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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Kathleen...?

52 replies

LadyOfWaffle · 14/05/2008 16:14

Just thinking of names - Kathleen is my middle name and my grandmothers name, I love it but I hate Cathy/Kathy. What do you all think? It's ok, be honest.

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MrsBadger · 14/05/2008 16:15

I rather like it - you certainly don't hear it much atm

Lena is pretty if you want an abbreviation

Disenchanted · 14/05/2008 16:16

I think its a bit 'old ladyish' as alot of my grans generations had Kathleens, her sister, friend ect ... was called that.

But there are lots of variations of Kathleen which are a bit more modern but can still be in connection with your grandmother.

Disenchanted · 14/05/2008 16:17

Kathleen girl Save Save Name email E-mail print Print

First name origins & meanings:

  1. Greek: Pure
  2. Celtic: Little darling

First name variations: Cait, Caitey, Caitie, Caitlin, Caitlinn, Caitrin, Caitrine, Caitrinn, Caitriona, Caitrionagh, Caity, Cat, Cataleen, Catarina, Catarine, Cate, Cateline, Caterina, Catey, Catha, Cathaleen, Cathaline, Catharin, Cathatina, Catharine, Cathatyna, Catharyne, Cathe, Cathee, Cathelin, Cathelina, Cathelle, Catherin, Catherina, Catherinn, Catheryn, Cathi, Cathie, Cathirin, Cathiryn, Cathleen, Cathlene, Cathline, Cathlyne, Cathrine, Cathrinn, Cathryn, Cathrynn, Cathy, Cathye, Cathyleen, Catlina, Catlaina, Catriona, Catrionagh, Catryna, Cay, Caye, Cazzy, Ekaterina, Kait, Kaitey, Kaitie, Kaitlin, Kaitlinne, Kaitrin, Kaitrine, Kaitrinna, Kaitriona, Kaitrionaugh, Kasienka, Kasja, Kaska, Katarina, Katchen, Kate, Katee, Katell, Katelle, Katenka, Katerina, Katerinka, Katey, Katinka, Katha, Katharine, Katharyn, Katharyne, Kathee, Kathelina, Katheline, Katherin, Katherina, Katherine, Katheryn, Katherynn, Kathi, Kathie, Kathileen, Kathiryn, Kathlene, Kathleyn, Kathline, Kathyleen, Kathrine, Kathrinna, Kathryn, Kathryne, Kathy, Kathyrine, Katica, Katie, Katina, Katka, Katla, Katlaina, Katleen, Katoushka, Katrena, Katrine, Katrina, Katriona, Katrionaugh, Katryna, Katushka, Katy, Katya, Kittee, Kittie, Kitty, Trina, Trine, Trinette, Yekaterin, Yekaterina, Catherine, Cathaleen, Cathaline, Cathaline, Cathleen, Kathaleen, Kathaleya, Kathaleyna, Kathaline, Kathelina, Katheline, Kathlene, Kathlin, Kathline, Kathlynn, Kathlyn, Kathie

beaniesteve · 14/05/2008 16:17

My granny was called Kathleen.
It's a nice name but will get shortened no doubt.

LadyOfWaffle · 14/05/2008 16:19

Oooh, that's alot of variations, thankyou! I love the meanings, I hadn't ever looked it up. Even though it was my grandmothers name I don't see it as an old lady name (somehow my Grandmother was ageless!) which is a good thing, because I know what you mean - I guess how I would see Agnes or Ethel etc.

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Tommy · 14/05/2008 16:22

It's a lovely name - maybe some will say it's a little old fashioned now (I prefer "traditional" )but at least it won't be the same as everyone else!

Could you go for Kate as short name?

yorkshirepudding · 14/05/2008 16:24

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3andnomore · 14/05/2008 16:35

I like Kathleen... My mother inlaw is called Kathleen.
I think it's a lovely timeless name and will suit a little girl aswell as a woman of any age

I am not to keen on nicknames anyway...but, people have such a tendency to shorten any name....so, are there any short versions that you like more, if so, then, nip the whole Kathy/Cathy thing in the butt by using the short version you like....

bundle · 14/05/2008 16:35

I wanted to call dd1 Katharine (with Kitty for short)

can't quite remember why we didn't

hatrick · 14/05/2008 16:41

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AbbeyA · 14/05/2008 16:46

I prefer Katherine.

FioFio · 14/05/2008 16:49

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DiscoDizzy · 14/05/2008 16:51

Its ok, i'd have it as a second name though.

LadyOfWaffle · 14/05/2008 16:52

So many grandmothers called Kathleen - are we cousins? I like Caitlin too... shall put it to DH

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branflake81 · 14/05/2008 17:02

It remimds me of an Enid Blyton character in one the boarding school books. Kathleen was plain and sour and had no friends.

Pinkchampagne · 14/05/2008 17:03

It was my lovely Nan's name, but she was always known by her middle name.
I think it is lovely, and thought of using it as a middle name if DS2 had been a girl.

rolledhedgehog · 14/05/2008 17:03

It is one of my DD's middle names. It was my late mother's name and also my MIL's real name although she does not use it. My Mum hated it also and probably wouldn't be chuffed to know we used it!

TH

FioFio · 14/05/2008 17:04

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BigBadMouse · 14/05/2008 17:08

Ladyofwaffle - same here. One of my middle names is Kathleen after my grandmother (although she called herself Kay). I think it's a nice name but I get a bit irritated when people confuse it wilth Katherine - some people have even tried to tell me Kathleen is not a name

Pinkchampagne · 14/05/2008 17:08

It was Jean. My dad's mum was Mary, but I never met her as she died before I was born. I have both names as my middle names!

LadyOfWaffle · 14/05/2008 17:52

Kathleen and Mary are my middle names... spooky!

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LadyOfWaffle · 14/05/2008 17:53

Which leads me onto the next name I like - Mary. I always forget these 2 are my middle names, but everyone else must think I am very self obsessed to call my daughters sort of after me!

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WigWamBam · 14/05/2008 18:05

My SIL is Kathleen, but has always been called Katie.

I quite like it.

MingMingtheWonderPet · 14/05/2008 18:09

Won't necessarily get shortened.

I know of a Tom, Thomas and Tommy all of whom have Thomas on their birth cert, and everyone calls them what there Mum calls them.
Guess it will depend on what she wants to call herself when she gets older.

Kathleen is lovely.

cyteen · 14/05/2008 18:11

Kathleen is nice, and you can always shorten to Kat/Kitty/Kate/Kay/Lena as suggested - definitely prefer any of those to Kathy.