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Catherine or Katherine?

91 replies

noblegiraffe · 16/10/2012 19:45

Which spelling do you prefer?

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

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Anonymumous · 23/10/2012 20:00

Catherine makes me think of catheters, if that helps...

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 23/10/2012 20:04
Grin
JulesJules · 23/10/2012 20:06

Katharine (as in Hepburn)

It is DD1's middle name. Registering at the Dr, I told the receptionist "Katharine - with a K and two As" and later saw she had written
Kaatherine
Grin

ithaka · 23/10/2012 20:06

I like Kathleen Grin

Lovely Irish name that can be shortened to Katie/Kate.

eBook · 23/10/2012 20:33

Yes Kathleen is nice.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 23/10/2012 20:36

I actually really like Caitlyn.

CurrerBell · 23/10/2012 20:52

I am biased but I think Catherine is a more classic name (think Royalty, Henry VIII's wives, Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights...). I do love Anne of Gables but don't agree with her on this point - K is to me a harsh letter...

azazello · 23/10/2012 20:57

Katherine (also biased) from Anne of Green Gables, greek and Anya Seton's Katherine.

ATM she is Kate or Kitty

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 23/10/2012 20:59

As well as being named for paternal family tradition, my mum wanted to call me Catherine after Catherine Earnshaw. I tought that was romantic until I actually read Wuthering Heights!
Im named after an adulterous, mentally tortured mad woman, with a penchant for roaming the hills with an abusive nutter! Sad

Yika · 23/10/2012 21:04

Catherine, shortened to Kate for me.

bigbluebump · 23/10/2012 21:06

Wow, I'm surprised there are so many spellings for the same name
Catherine
Katherine
Katharine
Kathryn
Cathryn
Any other name, and we would be accused of 'unique' spellings...or avoiding the name because of the hassle of having to spell it out all the time...Grin

bigbluebump · 23/10/2012 21:08

But I agree with one point: having the same initial for the proper name and short form are really helpful (when it comes to sewing name tags etc).

So Kathryn, Katharine, Katherine -> Kat, Kate, Katie, Kathy
Or Catherine, Cathryn -> Cat, Cathy, Cate

simplesusan · 23/10/2012 22:20

I like Catherine best.
I think she will get whatever nn her friends choose for her!

EugenesAxe · 23/10/2012 22:25

I would spell the K version with an 'a' in the middle - Katharine.

With an 'e' I prefer Catherine. I don't think shortening to Katie would be that weird. Pretty sure Kitty Bennett was Catherine.

TigerFeet · 23/10/2012 22:26

Catherine

Awesome name Grin

I always wanted to be Katherine though so I could be Katy like Katy in What Katy Did

IzzyWizzyletsgetbusy · 24/10/2012 16:26

Much prefer Catherine (biased) but admit there's no good reason for this. My Catherine is usually known by her full name but occasionally Kate or Katy, it's a well known nickname for Catherine and never been a problem Smile

I never understand why people get so excited about Catherines having to match their nickname initial to their full names; no one insists that Ted can only be short for Theodore but not Edward, or that Beth can only be short for Bethany but not Elizabeth. When I was at school we had loads of Beckys too - again not the same initial as full name but people seemed to manage!

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