Finding the Right Spelling to Preserve a Great Family Name

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.

WHAT’S THE RIGHT SPELLING?

Kallie writes:

My mother is the last of her family line, with no brothers. She took my dad’s name, so her part of the Maitland family ends with her. When I was a kid and someone brought it up, I thought it sounded old-fashioned and sexist. Maybe part of me still does. But now that my grandparents are gone, it means more, especially as we start our own family.

My mom always jokes that her maiden name means “evil genius.” I understand that’s maybe taking creative license, but I kind of love it.

When my husband and I started talking about future children’s names, I floated the idea of using Maitland as a middle name and he agreed.

But now that we’re expecting our first, a daughter, he asked what I thought of naming her Maitland.

I kind of like the idea, but maybe I like it better if we spell it Maitlyn, like Kaitlyn with an M. My husband loved that idea, and now we’re sort of leaning toward this spelling.

If it matters, that’s how my mother’s family always pronounced the name, with “lin” at the end, not the “land” sound. The D is silent, if that makes sense.

When I told my sister, she hated it. She said it’s not the same name, and it’s too cute and creative, and it’s not a good last name to use as a first name to begin with.

To be fair, we both have K names that are a little bit of a pain sometimes, and I know hers is more of an issue than mine. But I don’t think Maitlyn is the same thing at all.

I regret telling her, but I also want some feedback about whether maybe she’s saying something I need to hear.

So … should we name our daughter Maitlyn or Maitland? And is my spelling a horrible idea?

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

THE CASE FOR MAITLYN

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

Also … Oof! That’s some serious feedback from your sister – and your daughter’s aunt.

Without knowing anyone involved, let’s say this: our ideas about names are almost always based on our personal experience with our own name. So let’s agree that your sister doesn’t think she, personally, would enjoy being named Maitlyn … or Maitland.

But that doesn’t really answer your question, does it?

So let’s keep a few things in mind:

• We have absolutely no way of knowing how our children will feel about their names in the future. Maybe your daughter will find Maitlyn confusing and burdensome. Or maybe she’ll love the connection to her grandmother. Either is possible; most of us end up somewhere in between.
• We do know how we feel about a particular name now. It sounds like Maitlyn is the name that feels right for this child.
• We can objectively compare any name we’re considering to popularity data. This can either build our confidence in the name, or make us re-think it.

That last point is where I want to spend our time.

FINDING THE RIGHT SPELLING FOR MAITLYN

So if the question comes down to Maitlyn or Maitland, I’m going to vote for the former. Here’s why:

• Kaitlyn peaked around the year 2000. This Caitlin/Kathleen cousin became the. most popular spelling of the name. That makes me think lots of us a) know a Kaitlyn and b) instinctively see/hear Maitlyn as Kaitlyn-with-an-M.
• Madelyn is the most popular spelling of the name now. Madeline also ranks in the US Top 100, but Madelyn is about a dozen spaces ahead. Evelyn ranks in the current Top Ten. So -lyn ending names are familiar. No name ending in -land (or -lynd) ranks in the current Top 1000.
• Mae names are having a moment. Maeve ranks in the US Top 100. Maisie is rising fast. Names like Mae, Mabel, Macy, and Mavis are all current. Maitlyn fits right in.

Maitland has been used as a given name, in small numbers, for boys and girls alike over the years. It’s almost certainly for the same reasons you’re considering it now – a family name.

Maitlyn has seen occasional use, too, beginning in the 1990s. That’s almost certainly thanks to the influence of Kaitlyn.

While it’s quite rare, and would doubtless take some explaining and a bit of let-me-spell-it-for-you, I think it works.

My only other advice would be to choose a more conventional, classic feminine middle name. Maitlyn Elise or Maitlyn Celeste, maybe?

Readers, over to you! Would you spell the name Maitlyn or Maitland as a first, or save it for the middle spot?