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Baby names

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

Original poster

Kirsty or Kirsten

38 replies

Patlovesroses · 19/08/2023 09:40

Hello, so I can’t decide between these two names. Do you like them or dislike them? What are your general impressions of them? I find them to be quite similar to Kristy and Kristen but slightly prefer Kirsty/Kirsten because names beginning with Chris are extremely common in my experience.

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continentallentil · 19/08/2023 16:42

Kirsten

Quite like it. They were quite pop in 70s/80s but thus less so.

heartofglass23 · 19/08/2023 14:46

There's also Kiersten

AutumnOcean · 19/08/2023 13:51

I'm a Kirsty. I've given up trying to correct people and just answer to Kristy now. Kirsten is nicer.

PeachF · 19/08/2023 13:45

Well one of those is my name and I love it. Haven't met many people with the name actually come to think of it. No-one at school with me in the 90s/00s for sure. And I've never been mistakenly called any other name (that I know of)

Honeyandwine · 19/08/2023 13:44

I know a Kirsteen and really like the name. Also like the name Kirsty but not Kristen.

Shyandnervous · 19/08/2023 13:44

I'm a Kirsten but most people call me Kirstie.

It really irritates me when people call me Kristen.

RitzyMcFitzy · 19/08/2023 13:43

I prefer Kirsten.

I live in Scotland and it feels like a quarter of all women between the ages of 30 - 50 are called Kirsty. It's a nice name though.

Roselilly36 · 19/08/2023 13:40

I don’t like either name, sorry.

whatchagonnado · 19/08/2023 13:37

Love Kirsty

weegiemum · 19/08/2023 13:27

I like them both, and also Kirsteen. Much prefer them over Krist/en/y.

Bumblebee112 · 19/08/2023 12:59

Personally prefer Kirsten to Kirsty (but I know a bit very nice Kirsty so that’s probably why 😅🤣) @Patlovesroses

We have quite a lot of those names around here (west Scotland). I also know a Kirsteen. And we have quite a few Christy/Christie here rather than a K spelling

AlwaysHeadingWest · 19/08/2023 12:55

What about Kirsteen? It's a Scottish variant of Kirsten of which Kirsty is quite often used as an abbreviated form.

WaltzingWaters · 19/08/2023 12:33

Kirsten. They can then be Kirsty for short if wanted. (I personally much prefer Kirsten anyway. Not a fan of Kirsty).

Theoldwoman · 19/08/2023 12:22

Prefer Kirsten, but if going for the other, then prefer the Kirstie spelling.

I do prefer Kristin though ( this spelling) I know of a few older ones and none go by Chris.

TLDRfuckers · 19/08/2023 11:10

Both are truly excellent loveky names! Good choices to have.

babysharkdoodoodedoodedoo · 19/08/2023 11:09

Neither, both are very dated

KirstenBlest · 19/08/2023 11:03

Kirsten, obviously.

It can be shortened to Kirsty. I'm not keen on either. Kirsty seems dated.

dahliadazed · 19/08/2023 10:48

I really like Kirsten, agree with others that you could use Kirsty as a nickname.

Shinyandnew1 · 19/08/2023 10:46

I went to school with several girls called Kirsty in the 80s, so associate that with the -y names like Vicky, Nicky, Jackie, Becky, of my then classmates.

I do like Kristen (rather than Kirsten) though.

missushbbb · 19/08/2023 10:44

I'm not a fan of either sorry, Kristi is nicer in my opinion, but she would probably be called "Kirsty sorry Kristi!"

Cowlover89 · 19/08/2023 10:40

Kirsty

GrassWillBeGreener · 19/08/2023 10:34

My sister's Kirsten almost always known as Kirsty. I'm a great fan of "full" names and use nicknames if you want; 'y' endings feel like shortenings to me. Interestingly all her children are known by shortenings, mine I still mostly call by their full names though they were shortened by friends at secondary school.

FeltCarrot · 19/08/2023 10:17

I know a Kirsty and a German Kerstin. (Spelled that way!)

eatdrinkandbemerry · 19/08/2023 10:11

I've got a Kirsty so I'm biased but I love it x
She's never been teased with it sounding like thirsty and we are not Scottish and that's never been mentioned either x
I think it's due a revival 👍🏻

OilOfRoses · 19/08/2023 10:02

I'd suggest that if you like Kirsten you go for that, because you can always call her Kirsty. You can't do the reverse though. So Kirsten is a bit like choosing both.