We are interested in using [name]Katherine[/name] to honor our grandparents, but do not want to use any of the more typical/common nicknames ([name]Kate[/name], [name]Kathy[/name], [name]Kit[/name], [name]Kat[/name], etc). [name]Thea[/name] occurred to me as a possible nickname- all of the letters are there. After all, if you can get [name]Betsy[/name] from [name]Elizabeth[/name] why not [name]Thea[/name] from kATHErine? Im really starting to like [name]Thea[/name], and love its Greek meaning ([name]Goddess[/name] of light). Thoughts?
I would probably think you were a little oddball, but I’d go with it for sure. And probably secretly love it, haha. Although I think it might work a little better if you went with [name]Katherina[/name], just to get the sounds/letters in the right order for the nn.
Why not? It’s not far off at all.
Personally, I like when a nickname provides a contrasting flavor to the whole name. [name]Katherine[/name] is royal and serious, and [name]Thea[/name] also has those qualities… I personally prefer [name]Kit[/name], because it brings a little playfulness to [name]Katherine[/name]. [name]Thea[/name] feels like a full name to me, so beautiful and sleek. There’s also [name]Anthea[/name] (aka [name]Hera[/name]) which could be nicknamed [name]Annie[/name] or [name]Thea[/name] or An.
[name]Thea[/name] does not organically flow from [name]Katherine[/name] (as opposed to [name]Kate[/name] or [name]Kathy[/name]), but it is unique and cute. Not all nn are obvious derivatives of the full name. If you love it and it has meaning to you, go for it.
Very interesting… I love the name [name]Thea[/name] and the letters are there… It’s different in a really good way… I think it works… [name]Even[/name] though it’s a little bit out there
[name]Don[/name]'t like it at all, sorry.
Not very intuitive to me. Cute NN, buts too much of a stretch for me.
I think you can use whatever you want as a family nickname. People sometimes forget that a lot of nicknames have nothing to do with given names, and are often derived from personality traits, funny stories, etc. My nickname is [name]Molly[/name]–which has evolved over the years from various mispronunciations of my awkward Irish surname). [name]Thea[/name] will not be an intuitive nn for those outside your family group, but there’s no reason you can’t use it. [name]Just[/name] be prepared for schoolmates, etc. to call her [name]Katie[/name] or [name]Kat[/name] or something along those lines unless she’s very adamant about being called [name]Thea[/name]. It’s not such a bad thing for her to have a different nn at home and at school–she can experiment with different roles and identities through different names! [name]Katherine[/name] is a great name with lots of nn potential. Go for it!
I agree with this, with the one caveat that it should feel natural. If she’s born and [name]Thea[/name] doesn’t feel right, don’t force it – it’s just awkward for everyone (I speak from experience). I wonder, though, if there’s a reason/etymology behind more common nns that have nothing to do with the name – [name]Betsy[/name], [name]Hank[/name]/[name]Harry[/name] ([name]Henry[/name]), [name]Lily[/name] ([name]Elizabeth[/name]), [name]Jack[/name] ([name]John[/name]). There might be some rationale that we don’t know. Not that it means you shouldn’t use [name]Thea[/name]. [name]Just[/name] wondering.
I don’t agree about her classmates calling her something different. If she’s called [name]Thea[/name] at home and you always call her [name]Thea[/name], I don’t see why she wouldn’t be called [name]Thea[/name] in school. I don’t have any school-aged children yet though, so I don’t really know how that works. Of course, if she wants to be called something else (but why would she?!), you’d have to be okay with that, and as pp said, there are lots of possibilities for her to chose from for [name]Katherine[/name].
I have always gone by a nickname that is unrelated to my legal name, and it can be a pain in the butt at times. In school, I always had to explain my name. People were initially confused, but once they heard the story they were fine with it. In the working world though, I feel awkward going through the whole charade to get people to call me my nickname. But no one has ever called me by my legal name so it doesn’t really feel like my name. I tried going by it at one job and found myself hesitating when introducing myself, which is weird. People must have thought, you don’t know your own name?!
That being said, I think [name]Thea[/name] is very cute even though it is definitely a stretch. I suggest calling her [name]Katherine[/name] too at times so both names feel like her own.
Too much of a stretch. Sorry.
[name]Thea[/name] [name]Katherine[/name] would be a beautiful name that would honor your grandmothers and let you use the name you love.