Catherine or Katherine?

[noblegiraffe]

Which spelling do you prefer?

Also, could you call a girl Catherine and still shorten it to Katie or would that be weird?

[camgirl]

Katharine.

Second choice - Katherine.

Definitely more distinguished!

[MirandaWest]

Definitely Katherine, but I am biased .

[hatsybatsy]

had a friend who had always been known as Kate - do everything official was with 'K' as an initial... slight problem as her name was actually Catherine....

IMO if Kate/Katie are to be used from the off, then go with a 'K' form of the name?

And (as a KathAryn myself)... please please please go for one of the more usual spellings - no point adding further complications?

[myhandslooksoold]

My gorgeous dd is a Katherine. I love it. Agree with Anne of green gables

[TessOfTheBurbervilles]

Given that the root word that Katherine comes from is a 'kat' word, Katherine is without doubt the original spelling.

However, Catherine is my preferred spelling, because I don't like K names. I blame all those people who ruin perfectly good C names, by spelling them with a K, such as Khloe, Konstance (I've seen one of them) and (for the boys) Kooper. They are the people responsible for my aversion to (perfectly good) K names.

[shoobidoo]

I've not read the whole thread but I would advise that the name and nickname start with the same initial. Makes labelling of clothes, items etc MUCH easier.

So Catherine => Cathy, Cat, Catey
And Katherine/Katharine/Kathryn => Kat, Katy

Gosh, there are lots of spellings of Katharine, aren't there....!

[Wigeon]

OP - I really think it doesn't matter that much - just go for the one that you like most on gut instinct.

Personally I think it's slightly odd to be Catherine, nn Katie / Katy, because of the initial letter thing, so either go with Catherine, nn Cate (bit pretentious) or Katherine if you are definitely going to use Katie / Katy. Katherine or Catherine (or Kathryn or Katharine...), she's going to be spelling it each and every time! But I still think it's a lovely name! .

[nemno]

K

[Teamthrills]

Katherine - much nicer.

[DandyDan]

Definitely Katherine, or Katharine.

Not with a "C". And it would be weird to shorten Catherine to Kate, and Cate still looks weirder (apologies to Cate Blanchett).

[Lifeisontheup]

It's not weird

[flowers123]

just to add to the mix I am a Kathryn, alway have to spell it out but would not change it x

[TheSurgeonsMate]

Catherine.

And, yes can be shortened to Katie. No probs.

[cupcake19992110436247]

Prefure Catherine personaly xx

[MacAndCheese]

Life I agree that it isn't weird! That's my name!

[BartimaeusNeedsMoreSleep]

I've always preferred K as I think it's stronger than C (although that might be influenced by the Katherine and Catherine I knew as a child).

It's on our top ten list of girls names. However DH prefers C as the K version is not really known in France (where we live).

I'll have to wait and see if it ever because an important issue for us

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Catherine shorthened to Cate/Catey/Cathy/Cat.
Shortening to a K name is just stupid!
And I should know, Im Catherine the fifth in my family!

[TheSurgeonsMate]

It is not just stupid.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Is too!

[TheSurgeonsMate]

Spelling Kate "Cate" is just as stupid, and you don't see me casting any nastursiums about those who choose to do that.

[TheSurgeonsMate]

[eBook]

Another one who thinks "Cate" looks odd.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

:-P

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

Its scottish.

[Lifeisontheup]

I'm not stupid -honest, well maybe a bit.