Caitlin, kaitlyn or katelyn?

[Sophcas7]

Im due soon and still struggling on picking a girls name, I think the spelling Caitlin looks very classic and timeless but DH likes the Katelyn or Kaitlyn spelling. I'm also concerned if it would sound too dated these days no matter the spelling? I personally think the original spelling will stand the test of time but not keen on the spellings he likes, they seem very American.
Thoughts?

Agree

Nearly all names come from other cultures, many of them with totally different alphabets or orthographies. Is it disrespectful to name a child Peter rather than Petros?

@colonialwomanonthewing , that doesn't compare. Peter is a Biblical name and has been in use in Britain for centuries.

It might compare to using Francesca but spelling it Frantcheska.

Caitlin by far. I really like it, well known but more uncommon these days

Caitlin.

Without any doubts.

Caitlín.

I've got a 5 month old Caitlin. I love it, and I've e had a lovely reaction from everyone when r I've said her name

Caitlin is pronounced Kathleen.

If you want to call her Katelyn call her that. Have a C if you like : Catelyn. But Caitlin is pronounced Kathleen.

About 20 years ago I met a woman at a toddler group with a Kaitland 😬 so tbh any spelling is better than that!

Not in England or Wales. Every Caitlin I've known is pronounced Kate Lyn.

They are all saying it wrong. Sorry to break it to you!

Or, the name has simply evolved over time. Names can have more than one pronunciation:-

Sara (Sar-ah vs Sair-ah)
Esme (Ez-may vs Ez-me)
Mila (Mee-la vs My-la)
Evelyn (Ever-lyn vs Eve-lyn vs Ev-lyn)
Maya (My-ah vs May-ah)

etc

What's so hard to accept that most people outside of Ireland now pronounce Caitlin as Kate-lyn? It's hardly a new thing.

It needs an accent, a fada, in the spelling to give the een sound.

Caitlín.

It is quite a new pronunciation in the case of Caitlin. That is why this conversation is happening.

Not one of your options but I prefer Caitlyn.

There is no K in the Irish alphabet. Spelling it with K is simply to deal with people who see is as a soft C in the way Americans pronounce Cillian, Silly-an.

I would spell it properly or find another name. Katrine perhaps? Kiera?

It depends what you mean by 'new'. Caitlin was really popular in the late 90s/early 00s and Kate-lyn was definitely the given pronunciation then, so 25+ years. Yes it's hardly a long time in terms of the history of names, but hardly new new either. Certainly no newer than many of my examples, maybe Sara aside.

Names evolve

Caitlin

As an Irish person I will always see Caitlin as Kathleen but who cares, the spelling is nicer as Caitlin. I have a Katelyn niece but I'm not fond of the name or the spelling. I think go Caitlin or Kate as it's more classic.

I know a Caitlin (50 something) and it’s pronounced ‘cotch-leen’. No fadas, or at least she doesn’t use them. I’ve always thought how horrid that sounds, when Caitlin, pronounced as it’s spelt is lovely.

Cotchleen (or Kathleen) is pronouncing Caitlín as it’s spelt though, @PorgyandBess.
It’s not an English language name.

Sometimes people do leave fadas out of names but they still pronounce them as if the fada were there, eg Sean instead of Seán.

Caitlin, 100%

Or Caitlyn.

Why are you sorry? I don't care. I was merely stating Caitlin is pronounced Kate Lyn.

I prefer Kaitlin and this was my girls name (I had 4 boys) so never used it. My name also starts with a K nothing to do with Kardashian’s. It’s a pretty name 🥰