Being named Christine

[InSearchOfMartin]

Do you think it is old fashioned? I don't know any others around my sort of age (other than Christine Lampard) and I (might be imagining it because I am sensitive) see people do a double take when I'm introduced. All the Christines I know in real life are minimum pension age at least.

I don't like Chris as it makes me feel like people think I'm a guy and I don't like Chrissy either as I feel silly.

My late mum was a Christine. She was a formidable trade unionist and always used Chris so people didn't automatically know she was a woman. I also know a woman of my own age (48) who uses Tina.
Do you like Scandi culture at all? You could use Stine, I suppose?

Yes I was wondering what you thought about Christie as a nick name OP?

I know a Christine and she goes by Chris. I don't think I'd care that it's male too, as so are plenty of other female shortened names - Sam(antha), Jo(anne), Lee(anne), Teri, etc.

I know three Christine's your age, I do think you must be imagining the double takes OP, most people reserve those reactions for names like 'misty water' or similar

I'd not say its dated as a name either, it's more of a 'classic' name than a 'fashionable name that's now dated'

My middle name is Victoria but I've never used it.

And agree with PP I don't think it's an issue to shorten a name to something that could be either gender like Chris. If you wanted to do this you could always have a different spelling eg Kris

Cant have been many Christines in the 80s! The oldest sounding names at my school of that era were Jane, which had also long since died out. Your middle name on the other hand yes, loads of Victorias from that era.

@DrinkFeckArseBrick I was married to a Chris and I kicked him out so I don't want any reminders!

I know about 3, all young 40ish.

it makes me think of phantom of the opera.

I immediately started singing the House of Love song when I opened this thread!

I am the same age and also have a name more associated with women of our mothers' generation. I remember being at uni and someone making a comment about me having a middle aged woman's name and suddenly just feeling so self conscious!

I like it now though and what are you going to do? It's been your name your whole life, I wouldn't adopt a nickname, I would find it too confusing! Just lean into it! 😆

My mum. She's 74. When we had DD we decided we would use our mother's names as middle names, but when I told my mum she was like no don't inflict that name on a child. She hates her name! We didn't in the end. I chose Isobel instead.

I don't know anyone named Christine. I think I'd be a little surprised to hear a baby being called that now, but I wouldnt really call it old fashioned. The names I think of as old fashioned seem to be coming back into popularity though!

I do understand where you're coming from though. I've never met anyone with my name who's the same age or younger, they're usually about 20 years older or it's used as a middle name! I hated it when I was little as I could never find anything with my name on it (the horror). I love it now though, now I've realised the personal meaning behind it. Also now I've realised that I was a lucky one who never had to use my last name to distinguish myself in school. 😂

Christy is nice.

My parents gave me a really old fashioned English name along with my Chinese name that was popular in about 1900. I have never met anyone with it though I have met elderly people that have said ooh my Granny had that name.

To add DH great grandmother had my name and was born in 1881. His Mother of course found it quite charming and a sign it was meant to be, she is very woo about things.

It just makes me start singing Christine by Siouxsie and the Banshees. I’m in my thirties and do think of it as an older fashioned name. No other children I went to school with were called Christine. The 90’s were more Sophie, Laura, Emma, Emily, Victoria etc

I went to school with a few kids from HK and China and I remember thinking their English names were very quaint and old fashioned, but lovely! Names like Horace, Theresa, Beatrice.

I was about to say "don't be daft I know loads of Christines" then remembered I'm 70 🤣

A few suggested diminutives aside from Chris/Chrissy:

Christa
Ina
Kiki
Tiana
Christel
Christy
Tina
Kristy
Kristin
Kirsten

"She is a Christine."

But she's never gone by that. I was pointing out that it is irrelevant that Chrissie Hynde is cool because she's a) 73 years old and b) does not go by Christine.

Yes, my two best mates were Sophie and Laura, my cousin is Emma and my middle name is Victoria!

I was lumbered with an old fashioned name. I was supposedly named after my grandmother who died when my father was little. It was very unfortunate that he misremembered her name - same letters I suppose. Her name was the pretty classic version and I got a name that I always thought had connotations of sturdy woman whipping up meaty stews and porridge and doing craftwork. People did do a double take sometimes when they actually met me. I still don't like the name but it so old-fashioned and rare now it's almost fashionable.

My cousin is the same age as you and goes by Chrissy.

Genuinely, i love the name Christine.

I think a Christine aged 42 seems perfectly normal, I met a Linda aged 24 the other day that seemed very different.

I’m in my early 30s and if someone said they were called Christine, I wouldn’t think anything of it? Like who cares?

The only way I’d take notice of a name would be if someone was called something really unusual like ‘stormtrooper’.

Why not embrace being the only Christine you know your age? I think it’s cool and unique