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Even if you’re not even a teensy, eensy bit interested in the royal wedding, it would be pretty tough to avoid the topic today. William and Kate’s wedding is an all-out media frenzy.
Chatter about royal baby names has been non-stop since the engagement was announced, and I’ve very much enjoyed dreaming up possible names for a future heir to the throne.
But here’s the big baby naming question that I’m wondering about: when commoner Kate becomes regal Catherine, will C become the new K?
In 1909, Catherine was slightly more popular than Katherine, but variant spellings muddy the picture:
- Catherine ranked #23, with Catharine at #324 and Cathryn at #719;
- Katherine was a respectable #53, but variants like Kathryn #74, Katharine #296, Katheryn #684, Kathrine #691, and Kathryne #731, probably gave a slight edge to the K spellings;
- Don’t forget Kathleen, at #135.
By 1959, the Ks had it:
- Kathy ranked #15; Kathleen #23; Kathryn #69; and Katherine #79;
- The only C-spelling in the Top 100 was Catherine, at #40.
And by 1989, a host of other Kate-names were in play:
- K outpaced C, with Katherine at #26, Kathryn #58, and Kathleen #90;
- Catherine remained a Top 100 choice at #67;
- Caitlin, the original spelling, was still most popular at #49, but variants Katelyn #76, Kaitlyn #95, and Kaitlin #100 were gaining fast;
- Katie was popular as a stand-alone name, at #45.
That brings us up to the present, our Kardashian-soaked era of kreative naming. Looking at the 2009 stats:
- The Top 100 includes a host of vaguely Katherine-related names, all starting with K: Kaylee #29, Kayla #35, Kaitlyn #67, and Katelyn #89;
- Then there’s reality TV’s Khloe at #95, one of fastest gainers of 2009, though she still can’t catch Top Ten Chloe.
K’s grip has been strong. Intriguing word name Cadence inevitably became Kaydence, and choices like Kassidy, Kinley, and Kenzie were big gainers in ’09, too. But C shows signs of life:
- Caylee appeared at #263, up 250 paces in 2009;
- Classics Claire, Charlotte, and Caroline were all Top 100 gainers;
- Farther beyond the Top 100, vintage gems like Clara, Cecilia, Camille, and Cora all found favor with more parents.
The influences have been many, ranging from the tragic 2008 death of Caylee Anthony to the success enjoyed by actress Cate Blanchett. The Office baby answers to Cece, and Cora owes a little something to celeb chef Cat Cora and something to the movie Coraline, too.
Factor in the newest member of the royal family, and I wonder: could we see more names creatively spelled – with a C?
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I much prefer the C-spelling of Catherine, and there are very few K names that appeal to me. K already had a stronghold in the 60s and 70s with all the Karens, Kimberleys, Keiths, Kyles and Kevins, followed by a load of Kirstens, Kristens, Kirstys, Kellys and Kristis, so I think of the Kaylees, Kylies and Kaydens as the second or third generation of Ks. I can see Catherine catching on, on the heels of Caroline, Chloe and Charlotte, as you suggest. But I think the kreatively-spelled K names will continue to flourish for a while yet, at least in the US and Canada.
I agree, C is definitely the letter to watch, although I think K still has a pretty strong hold. Funny, Kathleen & Katherine/Katharine are the only K names I like. But there’s a host of C names I like. On my list for *this* kid: Cecily, Clementine, Cosmo, Cassius & Clarence. And those are just the few I love enough to bestow on an actual child.
Funny though, how Catherine doesn’t appeal to me. Could be because that was the name of my flaky, disappearing (cousin) godmother. Last time I saw her, I was 11 (I’m considerably older now). But Catherine just pales in comparison to Katherine for me. Literally. They’re both blue names but Catherine’s pale, watery blue while Katherine’s a vibrant tropical ocean blue. Weird, but true.
I adore c names like Caitlin, Catherine, Caroline and I even prefer Cate/Cait to Kate but for some reason I still love Kaden over Caden and Kade.over Cade. Which is the only ‘aiden’ style name I like.
Three cheers for Catherine Middleton about to be married to Prince William. My daughter Catherine and I were delighted when “Kate” Middleton became engaged to “Will”. We prefer Catherine-with-a-C. At the time my daughter was born, Catherine was a top name in the UK. I also liked the French connection and of course, Catherine Earnshaw “Cathy” in “Wuthering Heights”. My daughter was called Cathy too, but later preferred Catherine. That appears to be the same for Catherine Middleton, who reportedly has always been called Catherine by her parents — but Kate at school — and will be known as Catherine, not Kate, as William’s wife.
Katherine is a four generation name in our family: Katherine, her niece Katherine, her niece Katherine — who changed the spelling to Catherine, and then my daughter Catherine, whose second daughter is Catrina “Cate”.
Regarding Kayla coming from Katherine, I think it developed from Michaela/Makayla/Kayla.
I love this story!
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A good portion of the names that I love begin with an A or with a C. Catherine is on that list (it is a family name on both sides, one with a C and one with a K– tho my generation of cousins was given the K version – Katharine, Kathryn, Katie). My concern is that if we do choose Catherine that people are going to automatically think of William & Catherine on the other side of the pond– and that also many other people are going to hear the name, grow to love it all over again, and then there will be multiple “Catherine”s in her class. Either way, i love the name and am very drawn to the C’s over the K’s!
(Other C names for girls that i love include: Calista, Cambria, Camilla, Cambria, Carys, Cassia, Cecily, Charlotte, Chloe, Claire, Clara, Cora, Cordelia…..)
Ironically, I dislike K names very much. But C is classic and elegant where K is not. I hope C – names make a come back
I think ‘C’ will be the preferred spelling for those who find the ubiquitous ‘K’ names a bit gauche. Catherine just seems a bit classier at this point.
I’m similar to Katie B in that I also quite ironically don’t really like ‘K’ names, I think it’s because the ‘K’ lends a certain brashness which ‘C’ names just don’t have. There are a whole host of ‘C’ names which I adore including many which have already been mentioned: Clare, Caroline, Camilla, Christobel, Charlotte, Cecilia, Cicily, Cordelia… The list is endless. But I am a Katharine and I was named after a Kathleen so I must stick up for poor old ‘K’. Catherine might be the more classical and demure choice but I am definitely suit being a ‘K’ person – embodying the more powerful, spirited style of the letter ‘K’!
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I have to join the growing list of people who have a slight aversion to K names. I didn’t realise how many of us had become irritated by the propensity to change C spellings to K. But for some mad reason, I prefer Katherine to Catherine. I blame Shakespeare.
(My husband is still baffled as to why Catherine Middleton’s nickname is Kate rather than the obvious Cate).