Caroline or Carolyn?

[SparklyBlueGiraffe]

DH and I are having a disagreement over this. He thinks Caroline is more typical and simple yet beautiful, and she would be unlikely to have any spelling issues in the future. But I think Carolyn has a certain elegance and uniqueness about it, but not so unique that it's questionable.

Caroline. Carolyn makes me think of a grumpy old woman not a baby. Caroline feels like a sweet young child

I think it depends how you want to pronounce it. My sister is Caroline (pronounced Caro-line), whereas I would read Carolyn as "Caro-Lynn".

I love Carolyn. Beautiful feminine name. Caroline sounds so bland.

Both are nice. Depends if you like the -line or the -lynn ending sound.

Personally I think Caroline is a classic name. I don't like Carolyn which I pronounce with Lynn at the end.

My sil is Carolyn - it's put me right off 😁

My sil is Carolyn - it's put me right off 😁

I think it is just personal taste.
I prefer Carolyn myself, but there is nothing wrong with either.

Caroline is very much a name of an era (people who are now in 50 - 65 age group) and I'm not ready for it to come back. It isn't 'old lady' enough to have come back round, for my mind.

I prefer Caroline. More classic and I don't like the Lynn sounding in the other.

I prefer Caroline. Carolyn never sounds as nice, it’s duller somehow.

Carolyn sounds like lynne at the end instead of line! Its a bit hillbilly sounding 😳

I think people who know Caroline as a name tend to drag out the ending of Carolyn as CaroLynne, whereas it’s actually a shorter, almost clipped pronunciation and Caroline is the one with the drags out the ending.

To my ear Caroline is sweeter, and more girlish, whereas Carolyn sounds stronger and more of a strong name. I can imagine Carolyn as a prime minister or CEO (but I always over think these things!)

Theres also the Sweet Caroline uh uh uh song to consider

I am a Caroline and absolutely hate it and have been known by a shortened version since I was 16 which I still hate. My sister and Dad call me by my full name, my husband and colleagues by the shortened version, my friends by my assumed name which I intend to change to by change of name deed at some point soon. Also the song bleugh!!

I think that Caroline is more cute.

I love the name Caroline and think it is much more elegant than Carolyn.

It’s a no to both from me.

I’m a Caroline and I also hate it, there’s a very small window when it was used so pretty much every Caroline is a middle aged woman (same with Carolyn).

If I had the guts I’d have changed it.

Depends on how you want it pronounced

caroline caro- line
carolyn caro-lyn

I'm a Caroline and don't hate it at all just to balance out some other posters! A little younger than the 50-65 age bracket mentioned above. I'm 44 and it was the second most popular name in my year at secondary (5 of us, second only to the 9 Emmas).

Carolyn is a totally different name to mine and seems more dated. I think Caroline is quite timeless.

Funny I'm the opposite. Caroline is a lovely simple classic name. Carolyn is fussy and "younique". Plus I wouldn't pronounce them the same.

Caroline is pretty. Don't like Lyn ending.

I think Caroline is an elegant, timeless name, that’s stood the test of time (and it has great modern sounding shortening - Callie). Carolyn was a trendy version of it for a while that now sounds dated rather than classic to me.

Team Caroline here.

Caroline is much nicer. I don't like the sound of Carolyn and it seems much more dated to me. Plus, as someone else said, Carolyn has a hillbilly element to it.

I’m a Caroline and it’s never been shortened. I love it and I love the songs. I know a Carolyn too and I like that as well. I like it as there are not many of us.