Catriona?

@Katerinakaterinaki - and then they tell me, "oh I really like it pronounced 'catreeowna'!" , and I have to say ... Well I don't like that, it's not my name...

God yeah. That's really irritating. I once had an English colleague who mispronounced my name repeatedly and when I politely corrected her, she informed me should would continue to call me something that bore no resemblance to my actual name as she preferred it. Absolutely shocking arrogance.

I guess at the very least I wish more people would check how to say it, as pp said. I don't like having to be "that" person who corrects people, and it's awkward sometimes trying to find the right moment to interject to let someone know that they're actually saying my name completely wrong... and then they tell me, "oh I really like it pronounced 'catreeowna'!" , and I have to say ... Well I don't like that, it's not my name...

I've even had people assume I've made a typo of my own name because I pronounced it differently than what they expected when they read a document, e.g. in the bank.

Anyway, back to the OP - despite the whole confusion with the pronunciation, I've had a lot of compliments on my name and the spelling of it. If you love it, go for it. I think it may be less of an issue living abroad.

I don't think foreign names pronounced following their own language's rules are "crazy". I just think they are different, and if I'm not familiar with the pronunciation, that I should ask.

I know a few being from north of Scotland. All pronounced a bit like Katrina, but with a subtle -o- in there, it's really difficullt to describe!

I then went to Uni (still in Scotland) and met a German girl who pronouces it Cat-Ree-Own-A. Which completely me threw me. I now have to pause and think before speaking to anyone with that name as I have to think about what pronouciation that they prefer!

She also told me she was used to that mistake and knew of another Catriona who dealt with the same.

Went to uni with a Catriona.
A lot of people including tutors called her catreeownuh until she corrected them.

You could just use the name Nina?

Catrina/Katrina I would pronounce Catrina.

But Catriona? I'd assume Cat ree ONA.

despise being called ca-tree-own-a ... but it's how 99% of people say it, despite me thinking it seems like a crazy pronunciation

But to many Catriona pronounced without the O is crazy . The obvious pronunciation for many is as it's written; Cat ri ona. Like Fiona.

I know two Catriona/Katrina's (in my 30s). Both wonderful women. Both are called Cat/Kat by friends and the latter sometimes Kit. Lovely name

I know a Catriona and she's lively so it's a yes from me.

I really like Catriona. And I'm not in UK but still know how to spell and pronounce it. Nina makes a great nn for it.

Love both Catriona and Nina!

It's a Scottish Gaelic name with a 3-and-a-half syllable name.
So not Kat-ree-na
And not Kat-ree-oh-na
It's Kat-ree-(uh)-na with the (uh) being given the half syllable value.

Lovely name.

Never heard it shortened to Nina, only Cat, Trina or Treen. A nice name that you don't hear that often.

It's my name!
I've grown to like it, but it took me until my mid 20s and then living in another country for me to really like my name.

Scottish and Irish people know how to spell and pronounce it, and that's almost it.

I've spent my life correcting people on either the spelling and/or the pronunciation, and absolutely despise being called ca-tree-own-a ... but it's how 99% of people say it, despite me thinking it seems like a crazy pronunciation - where has anyone ever heard that?

As some people have suggested, I've referred to myself as Cat since I was in my teens. Never had Nina suggested as a nickname, I worked with another Catriona once who called herself Cassie...

Personally do not like Trina and Riona as nicknames, I think they sound awful.

Now I live abroad and it's a bit easier as the name Katerina is very common here so I feel a bit more at ease and just spell it out when needed.

I know a Catriona but it's pronounced Cat-RO-na. I don't like that pronunciation but the others are lovely.

My Sis is a Catriona, and known as Nina, often over dramatised as Nee Na Nee Na like a emergency siren......

She doesn’t recognise her name pronounced incorrectly so has missed a few appointments despite being in the waiting room 🤦‍♀️

FWIW, I never heard of Nina as a shortening for Catriona. But I suppose it could be. Especially if you go for the Katrina pronunciation. I find it a bit strange, because to me Nina and Catriona are both complete and very different names. But both are lovely!

@SeanCailleach - I thought the o was only there to make the n broad, and the t needs an i in front to make it slender

It is but in my accent, there is a slight o in the pronunciation. It's kind of a broadening of the n combined with the o. Hard to describe really. I don't think it would really be noticeable to a foreigner.

As mentioned by another poster, Nina of Nina and the neurons is Katrina.

So I can't see any reason why Catriona couldn't be shortened to Nina.

Lovely name.

Flora? Seriously? Catriona is Gaelic. Nina is not.

It’s bizarre, not racist. Have a word with yourself.

My name is gaelic, as are those of my children.

So I wouldn’t pick a “cutesy” nickname which was full Arabic name for example.

Nine is nothing to do with Cat-ree-uh-nuh - OP is just hedging her bets.