Charlotte or Caroline?

[MaltaVestrit]

We are looking for a name for our DC4 (DD2) which is proving impossible! A lot of the names we like are a no-go as they don't go at all with the existing DC.

Our existing DC have long names (3 syllable) and the most 'popular' of the 3 is still outside the top 100, the other two down around 400.

At the moment the two favourite are Charlotte (Charlie) and Caroline (Carrie) - both go well with the other DC names, both work with our very short surname.

Charlotte is DH's fave, and on the surface mine too but I don't like that it is top 10 now and obviously the association with Princess Charlotte so probably going to get even more popular.

We both are quite drawn to Caroline but worried....I'm not really sure, that its a bit too 'not quite there yet' to even be just slightly ahead of the curve (DC1's name was picked about 4 years before its popularity started picking up, its still on the way up now).

So thoughts? which would you use?

Charlotte

(But have you considered Constance, Connie?)

Caroline.

By a long way. Beautiful name and not nearly as ubiquitous as Charlotte.

Caroline is beautiful.

throughthick we did think about Constance but we couldn't see ourselves using the full name everyday (I love the name from The Musketeers!!)

If relevant we very much use both the full name and the nickname for our other DC in day to day life. godparents and grandparents use the nicknames but they are always introduced by their full name and DH and I interchange between nickname and full name to them.

We also wanted 'strong yet feminine' which is the same as our other DD - nothing too frilly!

Us too OP, we have full names for our dc and interchange them with short versions.

I prefer Lottie to Charlie for a girl.

Just not sure about Caroline.

Do you like Elizabeth? (Eliza, Beth, Libby, Betty, Betsy, Lizzie)

The frill factor is definitely higher with Charlotte than with Caroline.

Caroline just seems quite a serene and elegant name.

Lottie is overly twee to me as a nickname. I imagine some chubby Victorian doll like child hidden in a mound of frills.

Carrie and Callie both seem fresher.

I'll tell my friends in their 40's and 50's their name (Lottie) is more suited to a chubby Victorian doll

In the real world, it suits all ages perfectly

Caroline is beautiful and definitely due for a revival.

Well it's all personal taste but I don't think names like Lottie or Tilly or Maisie suit grown women.

But lots of people will think otherise.

we do like Elizabeth but I have a 'thing' about nicknames starting with the same start letter as the full name - stupid yes but there you go!! and again not sure we'd use the full name.

personally we feel that Lottie is too childish/young to work as a nickname past about 4 or 5 years old.

squoosh yes I wondered if Charlotte was bordering on the frilly!! oooh! Callie! never thought of that shortening! I like it!!

Carolyn?

I prefer Charlotte, but Caroline is more unusual these days.

What about something like Louisa or Alexandra?

Caroline is clearly the very most lovely name and all Carolines are destined to be arty and a bit odd but kind and good at making cakes.

Elisabeth is a good middle name as well

HTH

I much prefer Caroline, it's a beautiful name.

Charlotte 100% out of those two.

What about Carolina/Karolina (Ca-ro-leen-a, not as in North/South Carolina ? Sounds slightly nicer to me than Caroline, seems a bit blunt too me. Disclaimer, I am part E.European and have only heard it over there, don't know if Karolina is a widely used name here.

Caroline is lovely and due for a revival. There have been a couple of Queen Carolines and it's a classic name. All together now:

'Sweeet Caroline (bong, bong, bong)
Good times never seemed so good' etc.

Charlotte is also nice, but ever so slightly frillier, and has been very popular for ages now. Caroline would be more unusual at the moment.

hetero We do like Alexandra and were considering it as a middle name.

I was hoping 'due for a revival' would be the feeling! that tends to be our naming style!

...although, if I never hear 'sweet Caroline' (either version) again, it will be too soon.

But I have always loved my name and I am quite old, so possibly our time is now !

Caroline definitely.

I agree with you re nicknames' starting letters op. It is causing us trouble what are your boys names please?

I can offer Georgina as another option?

Caroline, nn Callie.

Or Coralie?

I love georgina but DH doesn't. we have a recently sacked bbc presenter and a previous world champion, both in car related things, for our boys

oh I can see that I will be singing 'sweet caroline' with my own invented lyrics in the middle of the night to get her to sleep! (I have form for altering existing songs to suit the situation with the DC!)

Veering towards Caroline over Charlotte now...

Love Caroline. Seemed rather ordinary when I was growing up with many Carolines around but now it's not so popular it feels very simple and classic.

Caroline. It's a beautiful name, don't hear of many Caroline's but the ones I do know are successful strong women.

I'm jaded by the charlottes I know being utter bitches and self centred.

That's just my experience I'm well aware not all charlottes are like that and it's just a name.