We’re having a baby girl and are trying to choose between three names. For some background we have an Italian last name and are looking for a classic vibe.
-[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
-[name_f]Katherine[/name_f]/Catherine
-[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] (pronounced [name_f]Line[/name_f] not [name_u]Lyn[/name_u])
Our concern with [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] is we do not like the nickname [name_f]Maddy[/name_f]. Is it inevitable people will default to this nickname? With [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] we do not care for the nickname [name_f]Kate[/name_f]/Katie (I just know way too many!) but like many of the other nicknames like [name_u]Kay[/name_u], [name_u]Kit[/name_u], and [name_f]Kat[/name_f]. I’d appreciate your opinions and thoughts on which name to go with
I for sure wouldn’t go with [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] because [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] is one of those inevitable nicknames. Similar situation with [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], so I say go with [name_f]Lydia[/name_f]! It’s also my favorite from your list!
For [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] & [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]-If you really stick to your guns about her not being called [name_f]Maddy[/name_f]/Kate, people would probably catch on.
You have a great list–all of these names definitely seem to fit that elegant classic vibe you’re going for! I really like all three of your options, but here are my thoughts on each of them:
Lydia–This seems like the only one you don’t have any concerns about. It’s simple yet beautiful. I think it could easily go without a nickname, although Liddy/Lyddie might be natural as a casual nickname. This seems like a wonderful option for you.
Katherine/Catherine–This is lovely and classic, and I definitely think you could avoid calling her [name_f]Kate[/name_f]/Cate/etc. (although I really like those!). I love [name_u]Kit[/name_u]. That said, what you can’t avoid is the possibility that she would decide to be a [name_f]Kate[/name_f] or [name_f]Katie[/name_f] later on. Would that bother you?
Madeline–So sweet and beautiful (and I especially like it with the “-line” ending!), but I do think [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] could be hard to avoid. I know five or six Madelines (various spellings), and only one is pretty much always [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] (most seem to flip back and forth). But I guess that means it’s possible! Other nn options for [name_f]Madeline[/name_f]: [name_f]Mae[/name_f], [name_f]Della[/name_f], [name_f]Lila[/name_f], [name_f]Lina[/name_f], [name_f]Millie[/name_f], [name_f]Mellie[/name_f]?
Overall, I think [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] nn [name_u]Kit[/name_u] or [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] (no nn or maybe nn [name_f]Mae[/name_f]) would be my personal favorites from your list–but I do love [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], and it seems the least likely to cause problems in terms of nicknames. So I think that one might get my vote in this case!
My favorite is [name_f]Lydia[/name_f]! I think with [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] people will definitely call her [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] at times, and she may likely choose to go by it in the future. For [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], if you establish a different nickname (like [name_u]Kit[/name_u]) from the beginning you may be able to avoid [name_f]Kate[/name_f]/Katie, but again she may choose to go by it in the future.
I adore [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], so that’s my vote! Plus there isn’t a default nickname that would be given like [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] so I think you’re good there
Personally my favourite for you is [name_f]Lydia[/name_f]. [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] is a beautiful name very classic and feminine she has a sweet vintage sound also this name doesn’t have any flaws unlike [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]/Catherine or [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] as you have issues with the nicknames.
I like [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] a lot, and whilst I don’t think [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] is inevitable, it’s entirely possible that your daughter might decide she wants to go by that, or get called it by friends, etc. if that would really bother you, I think you’re probably best off avoiding it. [name_f]Katie[/name_f] is completely avoidable for [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], though (especially if you call her [name_u]Kit[/name_u] or another nickname ([name_u]Kit[/name_u] is my favourite) instead!), and [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] is really beautiful. That would be my choice!
Lydia seems like the best choice to avoid those nicknames you don’t like but if you love [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] or [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] don’t let the nicknames stop you. You can call her whatever you like, you don’t need to use a nickname. As long as you’re ok with her picking up new nicknames when she’s older its fine. Are you worried your close family will “need” a nickname for her when she’s young? Then give them an acceptable one like [name_u]Kay[/name_u], [name_u]Kit[/name_u] or [name_f]Kat[/name_f] as you mentioned. Maybe [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] could be [name_f]Addie[/name_f] instead?
Madeline 100% gets my vote if you go for that–I adore [name_f]Mae[/name_f]! And I really love the balance between [name_f]Madeline[/name_f]’s friendly, approachable elegance and [name_f]Mae[/name_f]’s sweet spunkiness. So perfect!
Another vote for [name_f]Lydia[/name_f]! Such an underused Classic. Sweet, lyrical, and will transition beautifully through baby-child-adult life stages.
Lydia is my favourite [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] is nice, people will automatically shorten to [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] but if you don’t mind correcting, it’s probably fine. Same for [name_f]Katherine[/name_f].
Lydia is so gorgeous and not used near enough. [name_f]My[/name_f] cousin “stole” (I’m kidding, of course) the name [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] before I could snatch it up.
Lydia [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] would be really lovely.
With [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], I do think they’d end up [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] or [name_f]Katie[/name_f] to someone. Also, they may end up liking those nicknames. One of my coworkers named her son [name_m]Donovan[/name_m] thinking she’d given him a nickname proof name… she hated it when he came home with his friends calling him [name_m]Donnie[/name_m].
I love [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] and [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]! I think either would be stunning with an Italian last name; I guess it depends on what it comes down to re: preference? I personally like [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] a tiny bit more today, but also love [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and both are on my short list currently. If you don’t like [name_f]Kate[/name_f]/Katie, I think it’s pretty easy to enforce [name_u]Kay[/name_u], [name_u]Kit[/name_u], or [name_f]Kat[/name_f] instead. I’m a huge [name_u]Kit[/name_u] fan.
As far as nns for [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] go, I think you could do [name_f]Addy[/name_f], [name_f]Della[/name_f], [name_u]Del[/name_u], [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], [name_f]Lina[/name_f] (either LEE-nah or LYE-nah, I suppose–I’ve known people with both pronunciations), maybe even [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], especially if she has an “E” middle ([name_f]Emmy[/name_f] = M.E.).
I think [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] is your best bet. I’ve known people who were just [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and just [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] but you need to ask yourself if, when she’s 13, she came to you and said she wanted to be called [name_f]Maddy[/name_f]/Kate/Katie, would you be able to call her that without cringing? If not, I think those names aren’t for you.
I love all these! [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] has been a new name crush for me recently.
I would say if you chose [name_f]Lydia[/name_f], you could do either [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] or [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] as middle names to avoid nicknames.
Lydia [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] is stunning and [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] gives me regal, classy vibes.
I do think [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] and [name_f]Kate[/name_f]/Katie are inevitable with [name_f]Madeline[/name_f] and [name_f]Katherine[/name_f]. [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is really amazing and you could certainly call her that but I think somewhere along the line [name_f]Kate[/name_f] or [name_f]Katie[/name_f] will come up and she may want to go by it since [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] is one of those names where most women who have it go by a nickname . And [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] is the same situation. I agree with you. I love [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] but I also don’t like [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] so I have [name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] as a middle name option only.
And I really love the balance between [name_f]Madeline[/name_f]’s friendly, approachable elegance and [name_f]Mae[/name_f]’s sweet spunkiness. So perfect!
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] is nice, people will automatically shorten to [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] but if you don’t mind correcting, it’s probably fine. Same for [name_f]Katherine[/name_f].
