Catherine or Katherine or with 'a's instead of 'e's...

[Nemonemo]

... And does it even matter??

I had a friend who was Catharine at school. I prefer it, but she didi have to correct everyone, it must have been really annoying.

I don't think it matters but I'm sure I've read somewhere that the original spelling is 'Katharine' (which may or may not be my name )

I think K goes better with an A but C goes better with an E. The Katharine I know likes the fact that her name is a bit less vanilla than all the hundreds of Catherines there are.

(p.s. Sorrel I don't think there is actually an "original" spelling as such - the name has been popular since long before we got the idea that a name should just have one spelling - e.g. Shakespeare himself spelled his own name any of a dozen different ways as the mood took him, because spelling wasn't deemed set-in-stone...)

I always thought catharine was the Scottish spelling? Don't tell me I've been wrong all these years!!

Please use the most common spelling

I don't think it matters, just go with your preference. Mine is with a K and an e, hence pretty standard, but I always have to spell it out to people anyway. And that's without getting into the ryn vs ine ending (the latter is best in my view!)

Its bad enough having to say "with a C" or K every time, but then also having to add "with an a in the middle" then "yes, 'rine/ryn' at the end" it will take her all day to tell anyone her name. Its a pain! Call her Kate

IfElephantsWoreTrousers Yes, I'm sure you're absolutely right. Probably something my DM told me when I got fed up of having to spell it to everyone

Anyone called Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn/Catrin is going to spend their whole lives spelling the damn name, so an a rather than an e makes very little difference.

As long as you are OK with spelling mistakes. One year at secondary school I got 40 Christmas cards and almost as many variations on the spelling - I think about ten got it right, and those were my best mates!

So, those of you called Catherine (or variant) has the name been a burden/annoyance? I think we'd plan on shortening to Katy day to day, but have the Catherine on the birth cert so that she could you Kate/Cathy/Catherine etc when she gets older if she likes.

My DD is Cathryn shortened to Cathy. We always wanted to call her Cathy but wanted to give her the option to use other diminutives if she chose to, for a long time she liked being called by the full version but has been Cathy now for a few years.

I like having the full name as it give me lots of options when growing up. I settled on Kate in my late teens but liked having the choice. The only time I have to spell it out now is for formal stuff, where they didn't have my name already. It's really not much hassle at all.

Anyone called Catherine/Katherine/Kathryn/Catrin is going to spend their whole lives spelling the damn name, so an a rather than an e makes very little difference.

Exactly - I'm Kathleen and my entire life I have had to spell my name so an 'a' instead of an 'e' in the middle won't be an issue!

It's not a burden at all and it's given me lots of options - at different stages in my life I've been "Katie" "Kat" and "Kathy." I'm actually considering going back to "Katie" when we move to another town

I am a Kathryn, but always called Katy.

When I named my son, I have to say, I went for a name that couldn't be misspelled or shortened!

I'm a Katharine and never a Kath, Kathy or a Kate. My niece is a Kate though (not short for anything). Although I do have to spell my name I do like the spelling as it's a little different. I don't think it's a burden.

I'm always a bit curious why some people called Catherine then use a derivative that starts with a 'K' and vice versa. Kate Middleton is a good example I guess.

Katharine is the best way (biased as my dd's middle name is that). It is based on the original root of the name - katharos, Greek for pure.

My preference is Catherine!

sorrelforbes I'm erring towards Katherine for the reason you mention, so it's a K for the Katy diminutive.

Mine is spelled Catherine (totally outing myself, but who cares!) and I've have many variations on the nicknames, none of which really stuck. I've been called Kate (by mum) Katy (by dad and a couple of BFs), Caf and Caffers by my brothers and Cat by my lovely mates (my fave NN!) Oddly stbxh didn't really use my name at all now I think of it but when he did it was always the full version, which never seems as friendly to me somehow.

I'm a Katherine, and generally say "Katherine, with a K" when someone needs to write my name down. Most people seem to spell it correctly that way, but I do sometimes have to add "ERINE" when they struggle.

I don't mind the occasional mis-spellings I get, and love the fact that I've been able to use Katie, Katy and Kate as nicknames as I've got older and Katherine when I feel like being official.

Just don't call me Kath!

I prefer Katharine although goodness knows why, they all sound the same

I really like it as a name however it's spelled and I love it best when the owner likes to be called the full version and not Kate/Katey etc.

I personally found it annoying that I was named 'Kathryn' but then my parents called me 'Katy' for the whole of my life, so I have never, ever been known as Kathryn. Only on forms. I don't really get this 'choosing a different name when you're older' thing.

Of the people I know, including me, with this name, there are:

4 Cath/Kaths
3 Kathryns
1 Kate
2 Cathys
1 Kat

Not saying which is me!