See the results of this poll: Which name for our fourth girl?
Respondents: 70 (This poll is closed)
- Caroline Joy (nn Calla/Callie) : 48 (69%)
- Calla Joy (nn Callie): 22 (31%)
I would stick with [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] because it’s more versatile and gives you more nickname options (including [name_f]Calla[/name_f]). I like [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] better with [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] and [name_f]Isla[/name_f] too!
Personally I would go with [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] and use the nickname [name_f]Calla[/name_f] or [name_f]Callie[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] if I would use [name_f]Calla[/name_f] or [name_f]Callie[/name_f] almost exclusively. I also feel that [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] goes better with [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], and [name_f]Isla[/name_f].
I know some people feel that parents have no control of nicknames. I totally disagree. My son, my nephews, my nieces, our friends’ children are called by the names we (the parents) want used (many of these children are teens now). If you want her called [name_f]Calla[/name_f] or [name_f]Callie[/name_f] than your family and friends should show respect and call her by that name.
I actually like [name_f]Calla[/name_f] as a first name if that’s why you plan on calling her. The only way I would choose [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] is because to my ear [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Isla[/name_f] sound very similar for sisters to be. But if you love [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and plan on calling her that, go with [name_f]Calla[/name_f].
I really like [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] and the nicknames of [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f]. I think it’s best to give her the full name of [name_f]Caroline[/name_f]. I agree with your husband that [name_f]Calla[/name_f] doesn’t sound like a complete name to me (but I love it as a nickname). I don’t think it’s possible to have too many nicknames! Our kids have full names, nicknames that most people call them and then pet names we use and a few close to us use too ([name_u]Boo[/name_u], [name_m]Bear[/name_m], etc…). I would agree with @lovemysweeties that people will use the name you ask them to use. However, if your child at some point decides they want to go with a different nickname there isn’t too much you can do about it. I do know an [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] whose mom wanted him called that and now he’s in his 20s and still goes by his full name. But I also know any [name_u]Allison[/name_u] who goes by [name_u]Allie[/name_u] (which her mom despises) and a [name_u]Michael[/name_u] who goes by [name_m]Mike[/name_m] now despite his parents not wanting the nickname. [name_m]Both[/name_m] families still call the kids by their full names but everyone else refers to them by nickname. My mom was a [name_f]Suzi[/name_f] as a child but went by [name_f]Suzanne[/name_f] as an adult. My grandma also called her [name_f]Suzi[/name_f] so I don’t think it’s a problem. I always thought it was cool I could tell how someone knew my mom by what they called her. She was [name_f]Suzi[/name_f] to close friends or people who knew her all her life, Suz to her brothers and my dad, and [name_f]Suzanne[/name_f] professionally or to people she met later in life. I love options! I think you are smart to give her daughter so many. She will appreciate it later in life!
Thanks for the feedback.
My mom has commented that she loves the name [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] and DH thinks baby ‘looks’ like a [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], though he does like [name_f]Calla[/name_f]/[name_f]Callie[/name_f] too and admitted that hearing someone call her [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] the other day sounded weird since we’ve been calling her mostly [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f] at home.
Now I’m double-guessing what I really like and which name we should go with. [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] got many more votes in the poll. My question was more about what her formal/official name should be, but I’m wondering how many people simply prefer [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] to [name_f]Calla[/name_f] for every day use.
Are [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f] nice enough names for every day use, or is [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] too nice a name to simply be tucked away on her birth certificate?
I want her to have a name that is as beautiful, feminine, yet interesting and not too limiting (as far as the impression it gives people) as her sisters’ names. Choosing this name has been so much more difficult!
Thoughts? Encouragement? Opinions?
Am I just over thinking this? Post-pregnancy hormones are probably a factor!
I love [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f], but I’m not convinced of the nickname [name_f]Calla[/name_f] or [name_f]Callie[/name_f] for her. I feel like if you are going to call her [name_f]Calla[/name_f] on a day to day basis, you might as well pick [name_f]Calla[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] (which is also nice).
[name_m]Just[/name_m] to stir the pot some more, how about [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cassie[/name_f]? 
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- Are [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f] nice enough names for every day use - Yes, [name_f]Calla[/name_f] is lovely and [name_f]Callie[/name_f] is a cute nn
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- is [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] too nice a name to simply be tucked away on her birth certificate? YES
In other words, I would encourage [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] without the nn [name_f]Calla[/name_f]/[name_f]Callie[/name_f], or else [name_f]Calla[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] called [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and/or [name_f]Callie[/name_f].
You can always call [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Cara[/name_f] or [name_u]Caro[/name_u], or if you want to go with [name_f]Carolina[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f], you can call her [name_f]Lina[/name_f]/[name_f]Lena[/name_f].
I’m with @mischa here. I think [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] is a nice idea to fall back on, and [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] strikes a lovely balance between sweet and strong. I feel like [name_f]Calla[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] is just too much sweetness. Plus, [name_f]Eloise[/name_f], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Isla[/name_f], and [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] are divine! Then again, I just nearly added [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Iris[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] to my own list, so I’m biased in favor of [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] here.
[name_f]Love[/name_f] [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f]… you can use any of the nn you want, and [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] has passed the test of time. Plus, the meaning is beautiful. Put [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] on the birth certificate and then call her whatever you like best.
Another vote for [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f]. It is a beautiful name, and if she does decide when she’s older that she’d rather go by something other than [name_f]Calla[/name_f] or [name_f]Callie[/name_f], there are a plethora of other options.
I adore [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f], but I think that you should stick to [name_f]Caroline[/name_f]. [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Isla[/name_f] sound a little too similar for siblings, and she can always use [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] (or even [name_u]Caro[/name_u] or [name_f]Lina[/name_f]) if she wants to later.
Go for [name_f]Caroline[/name_f]! It keeps all your options open, and there’s no harm in it. It’s a beautiful combination and sounds smashing with her sisters.
And I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] the nickname [name_f]Calla[/name_f] for [name_f]Caroline[/name_f].
@brigid16 – those last two comments really made my day!
We are going to stick with [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], but will be calling her [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f]. One of our other daughters likes adding [name_f]Joy[/name_f] onto either of those nicknames and it sounds so sweet coming for her!
So, one more question: If you were going to give your baby a formal name on the birth certificate, but plan on calling her by a less formal nickname and want others to call her by that too, how would you convey that on a birth announcement photo card?
I was thinking putting her full official name under the photo, but then using the name we want others to call her in the greeting/message.
WDYT?
I think that works. Or under her official name you could add a little message like… You can call me [name_f]Callie[/name_f]
I think it best to just choose ONE nickname for now. That way you get everyone on board with the nickname and then add an additional one later on. I would start with [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and add [name_f]Callie[/name_f] later.
I second what rainydaygarden says. “[name_f]Welcome[/name_f] to [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f]. [name_m]Little[/name_m] [name_f]Calla[/name_f] has been such a delight so far…”
I would also stick with one nickname. I think if you really want her to be [name_f]Calla[/name_f] to everyone except close family and friends, then display her full name under the photo, and in the greeting, introduce her as [name_f]Calla[/name_f]. [name_f]Callie[/name_f] might come naturally as a diminutive, anyway, but it doesn’t make as much sense to start with the nickname [name_f]Callie[/name_f] and then introduce her to some people as [name_f]Calla[/name_f].
Although I do really love [name_f]Calla[/name_f], I think you should use [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] so she can use it later in life. [name_f]Calla[/name_f] wouldn’t give much as a professional vibe, in all honesty. I still think [name_f]Calla[/name_f] and [name_f]Callie[/name_f] are cute, but they might be better off as nicknames.