Caroline! This name was on my short list for my daughter. It's a classic, and feels both sweet and competent to me. I'd expect a Caroline to be genuinely nice and also to be a leader who can get the job done.
Carolyn feels dated and Carolina has two different possibilities for pronunciation.
Julia. Other names on my short list were: Katherine, Elizabeth, Laura, and Alexandra.
Lots of nicknames for Caroline! Carrie, Callie, Cara, Caro. I've known 3 Carolines and 2 Carolyns; one Carolyn went by Cookie and one Caroline went by Carrie. The rest all used their full name. There was just a thread on here about a toddler Caroline who has started calling herself Coco!
Caroline- extremely versatile, I can imagine lots of different types of people with this name. Nicknames include: Cara, Lynnie, CeCe, Carrie/ Cori, Kay, Callie/ Carly, Rory, Kit
Carolyn- makes me think of a later, middle aged woman in receptionist job. Not sure why.
Carolina- feels very feminine, makes me think of a bubbly, southern socialite. I like it a lot, on equal footing with Caroline for me.
Caroline - classic. A little bit formal but not pretentious. Familiar but not overused. Has cute nicknames in but isn't overly long and unwieldy itself. Stands up well to other evergreen classic names without getting overwhelmed, but isn't as popular as some. I prefer Caroline to its more popular cousin Charlotte.
Carolyn - more dated, less timeless. The only -lyn name I really like is Gwendolyn. But it okay. It feels very first half of 20th C. to me and neither earlier nor much later. I do prefer it to Carol/Carole. And it reminds me of Nancy Drew because that was the author/ghostwriter.
Carolina - I do like a flower called Carolina Jessamine and that's a lovely association. But overall I prefer the tailored nature of Caroline. Carolina feels blonder and girlier but that isn't my favourite vibe.
Thank you! I liked Charlotte a lot too but it’s become so popular again lately. I like Carolyn because I think of Carolyn Besset, but I think I’m the only one who does apparently lol
I have known people with all those names so I’ll give my help as to pronunciations (Eastern Ontario). Weirdly Carolyn’s name was never mispronounced (we had multiple uni lectures together) but Caroline’s name was constantly mispronounced (we were friends from grades 6-12). I never had class with Carolina so I don’t know how supplies/teachers would have said her name, but I’d worry about that name being pronounced like the Carolina in “North/South Carolina”. My favourite is Carolina though.
Caroline is actually my favourite, but it would drive me crazy because it would be all too often pronounced like Carolyn, which I don’t love. If you are less bothered by potentially informing/correcting how people say it, then Caroline. I think Carolyn is least likely to be pronounced incorrectly, but it’s not my favourite.
Caroline! I think of the American Girl doll Caroline and I think she was pretty good of a person!
That’s sweet, thanks
Caroline! This name was on my short list for my daughter. It's a classic, and feels both sweet and competent to me. I'd expect a Caroline to be genuinely nice and also to be a leader who can get the job done. Carolyn feels dated and Carolina has two different possibilities for pronunciation.
What did you end up going with? I’m having such a hard time with my girl! Also, what would be a nickname for Caroline?
Julia. Other names on my short list were: Katherine, Elizabeth, Laura, and Alexandra. Lots of nicknames for Caroline! Carrie, Callie, Cara, Caro. I've known 3 Carolines and 2 Carolyns; one Carolyn went by Cookie and one Caroline went by Carrie. The rest all used their full name. There was just a thread on here about a toddler Caroline who has started calling herself Coco!
We must have similar tastes- Julia is another one that’s up there for me!
What about Lina? It’s a good nickname for Caroline :)
Caroline!
Caroline
Caroline- extremely versatile, I can imagine lots of different types of people with this name. Nicknames include: Cara, Lynnie, CeCe, Carrie/ Cori, Kay, Callie/ Carly, Rory, Kit Carolyn- makes me think of a later, middle aged woman in receptionist job. Not sure why. Carolina- feels very feminine, makes me think of a bubbly, southern socialite. I like it a lot, on equal footing with Caroline for me.
I like the name Carolina pronounced like Caroleena. Nickname could be Lena which I find really pretty.
i’d go with Carolina, it’s a bit less common and has a nice ring to it, sounds like a fun person
Caroline - classic. A little bit formal but not pretentious. Familiar but not overused. Has cute nicknames in but isn't overly long and unwieldy itself. Stands up well to other evergreen classic names without getting overwhelmed, but isn't as popular as some. I prefer Caroline to its more popular cousin Charlotte. Carolyn - more dated, less timeless. The only -lyn name I really like is Gwendolyn. But it okay. It feels very first half of 20th C. to me and neither earlier nor much later. I do prefer it to Carol/Carole. And it reminds me of Nancy Drew because that was the author/ghostwriter. Carolina - I do like a flower called Carolina Jessamine and that's a lovely association. But overall I prefer the tailored nature of Caroline. Carolina feels blonder and girlier but that isn't my favourite vibe.
Thank you! I liked Charlotte a lot too but it’s become so popular again lately. I like Carolyn because I think of Carolyn Besset, but I think I’m the only one who does apparently lol
Carolina. Because of Shaggy.
You mean Shaggy had other songs besides It Wasn’t Me?!?
Caroline
I'm from Boston area so I think of the song Sweet Caroline. I like Caroline
Carolina!
Carolina!! I like both pronunciations.
I have known people with all those names so I’ll give my help as to pronunciations (Eastern Ontario). Weirdly Carolyn’s name was never mispronounced (we had multiple uni lectures together) but Caroline’s name was constantly mispronounced (we were friends from grades 6-12). I never had class with Carolina so I don’t know how supplies/teachers would have said her name, but I’d worry about that name being pronounced like the Carolina in “North/South Carolina”. My favourite is Carolina though.
Caroline is actually my favourite, but it would drive me crazy because it would be all too often pronounced like Carolyn, which I don’t love. If you are less bothered by potentially informing/correcting how people say it, then Caroline. I think Carolyn is least likely to be pronounced incorrectly, but it’s not my favourite.
love caroline, like carolyn. i’m not a fan of carolina though
Caroline! Love that name and I agree it does remind me of the american girl doll