Views on Caitlin

[IAmWomxxnHearMeRoar]

Expecting DD2 in Feb.
Had DD1 been a twin, her sister would have been Caitlin, but I may have gone off it a bit. I've 2 issues: first, do people with this name have difficulties with others knowing how to spell and pronounce it properly? I don't want DD2 to have a lifetime of having to spell and correct the pronunciation of her name. Secondly, is it abbreviated to Cait/Kate? I don't want Cait (however spelt) to be used - it's too common and boring.
Love Caitlin, but only as a full name.

Caitlyn is a lovely name but will get shortened.

Lovely name

@Lindy2
That's basically what I wanted to know and hear. Weirdly I've never actually met one, just like the name.

How are cotch-leen and coytch-leen pronounced in Ireland? Is it the same as Caitlin? (Just curious!)

Not sure I'm answering the right question there, but Cáit is an Irish name pronounced Coytch (written phoenetically in English, sort of, it's hard to write it exactly). Or without the fada it would be something like Cotch. Or closer to that than Kate or Cat, anyway.

I would want it pronounced Kate-lyn.

I think if that's how you want it pronounced you should go with Katelyn or Katelin. I would except it to be pronounced as either Kathleen (the anglicised version) or Cauche-leen (the Irish version) but that would be spelt Cáitlín.

I have a young adult DD who is a Caitlin. No one has ever shortened it but when at school she did sometimes get called Catlin - usually by adults surprisingly, who weren't familiar with the name. I still love it.

@OchonAgusOchonOh
Sorry, but just no. I know that Kathleen is the proper full Anglicised version, but my DD is not being called Kathleen! As for the correct Irish pronunciation, well I'm not sure that I can say it, but certainly living in London, not too many people will be able to, and no-one is going to assume it is pronounced that way. A key thing for me is that DD2 doesn't have a life of spelling and pronouncing her name for people, and the correct Irish pronunciation would guarantee that she would.
I do much prefer it with a C than a K. The K seems more American and frankly a bit chavvy :), though I can see the logic in your suggestions.

I'm Irish and can speak decent-ish Irish but would still assume a Caitlin pronounces her name as kate-lynn. I've a great aunt Kathleen who's 104 (and going strong) and that name is common for her generation but any Irish Caitlins I've met have been young and have been kate-lynns. To me it's a name that's been re-introduced to Ireland in the last 20 years via America. I categorise it with Shannon and Erin.

OP, it's a common enough name that I can't see it causing many pronunciation problems. Tbh you could call her something as common as Emily and there'd still be times she'd be called Emma or Amelia.

I have taught and know quite a few Caitlins in England. All with this spelling and all pronounced Kate-lyn. Never heard of any confusion with it at all. My friend with the name has never shortened it. I like it!

@MrsTesfaye

It instantly made me think of Caitlyn jenner

Really not keen on the name, sorry!

This.

[quote IAmWomxxnHearMeRoar]@OchonAgusOchonOh
Sorry, but just no. I know that Kathleen is the proper full Anglicised version, but my DD is not being called Kathleen! As for the correct Irish pronunciation, well I'm not sure that I can say it, but certainly living in London, not too many people will be able to, and no-one is going to assume it is pronounced that way. A key thing for me is that DD2 doesn't have a life of spelling and pronouncing her name for people, and the correct Irish pronunciation would guarantee that she would.
I do much prefer it with a C than a K. The K seems more American and frankly a bit chavvy :), though I can see the logic in your suggestions.[/quote]
My birth surname was simple to say and spell. My married surname has to be spelt everytime. So don’t assume that she will not have an adult life of spelling her name.

Oh I know this! So, my cousin is a Northern Irish Caitlin- and there, it is pronounced 'catchlin' (sort of. Agree with previous posters that I don't know how to write it phonetically), but when she goes to other parts of Ireland (down south), they sometimes pronounce it more like the English way.

OP....it is a lovely name. But I don't think you can give a child a traditional name from one culture, and then complain if it's pronounced correctly. Especially if those countries are right next to each other and there's loads of immigration.

Some of my cousins have given their kids Irish names but spelt them the anglicised way- so Ciombhe is reply Keeva, for example. Would that work?

@IAmWomxxnHearMeRoar - Sorry, but just no. I know that Kathleen is the proper full Anglicised version, but my DD is not being called Kathleen!

Slight over reaction there . I was only telling you how I would expect it to be pronounced based on the spelling. Obviously you can call your dd what you like but anyone who is familiar with the Irish version will more than likely pronounce it that way unless informed otherwise.

I'm west of Scotland so we come across Irish names fairly often and all the Caitlin's I've known are Kate-lyn pronunciation. I love the name, although I really like Katie as a nickname.

I'm Irish and absolutely loathe the whole Kate-Lyn thing. Especially if you actually are aware it is a mispronounciation.

Just call your kid Kate-Lyn!

It's like calling your child James and wanting it to be pronounced Jam-Ess. Just name him Jam-Ess then!

I don't care for it, given it's fairly recent popularity it sounds like a 'made up' name. However it isn't, it is an old Irish name and it's quite correct to spell as you have.

There are so many Caitlins in popular culture, that alone would put me off.

@ElspethFlashman

I'm Irish and absolutely loathe the whole Kate-Lyn thing. Especially if you actually are aware it is a mispronounciation.

Just call your kid Kate-Lyn!

It's like calling your child James and wanting it to be pronounced Jam-Ess. Just name him Jam-Ess then!

To be fair plenty of Irish people have French names, for example, where the pronunciation is decidedly unFrench. eg Pascal and Genevieve. We're just as guilty!

I have a 13 year old Caitlyn. It's never been shortened and she loves her name x Hope that helps x

I’m a Caitlin (and have obviously namechanged!).
Irish parents but grew up in UK in the eighties, and have always pronounced it ‘Kathleen’ —when I’m in trouble— but normally shortened to Cait (pronounced Kate).
Honestly, I have to explain either spelling or pronunciation on a pretty much daily basis.
I now have an Irish husband, and his family pronounce my name as Mindy would. I quite like it.
I block out the Jenner connection very successfully

As pp said i wasn’t suggesting you pronounce it Kathleen OP, I was just saying if I met one I’d assume irish pronunciation first - and I know you live in London but there’s a lot of Irish people there!

@fger7

I like it when it is pronounced as 'Kate-lyn'.

Not keen on the Caitlin Moran pronunciation of 'Cat-lyn' - although that may be the correct way, and indeed her right to decide.

That is the correct way, it is the Irish form of Kathleen.

I like it and know a lovely Caitlyn. I've never known anyone to shorten her name.

I have a DD Caitlin. She is mostly called Cait. She just is 'a Kate' if that makes sense!

I always thought it was nearer to Catlin in pronunciation until many little Caitlins (Kate-lyns) appeared around here.

Agree with @IAmWomxxnHearMeRoar about mispronunciations of Welsh names. Many of the names are mainstream as the anglicised versions now (Dylan, Rhys, Rhian, Bethan etc), and sound really meh compared to the welsh versions.

Caitlin is nice but I'd use Catrin (I'm welsh) or Catherine/Katharine instead. I don't like Cate/Cait.

I’d use one of the variant spellings to make it clear it is Katelyn you want and not the original pronunciation.

So Catelyn, Caitlyn, Catelin etc.