Okay I might be having too much fun thinking about names, but today I thought about the topic of names with different spellings that vary in different vibes.
Okay, that wasn’t a very clear sentence… lol.
I’m not talking about kree88tiv spellings, rather the more accepted ones.
For example [name]Catherine[/name] can be a [name]Katherine[/name], [name]Catharine[/name], [name]Katharine[/name] etc etc
Yet each spelling may offer a different vibe.
For example:
[name]Susanna[/name] is serene, sweet and graceful whilst [name]Susannah[/name] may offer a little bit more edge and quirkiness.
or
[name]Dimitri[/name] is dark and mysterious in English whilst [name]Dmitri[/name] is the same but looks a little bit more ethnic.
So here is my questions, do different spellings of a particular name (with the same meaning) give you different vibes? Have you picked a particular spelling because of that? And do you have any examples?
Oh yeah!! An example of this for me is my name. My given first name is spelled [name]Leslie[/name] as opposed to [name]Lesley[/name], and my middle name is spelled [name]Dana[/name] as opposed to [name]Dayna[/name]. The scoop: The spelling [name]Lesley[/name] has always seemed more feminine and gentle to me as opposed to [name]Leslie[/name].
[name]Leslie[/name], however, seems a bit more energetic, down-to-earth/responsible than [name]Lesley[/name], I think.
[name]Dayna[/name] to me seems like a sort of kree8tiv spelling, but it is supposed to be legit. My mother’s name is [name]Dana[/name] and both of us REALLY do not like the [name]Dayna[/name] spelling. [name]Dana[/name] looks much more classic, classy, and far less fussy to me than [name]Dayna[/name] does.
This is just a personal example. I have a lot more as spelling is a very big issue for me!
I actually agree! With your example, [name]Catherine[/name] feels soft and sweet while [name]Katherine[/name] feels spunky. I think it’s really interesting to think about too. My own name combos has [name]Damien[/name] instead of [name]Damian[/name]. I think [name]Damien[/name] looks better and feel more fresh and cool while the A makes it looks softer and I don’t like the look as much.
I get totally different feelings from [name]Carolyn[/name] and [name]Caroline[/name].
[name]Carolyn[/name] looks dated to me.
[name]Caroline[/name] looks vintage-fresh.
I get the same feeling with [name]Katherine[/name]. I much prefer [name]Katherine[/name] because [name]Catherine[/name] sounds more dated and not as classic to me. Or [name]Kellen[/name]/[name]Kellan[/name]. I think we talked about this one before, but [name]Kellan[/name] just seems more substantial and masculine, while I don’t really like [name]Kellen[/name] very much. [name]Ashlyn[/name]/[name]Aislinn[/name]. I sort of hate [name]Ashlyn[/name], it sounds snooty and boring to me, but I love [name]Aislinn[/name] because it sounds more down-to-earth and pretty.
Definitely! Three examples: [name]Gillian[/name], [name]Elinor[/name], and [name]Stephen[/name].
I love [name]Gillian[/name], but I don’t like [name]Jillian[/name] at all. They feel totally different to me. [name]Jillian[/name] is brassier, louder, and less graceful than [name]Gillian[/name].
I prefer [name]Elinor[/name] over [name]Eleanor[/name]. [name]Elinor[/name] feels like it has a better personality somehow.
[name]Stephen[/name] wins over [name]Steven[/name] for me every time. [name]Steven[/name] is tired and just doesn’t seem as polished and capable as [name]Stephen[/name].
[name]Catherine[/name] is a perfect example. I like that spelling because it’s demure, sweet, classic, even feels a bit regal to me. I would love to meet a [name]Catherine[/name]. While I like the sound regardless, [name]Kathryn[/name] feels dated and like something I would expect my mom’s friend or coworker to wear, and [name]Katherine[/name] seems much more spunky and maybe a bit pushy… and [name]Katharine[/name] seems a bit more artsy, although I’m not sure why. [name]Catherine[/name]'s image just appeals to me more.
It’s the same with [name]Isabelle[/name]/[name]Isobel[/name]/[name]Isabel[/name]… [name]Isabelle[/name] seems refined, girly, innocent, sweet to me. [name]Isabel[/name] and [name]Isobel[/name] have much of the similar image, but [name]Isobel[/name] feels stiff and a bit unapproachable, and [name]Isabel[/name] seems a bit ditsy to me. I don’t know why, lol, that’s just how it is for me. [name]Isabelle[/name]'s personality appeals to me more, so that’s why I opted for that.
I’m sure there are other examples, but those are the strongest two I can think off right now.
I agree with everyone’s [name]Catherine[/name] thing… [name]Katherine[/name] seems more tomboy, [name]Catherine[/name] seems feminine, soft and girly, while [name]Kathryn[/name] feels very dated. [name]Alice[/name] feels very lady like, [name]Alys[/name] sounds more tomboy, more like a difficult child. [name]Cate[/name] feels more nickname like, while [name]Kate[/name] feels more proper and first name. In all, I rather [name]Catherine[/name], [name]Alice[/name] & [name]Kate[/name]!
For example, [name]Eleanor[/name] seems softer and fresher, while [name]Elinor[/name] seems a just as classic but a little older? (I can’t really explain the difference, but I can definitely feel one)
And [name]Vivian[/name] feels like an extremely responsible woman that can be a little bit snobbish (I always think of the girl in Legally Blonde), while [name]Vivienne[/name] feels whimsical, yet prim. For me, I love [name]Vivien[/name] because it seems to be the perfect mix between the two!
To me [name]Vivian[/name] is sweet & down-to-earth while [name]Vivienne[/name] seems stuffy & snobbish & overly fancy.
I think [name]Amelia[/name] is pretty but can’t get into [name]Emilia[/name]…somehow [name]Emilia[/name] feels introverted & [name]Amelia[/name] feels friendlier.
I agree I agonized between [name]Elisabeth[/name] and [name]Elizabeth[/name] for a couple weeks, hubby thought I was crazy lol.
I prefer [name]Milena[/name] and do not care for the [name]Melina[/name] spelling at all. I also love [name]Vivienne[/name], and I don’t really like [name]Vivian[/name].
Another example: [name]Ann[/name] and [name]Anne[/name]. [name]Ann[/name] feels dated to me, [name]Anne[/name] timeless. ([name]Even[/name] though in fact, both have similarly fallen off in popularity.)
[name]ITA[/name] with everyone!
[name]Ann[/name] is bland and boring, whereas [name]Anne[/name] is still charming and ladylike.
[name]Annabel[/name] is sweet and unfussy, whereas [name]Annabelle[/name] is very frilly and a bit spoiled.
[name]Elaina[/name] is a bit old-fashioned and a homebody, whereas [name]Elena[/name] is timeless and exotic.
[name]Eleanor[/name] is classic, whereas [name]Elinor[/name] is vintage.
@taz-I agree with the [name]Emilia[/name]/[name]Amelia[/name] thing. [name]Emilia[/name] seems like a name that I would like (as alternative to [name]Amelia[/name]'s popularity) yet it seems very cold to me and [name]Amelia[/name] is fresh and pretty.
[name]Vivienne[/name] is frilly and fussy while [name]Vivian[/name] is down-to-earth.
[name]Katherine[/name] is spunky and fresh while [name]Catherine[/name] is vintage Wuthering Heights-esque.
Does anyone else pronounce each spelling variation slightly differently too?
[name]Vivienne[/name] I emphasise the ending much more than on [name]Vivian[/name].
[name]Madelyn[/name], [name]Madeline[/name] and [name]Madeleine[/name] I all say with a slight difference as well - lyn, line, layn.
