Carolena/Karolena/Carolina??????

[hannahfaith]

I absolutely love the name Karolena/Carolena and have for quite some time.
My man is giving in a bit but doesn't want our daughter to be nicknamed Carol. I keep trying to say that Carol sounds like a forced nickname from the name and that Lena would be the nickname I prefer. I'm also hard of hearing and we use ASL to communicate and spelling out Lena is easy to sign.

I think he's given in a bit on using the name but now we're fighting over spelling.
Traditional way I knew it spelt was Carolena (which has more Italian in the name - hubs is Italian I'm not last name isn't Italian either) and recently I looked into spelling the name Karolena which seems to be more popular in Eastern Europe (We're both German and Polish with a obviously polish last name)

He doesn't seem to like either of these spellings and would like to go with Carolina but pronounce it with the Lena sound at the end. We live in the United States and Carolina is the name of a state so I feel that using that spelling everyone will read it like the state.

What would you nickname Carolena/Karolena/Carolina and what spelling looks the best and least forced.

I think its gorgeous!! Karelina. Only issue wud be its 4 syllabols so quite long if you have a long surname. Also you could often have to explain the spelling to people. But it is really lovely. Ive no kids but my imaginary daughter could have been this name. Lol.

For the pronunciation you want, it has to be Lena on the end.

Otherwise she'll have a lifetime of correcting people who pronounce it 'Caro-Line-a

Karolina, the Easten European spelling and pronunciation,is the obvious best choice.. and you can always refer to the athlete of the same name to explain the spelling.

Caroline would not be pronounced as you wish and Lena is quiet popular and sounds like Layna.

I like the association with your MIL and grandmother.

Other idea ..
Carla, Carleen, Kathleen, Katrina or Karla.

Karolina