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Baby names

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

Are there any K names that are not tacky?

447 replies

JCes · 12/06/2026 13:00

Are there any feminine K names that are more traditional and old-fashioned? I really dislike modern and trendy sounding names. I also dislike C names that have recently been turned into K names. The Kylie, Kaylee, Kadence, Kallie, Kinley, Kaitlyn, Krystal, Karly, Khloe, Kenzie type of names are not for me. They're all very similar in style to me, and I just find them to be tacky. They also feel very mean girl/bully. (This won't make sense to everyone, but I'm sure some will know what I mean.)

An example of a name that I do like is Katherine, but there are simply too many in the family. I also like just plain Kay, but it seems a bit underwhelming as a first name. It's more often a middle name and shortening of other K names. Karen is no longer a possibility for obvious reasons...

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luckylavender · 12/06/2026 14:35

Kate
Kitty

3GIANTSTRAWBERRIES · 12/06/2026 14:33

Katie or Katrina

LakieLady · 12/06/2026 14:32

Squirrelsnut · 12/06/2026 13:17

Kate/Katie.
Karenza.
Kristen

I used to know a Karenza, and have always thought it was a lovely name. She told me it was Cornish for "love".

EmmaOvary · 12/06/2026 14:30

Kirza

JohnBullshit · 12/06/2026 14:29

I knew a Kerris once. And a couple of female Kerrys. I grew up in Wales where the usual spellings were Cerys/Ceri, so I don't know if that would disqualify them. It was a long time before the likes of Khloe and Kaitlyn came around.

TheVeryAngryBanana · 12/06/2026 14:29

Lots of European names: Katrin, Karlijn, Karina, Katja, Kiki, Kira

ReflectingPool · 12/06/2026 14:28

I love Katrina

BrownRedPink · 12/06/2026 14:28

Kalliope, Kamilla, Kamille, Karla, Karlotta, Kassandra are all legitimate spellings in other countries/languages.

Pieceofpurplesky · 12/06/2026 14:27

Klara, Kitty, Kate, Katharine ...

BillieWiper · 12/06/2026 14:25

Katherine, Kirsten, Keira?

Bluffinwithmymuffin · 12/06/2026 14:24

I also like the name Kirsten, and I knew a very lovely Kirsten years ago… she’s the only one, and I’m surprised I haven’t come across that name more often.

Ophy83 · 12/06/2026 14:23

Go literary:

Kate (the taming of the shrew, means pure)
Kitty (P&P, pure)
Klara (klara and the sun, means clear/bright)
Kiki (mostly reminds me of the parrot in Enid Blyton's adventure series, apparently it means playful)

Anastasiaa · 12/06/2026 14:22

Krista
Kristal

ThisCyanCat · 12/06/2026 14:22

Why are you limiting yourself to K names, is it to match a sibling with a K name because that's far tackier than calling a child Kylie.

Studyunder · 12/06/2026 14:21

Katie and Kirsty

Squirrelsnut · 12/06/2026 14:21

wishingonastar101 · 12/06/2026 13:26

Karenza? Like a massive Karen?

The use of Karen is a misogynistic, ageist slur. Well done..

Heyheyitsanotherday · 12/06/2026 14:19

Katy/katie

Prunellaprim · 12/06/2026 14:19

Kelynen
Kerenza
They are traditional Cornish names

Motuihe · 12/06/2026 14:17

Kayla

NamingNoNames · 12/06/2026 14:17

ThisZingy · 12/06/2026 14:04

I don't know the origin of Keir well enough to say. In the case of Kiera/Kieran, they come from the Irish names Ciara/Ciaran. The i naturally goes before the e/a in all of these instances. I can't imagine that anyone would ever spell Ciaran as Cairan.

Kieran is the usual spelling. Plenty of them around when I was growing up. Kieran Prendiville, Kieran Prendergast etc.

The Gaeilge rules don't apply because the anglicised version is not Gaeilge.

I can't imagine that anyone would ever spell Ciaran as Cairan. They might mistype it as Cairan.

Glowingup · 12/06/2026 14:15

Kaitlin
Kathryn
Kristina
Kristin
Kirsten
Klara
Katarina
Karin
Karina

Neuronimo · 12/06/2026 14:13

We had a Kristie at school, although it is usually spelled with a C I think.

Pld · 12/06/2026 14:11

I like Kitty, Kate and Katie but would consider them diminutives of Katherine, although perhaps that doesn't matter.

Kirsty is very 80s/early 90s to me but perhaps that was just in Scotland.

Neuronimo · 12/06/2026 14:11

Not sure of Kiri has been mentioned. Like the Opera singer Kiri Te Kanawar.

Firebird83 · 12/06/2026 14:10

Kitty
Kathleen
Kerensa
Kenna
Kendra
Kaia
Kezia
Keturah

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