My nickname is Nene. Supposedly, it was given to me by my brother who obviously could not pronounce my (slightly) tongue-twisting name – Nelanie when we were so much younger, ages and ages ago.
Nene means a lot of things, depending on which culture or place you are in. For most Spanish speaking countries, it is an endearment use for males. That is, boyfriends would likely be called ‘nene’ by their sweethearts.
In the Philippines, young girls are often called Nene. Being a culture that is predominantly Spanish flavored, there are some boys who also are affectionately called Nene.
Swinging over to Turkey though, Nene while still used affectionately, the meaning has changed from young girls to a wisened and old grandmother.
But so far, my favorite definition of Nene is that it is the Hawaiian goose which is endemic to the islands. It is Hawaii’s official bird whose name comes from its soft call.
It is mesmerizing to to watch a goose or a duck swim. Above water, they look so calm and collected but underneath, their webbed feet are fast at work. And that’s what I love about them. It mirrors how I think we should deal with life. Outwardly calm but silently busy getting things done. With the occasional quack of course.
p.s. Photo above is a duck and not Nene.
p.s. And Nene is a valid scrabble word!
my take 