Cline? Kline?

What do you think of the name Cline? [name]Do[/name] you prefer Cline or Kline? What would you think if you met a little Cline? Would you use it for a boy or a girl?

Makes me think of Klein, like [name]Calvin[/name]. I wouldn’t use it, but do think it’s more masculine than feminine. What about [name]Calvin[/name] nn [name]Cal[/name] instead?

Sorry, but I think Cline/Kline is a pretty bad name. No one would have any idea of the gender of your child, they’d think it was a last name, and would have no idea how to spell it. I agree with the above poster - [name]Calvin[/name] is a much better alternative. [name]Kate[/name] for a girl, if you like one-syllable, K- names.

Thank you for your opinions, davisellu & palejewel. Does anyone else want to leave input on Cline or Kline?

I took [name]German[/name] in school, so it makes me think “klein”, which is pronounced the same way and means “small” in [name]German[/name]. I get the appeal, because I like the long I sound in the middle paired with the fact that it’s one syllable, but I’m not really in love with it. What about [name]Clive[/name] or [name]Clyde[/name]? They’re quite similar in sound, and I think that [name]Clive[/name] in particular is read for a comeback. I also like [name]Pine[/name].

A little too much of a surname for my taste, but it is not horrible. I love [name]Clive[/name] which Nono suggested! There is also [name]Ciar[/name], [name]Cliff[/name] and [name]Kane[/name].

Klein would be the most obvious spelling to me. It doesn’t bother me, though I don’t love it. Definitely male.

I would spell it like Kline.(: And I love this name! It was on my name list but my husband wasn’t a big fan of the name.

I don’t like it at all. It sounds male to me, definitely, but still just a bad name. What about [name]Clay[/name], [name]Clive[/name], or [name]Calvin[/name]?

Klein as in [name]Calvin[/name] for a boy

Cline/Kline is much better than Klein. Klein does mean small in [name]German[/name] -> and I mean every day [name]German[/name] not old [name]German[/name] that nobody uses anymore. [name]Imagine[/name] if someone named you Small. “Hey Small how you doing?” “[name]Hi[/name], my name is Small”, “Small is 6 foot 3. [name]How[/name] ironic?” For that reason I also prefer Cline to Kline but I agree with pp’ers. There are so many great names that have a similar feel to Cline that don’t feel so surnamey that are under used and have the added bonus of being gender defining.
I love the idea of [name]Clive[/name], [name]Clyde[/name] or [name]Colin[/name] for a boy or [name]Clia[/name]/[name]Clio[/name], or [name]Colleen[/name]/[name]Coline[/name] for a girl.

for a girl [name]CaroLINE[/name]/[name]KaroLINE[/name] could work as well. Then Cline/Kline could be a nn if you really loved it.

[name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I like the name Klein for a boy , but it has made me question the name after reading some of the comments. For instance it meaning small in [name_m]German[/name_m]. We also like the names [name_m]Nixon[/name_m] - I like [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], but the only name we agreed on before I researched was Klein :frowning:

I would go with [name_m]Clive[/name_m] or [name_m]Clyde[/name_m] instead.

One of my favorite high school teachers was Miss Klein. She is like 6 feet tall and a [name_m]German[/name_m] immigrant. She laughed at the irony of her own name, but it was her last name. As a first name, it definitely feels male. I would use it if you love it. It’s not a “bad” name, a little awkward if you move to Germany… but not BAD. Also, my teacher was really young and cool, so we students often dropped the “Miss” and just referred to her as Klein, so it’s totally functional.

Also, I think Klein is [name_m]WAY[/name_m] better than [name_m]Nixon[/name_m]. Most people do not know that Klein means small. Almost everyone thinks of the watergate scandal and unattractive [name_m]Richard[/name_m] [name_m]Nixon[/name_m] when they hear [name_m]Nixon[/name_m], sorry. Plus “nix” is an ENGLISH word that means to cancel, get rid of, or nothing. Maybe [name_u]Nick[/name_u] or even Nickson instead?

I don’t like it. It doesn’t really feel like a name. [name_m]Just[/name_m] kind of made up, I guess. I like previous suggestions of [name_m]Calvin[/name_m].

I would prefer Kline or Cline for a boy, I think. It would sort of fit in with the “cowboy” names… [name_m]Wyatt[/name_m], [name_m]Ezra[/name_m], [name_u]Dillon[/name_u], and Cline… that sort of thing.

I’m sorry there are so many negative comments on Klein. I have been considering using Klein as a middle name. It is part of my grandma’s maiden name. I like the sound of it. I think most people would get used to it as a name, even though in Germany it would be a strange name. I thought it was ironic someone suggested [name_f]Colleen[/name_f], the Irish word for “girl”, which would a very strange name in [name_f]Ireland[/name_f]. I would say if it has meaning for you to use it. People will get used to it and forget it is a word name the way they have with [name_f]Colleen[/name_f].