Cullen as a middle name - need help! :)

Hello all,

Me and DH are in a deadlock at the moment over a middle name for our DD. Having originally decided to leave the middle name blank, we’ve now decided that her middle name will either be [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] (pronounced [name_f]Katlin[/name_f]) to honour my grandmother’s middle name, or [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] - a Scottish town near where we live and a name that we both like the sound of. However, the meaning of [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] is “handsome lad” - not great for a baby girl and the Twilight connection when used as a surname slightly worries me.

I’d really appreciate your impressions - I keep seeing the name [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] on vans or streetnames at the moment and it feels like a sign that we should use it but I’m just not entirely sure.

Thanks :slight_smile:

[name_f]Caitlin[/name_f], one hundred percent.

The Twilight craze will die down soon and it’ll be long gone when your child begins school. But to be safe, [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f].

I couldn’t quite tell - do you live in [name_f]Scotland[/name_f]? If you do I’d say there is no issue with using [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] as a middle name. I’m so used to seeing surname names/place names etc. in the middle spot for girls here so I don’t think the fact that it is ‘masculine’ makes a difference. About the Twilight thing - if you live near [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] people are more likely to think of the place than of Twilight (I certainly would) so I don’t think it would be a big deal.
I really like the sound of [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] as a middle name.

[name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]. But honestly, MNs just aren’t that important to anyone other than name snobs.

eta: using name snobs affectionately here, and including myself :slight_smile:

[name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]. I always get excited about that pronunciation, mainly because I find the other one dull, but also because [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] Moran who is my favourite feminist author uses it.

I assumed [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] was a Twilight reference when I saw this thread, honestly. I’d avoid it.

I think you are over worrying the [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] thing. If [name_m]Cullen[/name_m] is a family name then I wouldn’t worry about any Twilight association tainting it’s use. I think it’s a fun and handsome name, though I would probably use it for a boys mn. (Also I’d probably stay away from prominent Twilight names to minimize the chance that anyone makes that association).