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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Baby names

Kathleen?

36 replies

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 22:27

I love Kate. My MIL is Kathleen so I thought OH would be really up for this name but he says no he would want Kathleen and I can shorten to Kate if I want but officially Kathleen on birth certificate. But I don't really want my baby being known as Kathleen because some people would still call her that. Does that make sense? What do you all think? I'm not sure if Kathleen is too old fashioned and I think Kate is much prettier x

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ImperialBlether · 24/05/2015 22:28

I really don't like Kathleen. I love Kate, though and love Caitlin, too.

Zebda · 24/05/2015 22:29

Kathleen is a middle aged librarian or office manager...hard to imagine a baby. Can you not go with kathleen as a middle name if you dont like it enough?

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 22:29

Yes I'm in the same boat as you... I still think Kate is a lovely tribute to his mum though x

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Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 22:30

No I already have another middle name (separate thread) x

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FatAli · 24/05/2015 22:30

I like Kate, although tbh the Kate Middleton thing would put me off using it.

Not a fan of Kathleen at all.

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 22:31

See the Kate Middleton thing I actually like. Lol

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Zebda · 24/05/2015 22:31

Kate/Katie/Caitlin are all lovely..

WorraLiberty · 24/05/2015 22:33

Kathleen is quite old fashioned.

My Mum was a Kathleen and would be 85yrs old if she were alive.

Mind you, she was known as 'Kitty' all her life.

I really like Kate and Katie.

CrystalMcPistol · 24/05/2015 22:34

I'm not really into giving kids the same first name as a living relative, I think they deserve their own fresh name to start life with.

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 22:39

I've always liked Kate and it flows with my other 3DCs names. I just thought it would be fitting with my MIL and she would be pleased we dedicated the name to her. My oldest DD is a variation of my gran's name but it's different enough that it's all her own. My OHs family are very into recycling names lol. He was named after his uncle and his older brother after his father and his sister is also Kathleen lol x

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getbusyliving · 24/05/2015 22:55

Mil has a namesake in her own daughter, so I'd insist on Kate as there are enough Kathleen's

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 23:00

Very good point thank you lol x

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CrystalMcPistol · 24/05/2015 23:03

Her own daughter is a Kathleen too? In that case no way. I'm always suspicious of people who have loads of namesakes.

BertrandRussell · 24/05/2015 23:05

I'm Cathleen. But I have never been anything but Kate. If I had been younger, I probably would have changed the spelling to Cate because the only thing thT has ever called me even the slightest difficulty is having a different initial to my signature. But when I was young, Cate did not exist as an option!

Marcipex · 24/05/2015 23:05

Don't use it if you don't like it! I ended up with a dreary old-lady name in the same way.
Go for Kate, it's pretty and timeless.

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 23:06

Lol fair enough. I think I'll just keep on with Kate. He will grow to love the name as much as he loves her anyway x

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Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 23:07

I agree Marci it's definitely timeless

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JustAScreenName · 24/05/2015 23:13

I love Kathleen and all (or most) of its potential nicknames. Kate, Katie, Kathy, Kat, Kitty... all nice.

I love Caitlín too but only if it's pronounced correctly, as kat-leen or caught-leen.

Steph1502 · 24/05/2015 23:51

Wouldn't use Caitlin as we have one on each side already and not a fan of Katie... Tbh I'm just totally stuck on Kate lol

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looki · 24/05/2015 23:58

Ironically I really dislike Katie but like Kate but around here there are so many Kate/Katies that it got to a point where I wondered if it was compulsary to use it as a name where I am originally from (Ireland). Hearing it used so often made it a very unimaginative and futile moniker where every child will be known as Kate/Katie X in school.

Steph1502 · 25/05/2015 00:03

Ah I think geography does matter when choosing a name. I don't know anyone who has recently named their child Kate/Katie. And I'm the same I'm not a fan of Katie but love Kate. Don't know why

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AlfAlf · 25/05/2015 00:14

I really like it, but it's a family name for me too so I'm biased. My aunt is a Kathleen but mostly called Kit, which imo is quite cool and androgynous-sounding. My great aunt is Kitty and my cousin is Katie.
I've a friend Kathy also, which is lovely.
It's a good classic name with a lot of good nn potential

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CrystalMcPistol · 25/05/2015 00:18

I don't dislike Kathleen, it has an olde worlde Irish charm. By 'olde worlde' obviously I mean 1936

But her granny and aunt also being called Kathleen is overkill.

1944girl · 25/05/2015 00:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PunkAssMoFo · 25/05/2015 13:15

Catherine may be a little less old fashioned?

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