I know many of you can conjure images or personality types when you hear certain names and I was hoping that you would be willing to take a stab at doing that today. My husband’s favorite boy’s name is [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]. I like it pretty well but my imagination doesn’t run wild when I hear it. What or who do you picture?
The other name I’d love to hear your opinion on is [name_m]Christoph[/name_m]. Not [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]. [name_m]Just[/name_m] [name_m]Christoph[/name_m]. We have a [name_m]German[/name_m] last name but have lived in the U.S. for a minimum of three generations on any branch of the family tree. Are we too removed from our cultural heritage to get a pass on an international variant of a name? Can we use the nn [name_u]Kit[/name_u]? Does [name_u]Kit[/name_u] sound feminine or masculine to you? What kind of boy/teen/man do you picture when you hear the name [name_m]Christoph[/name_m]? What about [name_u]Kit[/name_u]?
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]: A middle aged person with a serious demeanor. Someone in a suit - a business man. Someone smart.
[name_m]Christoph[/name_m]: I think of someone European and fun and handsome. I don’t think I associate a particular age with this name - but perhaps a dashing man in his 30’s.
I don’t think you should avoid [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] just because your families have been in the US for a long time. I don’t see the tie between [name_u]Kit[/name_u] and [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] - is that an established nickname? [name_u]Kit[/name_u] sounds extremely feminine to me personally because it’s an established nickname for [name_f]Katherine[/name_f].
Thank you so much for your response! [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is an established nickname for both [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] and [name_m]Christopher[/name_m], that I think goes back to at least the 1500s because a contemporary of [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] named [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u] is often called [name_u]Kit[/name_u] [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u]. It’s fair that you associate it with [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], through. I’m sure a lot of people do-- that’s why I asked.
I love [name_u]Kit[/name_u] (used as a nickname for [name_m]Christian[/name_m] on my own list), and think [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] sounds very suave. [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] is a name I love the look of, but not so much the sound.
I like both [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] and [name_m]Christoph[/name_m]…and I love the nn [name_u]Kit[/name_u]! If [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is an accepted nn for [name_m]Christopher[/name_m], then it definitely works for [name_m]Christoph[/name_m].
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] - this name feels calm and stoic to me. Strong, masculine, sensible. It ages very well, in my opinion (I know a 5 year old [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m], as well as a 90 year old [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]). I also like that this name is fairly uncommon, but is also well known.
[name_m]Christoph[/name_m] - I much prefer this to [name_m]Christopher[/name_m], which I find quite boring. Removing the -er makes this way more interesting, without making it weird. [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is awesome, and I find it to be a true unisex nickname choice. It’s very uncommon (at least when I live…I have never known anyone - male or female - who goes by [name_u]Kit[/name_u]), which is one of the reasons why it works well for a boy or for a girl. Christophers are more likely to go by [name_u]Chris[/name_u], and Katherines are more likely to go by [name_f]Katie[/name_f]/[name_f]Kate[/name_f]. To me, [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] would be someone outdoorsy, with lots of boyish charm.
To me [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] is an ‘old man’ name. Several of my Grandad’s friends in their 70’s and 80’s are called [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] so when I hear the name I see a little old man pottering around his garden!
I like [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] and I think you could use nn [name_u]Kit[/name_u] with it. It’s a nn for [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] so why not?! I know [name_f]Kitty[/name_f] can be a nn for [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] but [name_u]Kit[/name_u] is all boy for me. You might get people mixing [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] with [name_m]Christopher[/name_m] though because of the spellings. I actually know a man called [name_u]Kit[/name_u] whose father is called [name_m]Kristof[/name_m] so the names make me think of them: outdoorsy, clever, calm and bit bohemian!
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] makes me think of someone very serious and perhaps studious/intellectual.
[name_m]Christoph[/name_m] is offbeat and worldly.
[name_u]Kit[/name_u] makes me think of a little boy who packs up a wilderness survival pack and wants to head out on his own and brave the woods, commune with nature.
I actually like [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]. I don’t just see it on an older man, but someone slightly more professional, or smart. A kid could wear it too.
I’ve always had a thing for [name_m]Christophe[/name_m], rather than christoph but have never liked [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]. I don’t think you’re ever too far removed from your heritage to honor it, so go for it it you can both love it.
[name_u]Kit[/name_u] actually reminds me of a highschool outcast or ‘dork’ and not someone that’s cool. It’s hard to see on a strong grown man also. Can imagine kit kat teasing also.
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m]:
I picture a [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] as a funny guy with a really fun personality and he is always making people laugh he is liked by a lot of people and has short blonde/brown hair with brown eyes and has a great sense of humour.
[name_m]Christoph[/name_m]:
I picture a [name_m]Christoph[/name_m] as a hard working person with brown hair and brown eyes he is a nice person but sometimes can be a little narrow minded and loves to act.
I’m not a fan of the nickname [name_u]Kit[/name_u] though.
[name_m]Malcolm[/name_m] makes me think of a boy who loves to read, is artistic and is intelligent. But at the same time has a love for the outdoors and playing sports.
[name_m]Christoph[/name_m] is handsome, I think you can definitely use it even though your removed from your heritage… International names are used much more often now. And I like the nickname [name_u]Kit[/name_u] for it, its a nickname with a lot of spunk and is very playful.