Middle Name for Caroline?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2006
Middle Name for Caroline?
6
Thu, 11-16-2006 - 4:29pm

DH and I like very few of the same names and one of the few we both agree on is Caroline. Problem is that I've had my heart set on my daughter's middle name being Jane after my grandmother who passed away. Caroline Jane didn't flow right to me, but now I think I've said it to myself so many times that it sounds okay. Be honest, does the double "ne" ending sound weird? I also thought of Mary Caroline (but still called Caroline) after another grandmother. Hubby dislikes calling kids by middle names, but I think he would give in if I pushed hard enough since he likes Caroline. WDYT? How do you indicate on birth announcements, etc. that the baby will be called Caroline? I feel that quotes are strange since its not a nn (ie: Robert "Bobby"), it is her whole middle name. Thoughts?

Also, what would be altenative middle names that go with Caroline?

Thanks so much for your help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-09-2005
Thu, 11-16-2006 - 6:06pm

I really like Caroline Jane and love the family connection. Sometimes using a name that has significance is more important than if it flows perfectly, especially if otherwise you are just going to choose a random name you like.

-Nikki


                             
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2005
Thu, 11-16-2006 - 6:43pm

I don't think it's just the "ne" endings that sound a bit off ... it's the similarity of "-line" and "Jane" (although I also think Jane is a very sweet mn ).

Oddly enough, my first thought -- before reading through the entire post -- was to do a double mn to break them up. The first that came to mind was Caroline Mary Jane/Mary-Jane.

As to Mary Caroline, do you want to honor that grandmother as much as you wanted to honor the other with Jane? If so, and your only concern is having her go by her mn, you could always go with Caroline Mary (not knowing your ln, this sounds just as good to me).

If you do end up using Mary Caroline, I think you might simply state the full name with the "birth stats" on the announcements, then refer to her as simply Caroline anywhere else. For example:

Mary Caroline Smith
born at 6:45 pm
December 18, 2006
St. Steven's Hospital

Caroline is welcomed by her proud parents, John and Sarah.

Something like that.

I've also seen announcements that mention the full name, birth stats and parents names, and then list only the first name (or whatever name the child will be called informally) at the very bottom of the announcement, so in this case, Caroline. This is generally done in a slightly bigger font than the rest of the wording and should make it rather clear that is the name she is to be called. ;)

HTH

~Kelli


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 11-16-2006 - 8:01pm

I think Caroline Jane is great! It obviously means a lot to you, and I think it's lovely. Go for it.

In terms of Mary Caroline, you could do that, but I don't see anything wrong with Caroline Mary. Also, coming from a person whose parents chose to call her by her middle name (they thought Andrea Elizabeth sounded better than Elizabeth Andrea, which may be true, but I am called Elizabeth), it's not a huge problem, but I would tend toward putting the name you will call her first if both ways sound nice, just to minimize explanation throughout her life. Especially since Caroline Mary is beautiful!

Elizabeth

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-13-2005
Fri, 11-17-2006 - 1:59pm

I think Caroline Jane would be very nice.

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Avatar for haarlasr
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 11-17-2006 - 2:48pm

I completely agree with Nikki. Caroline Jane might not have the "perfect" flow, but it's not bad at all, and it honors someone you love. I'd definitely go with that.

Stephanie

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2004
Fri, 11-17-2006 - 2:51pm
hello!! well, i love the name caroline-i had my heart set on that one for a LONG time-i still like it, but im not sure if i will end up using it if i have another girl. the middle name i was going to use was going to be jean-after my own grandma. caroline jane sounds just fine , in my opinion. im with your husband as far as calling kids by their middle names-i always think if you liked that name so much, why didnt you just name them it?? heres a few other ideas of middle names:
rose
marie (close to mary)
willow
sage
elise
lauren
jeanette
or
faith/hope/grace/love.
my personal favorites are marie or willow...but i still like jane. good luck!
joanne
maman2goons@aol.com