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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...

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Roco11 · 13/06/2026 18:19

Keira, Kaia, Kira, Kezia, or Karis

MeandT · 13/06/2026 18:17

I've worked with one Kendra & know of another. Think that's a great name.

Almost all the others still not meeting OP's brief imho, with the exception perhaps of Keira & Katerina. Possible pass for Katja, but that gets complicated as true spelling is nicer, but likely to end up with lots of Katya - agree K is a tricky one to work with!

WhitePudding · 13/06/2026 18:15

Karina

Bluffinwithmymuffin · 13/06/2026 18:06

Rpopz4 · 13/06/2026 17:58

My daughter is a Kitty. She's 9 now and have yet to meet another one 🙂

There are two in my family, one in her 50s, one aged 21. Our grandmother/great grandmother was Kate, but mostly called Kit/Kitty.
I’ve not met any others, surprisingly. It’s such a nice name.

Iamthegirlwho · 13/06/2026 18:01

Kathryn is a lovely alternative to Katherine

Justonemoretouch · 13/06/2026 18:00

Kirsten

Rpopz4 · 13/06/2026 17:58

My daughter is a Kitty. She's 9 now and have yet to meet another one 🙂

NoCureForLove · 13/06/2026 17:43

Kirsty

PhotoFirePoet · 13/06/2026 17:42

Katarina
Kirsten

flagpolesitta · 13/06/2026 13:03

Knowledge 😆

Dinggirl · 13/06/2026 12:59

NamingNoNames · 13/06/2026 12:11

Sometimes, but it's thrown about on SM mainly by white middle-aged men.

True. And I get the bstards back by calling them "Darren" in return, as if you google what Darren means in slang, it basically says:
A middle-aged white man exhibiting a sense of entitlement or white privilege.
its childish of me I know, and I obviously have too much time in my hands! But it really pisses me off!

NamingNoNames · 13/06/2026 12:11

Dinggirl · 13/06/2026 11:47

Sometimes sadly it's other women who refer to a woman as a "Karen" 😟 but agree, it's a lovely name

Sometimes, but it's thrown about on SM mainly by white middle-aged men.

Dinggirl · 13/06/2026 11:47

Cherrytree86 · 13/06/2026 11:25

I think we should reclaim the name Karen. Fuck the patriarchy

Sometimes sadly it's other women who refer to a woman as a "Karen" 😟 but agree, it's a lovely name

Cherrytree86 · 13/06/2026 11:25

I think we should reclaim the name Karen. Fuck the patriarchy

NamingNoNames · 13/06/2026 11:21

@Waitingfordoggo , more Katies are registered than Katherines. I prefer just Kate. Katherine has the Katherine/Catherine/Katharine/Kathryn issue.

Wre · 13/06/2026 11:20

Katie/ Kate are lovely names.

Waitingfordoggo · 13/06/2026 11:17

I really like Katie/Kate. I know it’s usually a shortening of Katherine but it works as a name in its own right IMO.

Thisthreadhasbeendeleted · 13/06/2026 11:15

HogletPatricia · 12/06/2026 13:15

Kore (pronounced Core-ee - another name used for Persephone in Greek mythology)

Kore would forevermore have to explain or correct the pronunciation of their name

NamingNoNames · 13/06/2026 00:02

That it's a fine line. Clare, Claire and Clair all sound the same and are from the same root but Cla(i)r(e) I might think differently.

Sara Thompson and Sarah Thomson aren't the same names, Charles Martin is.

I could see why Graeme McDonald might be annoyed if his name was written Graham Macdonald.

I don't see Ciara and Keira as the same name.

NashEnquirer · 12/06/2026 23:50

NamingNoNames · 12/06/2026 23:41

@NashEnquirer , Respectively, a polite reminder to kindly post in a less patronising manner. It's not 'triggering' me, I just find it annoying, and I mean that in a kindly way to be honest with you.

Please be aware that Kira is of a different origin to Keira.

I ain't gonna lie, I'd say Sara and Sarah are variants of the same name etc.

Lynda and Linda - one could be from Lyn(ne) and the other from Latin?

Lynda Clark and Linda Clarke aren't the same written down but you could have a French Charles Martin and British one and their names don't sound the same.

Trying to take all this in good faith but surely my point still stands - effectively that there are different ways of spelling names that sound the same? (Yes, Charles Martin would sound different pronounced by a French person but I'll be honest too, I'm not sure what point you're making with that!)

NamingNoNames · 12/06/2026 23:41

@NashEnquirer , Respectively, a polite reminder to kindly post in a less patronising manner. It's not 'triggering' me, I just find it annoying, and I mean that in a kindly way to be honest with you.

Please be aware that Kira is of a different origin to Keira.

I ain't gonna lie, I'd say Sara and Sarah are variants of the same name etc.

Lynda and Linda - one could be from Lyn(ne) and the other from Latin?

Lynda Clark and Linda Clarke aren't the same written down but you could have a French Charles Martin and British one and their names don't sound the same.

WaitingForMojo · 12/06/2026 23:36

Sidebeforeself · 12/06/2026 22:22

True but also can’t believe people think nobody has heard of the name Kate! 🤣

It’s literally the only name that fits what the o asked, so it’s going to come up a lot!

NashEnquirer · 12/06/2026 23:24

NamingNoNames · 12/06/2026 22:29

Do you not think there can be more than one correct spelling of a name?
Are Carl and Karl, Carol and Carole, Kirsty and Kirstie, Graeme and Graham, or Louis and Louie the same name?
How about Jackson and Jaxon or Jayden and Jadon?

seriously though, I made a pretty reasonable comment. You issued "a polite reminder" in a manner that was interpreted as passive-aggressive or 'superior'.

Yes, I think of those as alternative spellings of the same names. Like Linda/Lynda, Sara/Sarah, Kira/Keira etc.

Respectfully, I think if someone using the term "a polite reminder" is this triggering for you then the spelling of other people's names is probably not the problem to focus on. Ironically, it's hard to say that without sounding passive-aggressive 😀

Carandache18 · 12/06/2026 23:23

I still like Karen. It's about time it was reclaimed.

MoreHairyThanScary · 12/06/2026 23:20

Katriona like the more well known Catriona ( I did check it is a proper name not just one I heard somewhere!)