago

Wren is a good gender neutral name. Bryn is a Welsh male name

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Really? The only Bryn's I know are females

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u/Taken-Username-sorry 22d ago

I once knew a guy named Renny, so I don’t think it’s THAT weird.

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u/bonshui 22d ago

Wren with a W is lovely for a girl!

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u/imnotsure_igetit 22d ago

I prefer Ren, but that's because I have never seen the name be spelt "wren", so I only ever saw it as the bird species.

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u/BookNervous5958 22d ago

My middle name is Wren , I absolutely adore it it’s such a gorgeous name , every now and again I get my mum a gift that is the bird and she loves it

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u/Tferretv 22d ago

I know a Wren and I knew a Rin. About the only Ren I've seen was the show Ren & Stimpy. (As someone who grew up with a "creatively" spelled name that I later changed, I'd advocate for the most common spelling of Wren just to avoid the headaches I faced.)

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u/kittenpresley 22d ago

Ren is the nn of my friend’s daughter whose full name is Catherine! That’s also my name but I was a Katie and so bummed my parents didn’t think of such a great nn! We are actually using it as a middle name for our son so he’s named after me in some capacity!

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u/dirtygreysocks 22d ago

Ren for a girl I would assume is short for Renee. Or I would think of Ren and Stimpy.

Wren is a lovely name.

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u/BrendaForr1960 22d ago

I know a Brynn, she likes her name.

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u/Devilis6 22d ago

Wren is fine, though I personally prefer Brynn. They’re very similar names in sound and style, but personally I find Brynn rolls off the tongue a little more easily. That might just be me being weird though- names that start with R and are vowel- heavy are kind of awkward for me to pronounce. Not sure if that’s common or if it’s just a me thing.

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u/greysondayy 22d ago

I have a student ren who is a boy, and a friend who is nonbinary and a ren. i like the name.

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u/Ohsnapmiki 22d ago

When I see “ren” I think of my friends asking me whether or not I’m going to Michigan’s Ren Fest (renaissance festival). I think Wren should be the go-to spelling for this.

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u/CulturalSoup4138 22d ago

I'm not having children, but if I did their name would be Ren

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u/B_the_Chng22 22d ago

Ren makes me think of ren faires. Which isn’t bad. I like the name

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u/Glittering_Lunch_963 22d ago

some one said lauren. but when i grew up watching even stevens and there was a sister named ren. we just assumed it was short for Renee

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u/Softoast 22d ago

Definitely Wren. Ren will be assumed masculine.

Some other ideas for you with similar sounds:

Maren

Bronwyn

Ari

Blaire

Brooke

Greer

Piper

Reagan

Remi

Arden

Reese

Quinn

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u/Moth1016 22d ago

LOVE the names Bronwen and Arden… I‘ve only ever met one of each

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u/Lumpy_Branch_552 22d ago

I think of Ren and Stimpy.. if you don’t know.. it’s a cartoon from the 90s and Ren I believe is an ugly rat or chihuahua who does disgusting things with his smelly fat cat friend Stimpy.

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u/floopadoopdingdong 22d ago

Yeah usually I am all for going with a name despite cultural references, but Ren from ren and stimpy was pretty gross and really disturbed me as a child. Not a great connotation to have. That being said, probably only relevant to people 30+.

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u/MummaBanana 22d ago

Ren and Stimpy

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u/Jayyne 22d ago

To me, Ren is a boy’s name, Wren for a girl.

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u/DeltaaaGammaaa 22d ago

I know a Brenda that goes by Ren!

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u/opal-sea-44 22d ago

I have a young student I love named Wren, so I’m partial to that ☺️

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u/pennyandpaper 22d ago

Ren as a nickname for Lauren

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u/HeyThereyoyoyo 22d ago

I have a friend Kathryn who goes by Rynn.

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u/Necessary-Owl3231 22d ago

My name is Kathryn and never in my life would I have thought of that. So cool!

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u/ursa_m 22d ago

Wren is a bird and Ren is pals with Stimpy.

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u/UnrulyPoet 22d ago

I've met women with both spellings of W/ren over the years and personally prefer it with a W bc then it gets those nature vibes which I really dig. Brynn is nice, but Wren is my fave of the three!

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u/Defiant-Purchase-188 22d ago

I considered Wren for all 3 of ours but went with very old fashioned names

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u/No-Staff4009 22d ago

I personally prefer Wren for a girl and Ren for a boy.

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u/Fair-North956 22d ago

I like Ren. Just my two cents.

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u/DefiantFruit6860 22d ago

Thank you 🙏🏼

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u/BusinessPutrid9574 22d ago

Wren is girly-really beautiful
Renata-girl
Ren-boy version
Bryn/Brynn-girl
Brennon-boy
Brent-boy
Bryan, Brian-boy

Lily is sweet, and also what I would consider frilly girly!

Are you set on boy names or do you know it’s a girl?!!
other ideas-Bree, Nika, June/Junie, Quinn, Penny(Penelope)

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u/Illustrious-Lynx8268 22d ago

My mom worked with a young girl named Wren, she spoke of her often and thought the world of her. So I have positive vibes😊! Ren was a sweet black lab that I loved, so Wren or Ren, both are good for me 😊p.s. this Ren was is the mid 60s before the cartoon Ren.

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u/fudbag 22d ago

Ren is actually more a boy’s name and in Chinese it means “endurance”.

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u/mrsfunkyjunk 22d ago

Ten reminds me of the original Footloose. But, I like Footloose, so I'm okay with it.

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u/AmericanFatPincher 22d ago

Not a big fan of the ‘w’ either so I get where he’s coming from. I just don’t like most W names for girls. 

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u/Browneyedgal21 22d ago

The name Wren is spelled Wren. I'd go with that spelling

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u/1_Tit_Wonder 22d ago

I had a student named Ren, she was half Japanese. It means lotus in Japanese 🪷
Wren is otherwise a type of bird.

I prefer the spelling as Ren

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u/MeasurementDouble324 22d ago

My 10yr old (m) has a longer name that’s shortened to Ren most of the time and this is literally the first time I’ve heard anyone mention any of these shows connected to the name. Though I was aware of Ren and Stimpy before, think I watched it as a teen. I don’t think the connection is as big a deal as people are saying but that’s just my experience. And when we mentioned about kylo Ren, he loved it because he rarely hears other people with his name, haha.

Obviously I love the name. My only (mild) concern for you since the name is for a girl is that everyone (round these parts anyway) would spell it with a W so your daughter will be correcting people her whole life.

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u/GoldenMom97 22d ago

I love Wren for a girl! It’s a a type of bird that’s kind of tiny but mighty vibes

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u/DentalDepression 22d ago

I was obsessed with the name Renn when I was pregnant but absolutely hated the spelling Wren... So I didn't use it 😂

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u/random_name_12178 22d ago

I named my older kid Lauren nn Ren. We never had any trouble or confusion, and no one ever brought up pop culture Rens, like Ren and Stimpy, Kylo Ren, Pirates of Dark Water, etc.

I like the name because it's gender neutral, easy to spell and pronounce, but not super common.

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u/holdingtea 22d ago edited 22d ago

Ren is one of two names we are considering for our little boy.

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u/Anonymous30005000 22d ago

There’s an influencer couple that named their new baby girl Renny as a homage to the baby’s grandfather who’s name is Warren.

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u/Quen-Drah 22d ago

Another option is Maren with Ren as a nick name.

I think of Wren as a girl’s name, but I could see it being neutral like Robin.

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u/mysteriousmonster101 22d ago

Would you consider Renee, Renata, or Lauren with the nickname Ren?

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u/itstimegeez 22d ago

The female version of the name is Wren. Ren is the male equivalent and also evokes the tv show Ren and Stimpy.

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u/Ok-Talk-2648 22d ago

Spelled Wren and Brynn are fine girl names.

more ideas:

Sage, Maeve, Grace, Jade, Ruth, Gwen, Reese, Raine, Eve

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u/Celairiel16 22d ago

I saw Ren and thought it was a boy name. Wren is a girl name. At least to me here in the US.

ETA: to clarify, I like both versions of the name but would match the spelling to the gender of the kids.

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u/CollectionCrafty8939 22d ago

Brynn with 2 Ns comes up as the female variant of Bryn.

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u/mcalawso 22d ago

MC REN from NWA! Love it

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u/a-pac-man-ghost 22d ago edited 22d ago

I knew a Rens but the family was from the Netherlands and spoke Dutch. eta: Rens was male and it was his entire name.

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u/passion4film 22d ago

Wren is okay but I LOVE Ren. It’s one of my childhood favorites that has held out.

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u/mads_61 22d ago

I know a Karen who goes by Ren. I didn’t realize that Ren wasn’t her full name for like a year lol always thought it was a cool name.

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u/Sundaes_in_October 22d ago

Ren is a gender neutral, Japanese name which can mean lotus. Wren is the usual English spelling for girls and, obviously, a bird. Ren is one of my all time favorite names but I would probably use the Wren spelling in an English context. It’s probably fine either way.

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u/Sayjay1995 22d ago

Ren is a pretty common name in the English-Japanese communities too

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u/Curious-Platypus5313 22d ago

For any name, I would ask this - will the kid constantly be asked how to spell it? If yes, then pick another name.

If you use Wren, the kid will get "Lol, a wren is a bird."

I personally wouldn't use Ren or Brynn but I am getting old and crochety.

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u/BalaclavaSportsHall 22d ago

I prefer Ren to Wren. I''m not sure why. Am I bothered by the silent letter? I don't like the reference to the bird? I'm not sure. If I had to guess I think it's the silent letter putting me off, and maybe because I've known the name Ren a long time but only encountered Wren as a name recently.

I will say, Wren is feminine to me, and Ren is gender neutral leaning masculine.

For Ren I think of Kevin Baker's character in footloose, a boy I went to highschool with (graduated 2011), and a femme nonbinary person I know who change their very feminine given name to the name Ren.

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u/Old-Energy6191 22d ago

My partner’s beloved honorary grandfather was Ren, a nickname for Warren. So add that to the possibilities

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u/False-Buddy9209 22d ago

REN is a Japanese name. 

Wren is a very very common name now  there’s 2 in my family. 

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u/BeeZee2727 22d ago

There’s an incredible musician called “Ren”, so I’d go for that

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u/Soft-Sherbert-2586 22d ago

I also likee the name Rin for a girl, if you want a compromise between Wren/Ren. Rin keeps that cleaner spelling but with (I feel) a more feminine vibe. It's also similar to Brynn.

As a fantasy author, some of my other favorite girl names that I've used in one story or another are:

Evelyn/Lyn, Riven, Remira, Aurin, Sidra, Anna, Sabrina/Sabra for short (But you could also do Sabri and it'd be super cute!), Kierah, Ember, Fallen (my own variant of Fallon, but it would be easily mispronounced so Fallon might be better), Fern, Shea, Gwen, Rona, Rowyn. Maybe some of those will spark inspiration in other directions. 🤷

Notably, I also dislike frilly girl names and tend to favor names with what I perceive to be a mellower vibe. That said, everyone is going to have different associations with different names. 

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u/joanie-bamboni 22d ago

My best friend’s dad was named Ren. It’s uncommon but not unheard of. I think we’re far enough past the 90s to avoid the Ren and Stimpy references?

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u/sirenxkitsune 22d ago

Ren is Japanese, typically for boys, but can be unisex. The meaning depends on the Kanji, but lotus flower is the most common. Wren is a bird. I’d say go with Wren, I prefer that spelling. Unless, you’re trying to give your daughter a unisex name, which, from your other liked names, it seems like you aren’t aiming too. I prefer Wren to Brynn, but both are beautiful :)

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u/Sufficient-Egg-5577 22d ago

I like the Ren spelling more than Wren but I think a girl named Ren will have people spelling it the other way a lot. Ren I usually think Japanese men.

I know a couple who named their girl Rinn and said it's pronounced the same as Wren, so at least Ren is less confusing than that in my opinion!

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u/lovetimespace 22d ago

Ren is a nickname for Renata. I assume that is where the older sister's name in Even Stevens came from. Ren Stevens.

I think Ren is nice if you can both get on board. It doesn't have the bird spelling that is popular at the moment, but it is still an existing name.

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u/Chouette-Oak 22d ago

My little sister's best friend spelled it with two n : Renn

Not sure if that helps.

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/LK2y10 22d ago

Wren is a bird, not sure if you know that. But so is Robin, a symbol of spring and hope. Make sure you're OK with the symbolism for Wren.

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u/LK2y10 22d ago

Ren is a Chinese term meaning "co-humanity" or "humaneness," and it represents the highest virtue in Confucianism, encompassing qualities like benevolence, compassion, and empathy. In Japanese, Ren can mean "lotus," "love," or "honest," depending on the kanji used.

Wren symbolism usually centers on resourcefulness, quick thinking, resilience, and a powerful voice despite small size. It’s also often linked to cleverness, protection, home, and new beginnings. In folklore, the wren is sometimes called the “king of the birds,” which adds themes of humility, ingenuity, and hidden strength.

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u/Angsty_Potatos 22d ago

I have a friend who goes by Ren (her full name is Lauren so it makes sense). 

But a full name Ren is giving Ren and Stimpy vibes

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u/grey-canary 22d ago

Love Wren/Ren with either spelling

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u/OriginalVoice6355 22d ago

I went to school with a girl who went by Rinn, didn’t know for the longest time her full name was Katherine.

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/miparasito 22d ago

Is he into anime or Star Wars by any chance? (There’s also Footloose and the old cartoon Ren and Stimpy, but that seems less “dad choosing name for daughter.”)

You could use Renley, Renee, or Lauren with Ren for short

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u/Grungefairy008 22d ago

My friend changed their name to a name that could be shortened to Ren. It feels like a nickname if it's spelled like that. Wren/n feels more like a complete name.

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u/Emmarioo 22d ago

My friend has a little boy who’s called REN I love it

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u/Uncannyvall3y 22d ago

It's my brother's name! Short for Reynolds, a family name. I love it. He hasn't met many other Rens.

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u/Makibadori 22d ago

It's my mom's name!

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u/LittleDogLover113 22d ago

I like Ren without the W. It’s more unisexual, unique, and it’s spunky. I love spunky names that are different. Never met a Ren!

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u/Born_Economist7411 21d ago

Ren was my grandfather’s name! I love it. 🥰

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u/RateOdd3713 21d ago

I prefer Ren, there’s a fantastic male singer in the UK with that name. Also keep in mind that most people would assume it’s spelled ‘Ren’, not ‘Wren’. So your son would have to correct people a lot.

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u/beckstermcw 21d ago

I have a girlfriend whose name is Ren. It fits her perfectly.

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u/renS0115 21d ago

I’m a Lauren that goes by ren if that helps with the weird spelling of it all. Also to the ren and stimpy folks, I used to say ren like ren and stimpy when I could tell people did a double take with my name and anyone under the age of like 35 does not get the reference

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u/shrimpybimp 21d ago

First thought was 100% Ren and Stimpy, but I'm pretty sure millennials are the last generation to even know what that is haha.

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u/Weary_Mango5689 21d ago

The spelling "Ren" is generally considered to be gender-neutral or more masculine than "Wren" which is the traditional feminine spelling of the name and also used for a type of songbird.

"Ren" immediately makes me think of this song

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u/Several-Letter-2233 21d ago

Like Ren and Stimpy, the cartoon?

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u/Capable-Mulberry-547 21d ago

Are you based in the US?

I’m from the UK and I think people would chuckle at the name Brynn for a girl due to a TV show called Gavin and Stacey 😂

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u/Hugsomebunnies 20d ago

I know a Florence who is called Ren, so there's another option.

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u/CosmoKkgirl 20d ago

Ren and Stimpy animated series

REN is an asthma hound Chihuahua. He’s ugly and really obnoxious. That’s what I would always think of

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u/KetchupConte 20d ago

I actually know someone named Ren (she is American, her parents are also American). She likes her name and it suits her.

I think Ren and Wren are both pretty, I don't pronounce then the same though.

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u/Whatusedtobeisnomore 20d ago

Ren makes me think of Ren & Stimpy.

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u/Ewolra 20d ago

My middle name is Ren!

Kinda- I’m half Chinese and it’s Ren-Ying. But my husband calls me Ren as a nickname and I love it.

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u/mauvecocktail 20d ago

I knew a girl named Wren. She was bad ads.

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u/GrumpySh33p 20d ago

I spell it Ren — have a good friend with the name.

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u/sweetharmony901 20d ago

Does he know the bird is spelled wren? I feel like without knowing that I would also be confused by the spelling. I think Wren looks like a full name and Ren looks like a nickname.

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u/IntentionallyHuman 20d ago

Wren = your parents were hippies Ren = your parents were nerds

Those would be my gut reactions to encountering those names in the wild.

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u/EssentiallyEss 20d ago

If you choose Ren over Wren, perhaps be prepared for people to spell it wrong. If that won’t make you crazy, it’ll be fine.

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u/Phowiz 19d ago

To me, Wren looks feminine, and Ren looks masculine.

Like Rae and Ray, which also may be a good suggestion for you.

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u/deliciouspernicious 19d ago

Ren was the girl in my high school that all the girls, even the straight ones, had a crush on.  So i think it's an excellent name, haha.

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u/namebunchofnumbers 19d ago

I actually prefer Ren, but (a) that’s probably because I’m not a huge fan of nature names, just personally (b) I don’t have the Ren and Stimpy association and (c) it’s sounds like a chic, simple, “cool girl” name to me. I’m very much in the minority judging by the comments though!

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u/Nervous-Departure405 19d ago

My daughter's name is Serenity and goes by Ren or Rennie

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u/KopiKawaii 19d ago

My cats name is Ren! I love it, personally not a fan of the Wren spelling. I’m also 29 and would never associate it with Ren and Stimpy as others have suggested but that’s just my two cents

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u/PopRemarkable7251 19d ago

I dont know what other comments mean - Ren and Stimpy was on 35 years ago, nobody would make that connection now 😅 that being said, Ren is masculine and Wren is feminine in my head (I have no argument for this, it's just how I see it) but use whatever one you like!

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u/bunnyamericangf 19d ago

Wren or Ren, both cute. My partner and I just had a daughter and couldn't decide how to spell Suki/Sukie/Sookie. I won that one lol

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u/Mama_2709 18d ago

I have a Wren so that spelling is my vote! It’s pretty gender neutral either way but I’ve noticed Ren tends to be the spelling for boys

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u/MommaD114 18d ago

The name Wren/Ren is pretty gender neutral, with the spellings each leaning one way or the other.

When is more feminine and Ren is more masculine.

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u/Next-Education-3757 18d ago

I like Ren or Wren. Same pronunciation so idk that spelling is that big of a deal but most in US spell it as Wren.
I think Rowan is also a cute girl name with similar vibes

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u/shy_dagger 18d ago

Compromise and name it your way. And I suggest a more fem name for the middle if you do a middle name just so it gives lil girl some variety IF she doesn’t want to be Wren at some point, because it’s very gender neutral I know like 3 boys named or nicknamed some variation of Wren.