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Baby names

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Original poster

Catherine / Kate

39 replies

SylviaPlath1984 · 05/04/2021 21:03

Help a girl out!

22 weeks pregnant, having a little girl. Already have a lovely 4 year old daughter and used up my name choices all on her... now me and DH are pretty stumped and all we can agree on is Catherine, Kate for short. The only issue is I really don't like the shortened version Katie, I have no idea why...

Anyway, what do we think of Catherine? Too old? Too bland? Are you a Catherine and prefer certain nicknames, do people respect that and not use one you don't like?

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FanPanCan · 12/04/2021 11:25

Just call her Kate. Easy.

LittleRa · 12/04/2021 11:24

I know a 10yo Katherine who goes by Kitty

Stoptalkingtome · 12/04/2021 11:20

My cousin has a Kate. No one ever calls her Katie, even through primary and secondary school. I absolutely love the name.

Ejm02 · 12/04/2021 11:18

I quite like Catherine, and you could go Cait or Cate for short instead of Kate. Or even Catie

PollyThePony · 12/04/2021 08:01

I love it and would have used for dd, but dh vetoed Hmm

Kate is fine for a little girl. Someone will call her Katie as a cute nn, but she just needs to correct them if she doesn't like it.

VanillaAndOrange · 12/04/2021 07:49

I like Catherine and Kate, not so keen on Katie, but I feel it's a bit unfair to give a child a name with lots of shortening options and then dictate that they can't use some of them.

Think about how you would feel if she wants to be known as Katie a few years down the line. If that would be a deal-breaker for you, this might not be the right name for you.

EuphieKat · 11/04/2021 01:07

I’m a Kate and only a handful of people have ever called me Katie. Only a few people have ever asked if it’s short for Catherine...it isn’t!

TatianaBis · 10/04/2021 14:27

Very boring name. A friend of mine is called Catherine and I always felt sorry for her. She’s never been Kate or Katie always Cath or Cathy.

Troyhelena · 10/04/2021 12:53

I like Catherine but not Kate/Katie/Cat etc

CroydianSlip · 08/04/2021 22:35

I think it's a beautiful name and know many Kates who are Kate never Katie.

There's nothing boring about it - classic, timeless, great on all ages, not ubiquitous, made up or faddy, nice meaning, shared with interesting characters in history....

allycat4 · 08/04/2021 22:31

I love it!

FontyMcFontface · 08/04/2021 20:34

I had a name like this where I was never called the full version and it didn’t feel like my name. Lots of hassle with different names on different certificates. Hated it so much that I changed it by deed poll to the shortened version.
Just call her Kate, if that’s what she will be called.

Violentfairy · 06/04/2021 09:11

Prefer KathArine to Catherine as a spelling

KirstenBlest · 06/04/2021 08:40

I'd use Katharine on the BC to avoid the C. Surname, K. Surname issue, or just call her Kate.

I know a Kate who is Katie on her BC, but only her mum has ever called her Katie.

DalPalak · 06/04/2021 01:01

I do find Catherine very boring. If you like it, it doesn't really matter that some others don't -- it's a nice, normal name that loads of people love.

I wouldn't worry unduly about her getting nicknamed Katie. IamnotwhoyouthinkIam is correct IME -- the nickname du jour for today's little C/Katherines is Kitty/Kit/Cat.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 05/04/2021 23:38

Catherine is lovely - very classic and underused now (but only left the top 100 about 20 years ago - before then it was a UK top 100 staple for at least a century).

Kate/Cate is the obvious perennial nickname, but one of the benefits of Catherine is the variety of nn's. Katie feels quite 80's/90's (so I doubt she'd get called that), Cathy more 50's/60's/70's (so I doubt she'd get that either) - Kat/Kit/Kitty are the cool versions now.

adrianmolesmole · 05/04/2021 23:36

Very, very boring. And Kate Middleton manages to make it even more boring!

Thedogscollar · 05/04/2021 23:31

Just name her Kate. It's a lovely name.

DramaAlpaca · 05/04/2021 23:19

I like Catherine and Kate very much.

CakesOfVersailles · 05/04/2021 22:20

I love Catherine nn Kate.

MazekeenSmith · 05/04/2021 21:58

I'm Katherine and never go by any shortenings. A couple of people have tried to impose Kathy on me during my life but I don't entertain it!

Ginevere · 05/04/2021 21:58

I’m a Catherine, go by Cathy. Have never had anyone call me anything other than that!

jimjamjoo · 05/04/2021 21:58

Love this combination. I know a Kate who is never called Katie and a Catherine who is never called C/Kate. Great choice, @SylviaPlath1984

Ronniechops · 05/04/2021 21:56

We named our daughter Katherine and we and everyone call her Kate. She hates the name Katie and would glare at anyone who accidentally calls her that!

Original poster
SylviaPlath1984 · 05/04/2021 21:56

Thank you so much everyone, you've all really put my mind at ease and I really appreciate the advice on Introducing her as Kate so we can avoid the Katie situation! Thanks again ❤️

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