[name]Just[/name] watched the film “The Edge of [name]Love[/name]” and heard the name [name]Caitlin[/name] pronounced [name]Kat[/name]-lynn. It jumped out at both me and the OH and we sort of turned to each other with a smile. The problem is that it’s generally pronounced as [name]Kate[/name]-lynn and while we like the alternative spelling with a y, we’re also worried it might make things more complicated…
We still like the name [name]Sienna[/name] as a first name choice, so it would be a question of whether the two would go together. Any comments would be welcome
I think in order for you to get that pronunciation, you need to spell it [name]Katlyn[/name], [name]Catlyn[/name], [name]Catlin[/name], [name]Katlin[/name].
I’m a little confused, are you thinking about this as a first or middle name? I definitely think that if it is a first name, you should change the spelling to reflect the pronunciation. Otherwise, it would make things difficult for you and your child to always have to pronounce and/or spell her name. If it’s in the middle name spot, it might not matter as much since most people would not be spelling it or even saying it very often. I think there is a lot more freedom for the middle name.
I agree with saoirser. Why make it a harder name to wear by spelling it one way but insisting it’s pronounced another? I knew a [name]Johnni[/name] who said it was pronounced [name]John[/name]-uh. She was an adult businesswoman who had been correcting people all her life (and sounded very weary about it). I couldn’t figure out why she hadn’t just changed the spelling of her name and made things a whole lot easier on herself.
The original Irish [name]Caitlin[/name] is traditionally pronounced [name]KAT[/name]-leen or KOIT-leen, depending on the region of [name]Ireland[/name]. I think [name]Sienna[/name] [name]Caitlin[/name] ([name]Sienna[/name] cat-leen) would be adorable. I honestly don’t think any American would intuitively say [name]Caitlin[/name] as anything other than [name]KATE[/name]-lynn, though, because the mispronunciation is so common. Much as it pains me, if you want cat-lin, I would spell it [name]Catlin[/name]/[name]Katlin[/name], personally. I do think [name]Sienna[/name] [name]Catlin[/name] would be pretty cute, though.
That’s the Irish pronunciation. If you wanted the name pronounced that way, you’d better spell it [name]Caitlin[/name] or [name]Catlin[/name] (although I don’t like the latter because it’s a made-up spelling). If you spelled it [name]Caitlin[/name] and explained how you’d like it to be pronounced and why, then most people wouldn’t have a problem, although she’d have to explain this to everyone she met for the rest of her life.
There is a character named [name]Catelyn[/name] Stark in Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and [name]Fire[/name], and it is pronounced [name]CAT[/name]-lyn. I had it on my list and might still consider it as a middle name. The pronunciation issues bother me too much to use it as a first. I knew a teenage boy named [name]Catlin[/name], pronounced [name]CAT[/name]-lin.
Regarding [name]Caitlin[/name] in [name]Ireland[/name]. I was lead to believe that [name]Caitlin[/name] was always ‘kate-lin’ and that Caitlín was ‘kat-leen’ or ‘koit-leen’.
As a [name]Katelyn[/name] (pronounced [name]Kate[/name]-lynn- like it looks) all I can say is don’t do it. First of all, there are SO many [name]Katelyn[/name]/[name]Caitlyn[/name]/[name]Catlin[/name]/[name]Caitlin[/name]/[name]Kaitlin[/name]/Kaitlyns. I was born in the 80s and only grew up with a few other [name]Katelyn[/name]/Caitlins, but the name got much more popular in the 90s and is now very dated. There are so many spellings of the name that I am constantly asked how I spell it whenever I order anything, introduce myself, etc. To name a child [name]CAT[/name]-lyn and expect it to be pronounced as anything besides [name]Kate[/name]-lynn is sentencing her to a lifetime of explaining. It’s going to look Kre8tive and people are going to judge you.
