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Baby names

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

Original poster

Cali/Calista

34 replies

Spanishsenorota · 26/05/2024 19:16

What do you think of the name Cali?
Would it be better as a nickname for longer name like Calista?
I like the spelling Cali as it seems more streamlined and less fussy than Callie.

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ShameOnYouAndYourLargeTrotters · 29/05/2024 12:38

you would say Alistair Al-ee-sta

I’ve never heard Alistair pronounced in that way. What part of the world are you in out of curiosity?

FayCarew · 29/05/2024 12:34

Batista nn Bati?

SueBranchers · 29/05/2024 11:00

Personally I think this is abomination as it connotes drug use. FYI Cali is a a strain of the devious and disgusting drug, marijuana. It is a shame that the delinquents of today have ruined what would have been a beautiful name. As an alternative I would suggest Batista, as it sounds similar to Calista. It also commemorates the US effort put into the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. Good luck with the birth.

liveforsummer · 29/05/2024 06:22

Beautiful name - it was my other choice for both DD's and still sometimes wish I'd had a 3rd just so I could use the name. Also liked Calia although ime that looked better with a K so didn't work as a shortened version of Calista. In all forms the meaning is beautiful one. Interestingly Greek in-laws didn't love it - apparently it's an old lady name whereas it sounds very modern to me and they preferred the non greek names they ended up with. To the pp who thinks it sounds like Alistair - WTF 😅

urbanbuddha · 29/05/2024 04:12

Cali, short for Calypso.

Linnet · 29/05/2024 01:27

I know a Calista, she's in her 20's, it's a lovely name and her friends call her Cali or Cal.

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 29/05/2024 01:16

I had a very pretty Siamese cat called Calista.

RogueFemale · 29/05/2024 00:46

Another option is Calypso
(a Greek nymph)

Lovinglifeand · 27/05/2024 14:19

My niece is called Calli, short for Calliandra . It really suits her. I think it's a great name

takemeawayagain · 27/05/2024 13:59

The only one I know is Calista Flockhart. I really like it and the nickname Cali works with that spelling (rather than being a chavvy i ending name) because it is actually the first 4 letters of the name.

FayCarew · 27/05/2024 13:54

@WaltzingWaters , I wouldn't say it was unpopular, but it's underused.
I'd put it in the same category as Jocasta and Jacinta - people like the names but they're not on their radar when naming a DD.
Unpopular suggests that nobody likes it , and this thread has several who do like it.

popplego · 27/05/2024 13:49

Gorgeous name! Love Cali/Callie too.

sweetnessandlighter · 27/05/2024 13:41

Calista is gorgeous (and sounds nothing like Alistair!).

WaltzingWaters · 27/05/2024 13:37

Calista is a lovely and unpopular name with Cali as a nn. I’ve never met a Calista, only ever heard it on the actress Calista Flockhart.

FayCarew · 27/05/2024 13:30

@nupnup , Cal - rhymes with Pal, ist - rhymes with list
Cal-IST-a

rhymes with lister and sister

Aglassaday · 27/05/2024 13:09

love it but I also know a lovely little girl called Calla and honestly makes me love the name so much so may have a slight preference for Calla over Cali

nupnup · 27/05/2024 13:03

Short A like 'has or long A like 'call'

The above should say.

nupnup · 27/05/2024 13:02

Pretty name but I think it's faffy with pronunciation. Is it call-iss-ta or call-ee-sta or call-iss-tar or call-ee-star. Is it a short A sound like 'has' or a long A sound like '

Seems too faffy for me. But I do think it's pretty, it it's pronounced how I'm doing so in my head.

iAmBarbara · 27/05/2024 12:58

Love the name Callie, especially when it’s short for Caliope (similar vibes to Penelope)
Calista is nice too though, I personally don’t think I would just use Callie as a stand alone name though.

miniaturepixieonacid · 27/05/2024 12:55

I like both.

I've only ever heard it as Ca-liss-ta though, not Cal-ees-ta (Calista Flockhart and one little girl in real life are the only times I've come across it though). I prefer the former but can see how the latter makes sense (ie like Barista).

For Cali, my favourite long name is Calliope though, which I think is gorgeous.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 27/05/2024 12:33

Cali is lovely, and unusual.

I was considering Cally as a short form of Calypso which I love but don’t think I’d have been brave enough. We had boys so didn’t have to make the decision in the end.

CardiganTardigan · 27/05/2024 12:29

Calista and Alistair really don’t rhyme.

FayCarew · 27/05/2024 09:15

Calista is lovely.
I'd say Calista as Cal-IS-ta and Alistair as AL-ist-er, so I can't see how they sound similar.
Cally is nice, but Cali is ok too.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 26/05/2024 23:30

Cali will often get misspelt as a name imo - I’ve only seen it as a commonplace shortening for the state of California. I think elegant Calista is lovely though. Cali is fine for a nn ( but don’t be surprised if people assume it’s Callie).

OccasionalHope · 26/05/2024 20:55

Calista is beautiful.