So you want to name your daughter Caitlin?
Excellent choice! It’s a very popular name and for good reason. Every time I attend an event in which children demonstrate their accomplishments, there is some Caitlin or another who is a superior pianist, savant mathlete, or pre-Olympian gymnast.
The name Caitlin shows up on every Honor Roll, every list of girls fast-pitch MVP candidates, and in the title role of extraordinary productions of “Annie.” Additionally, parents are delighted that there is no record of any prostitute named Caitlin.
So it is no surprise that you may want to give your daughter the advantage of being named Caitlin.
But how can your Caitlin live a life of accomplishment when so many other parents share your vision and have named their daughter Caitlin.
Don’t panic. First of all, recognize that you came up with the idea first. You recognize that a popular name is the equivalent of good looks and connections in the right places. This progressive parenting philosophy is one great reason why your Caitlin will be the reason they come up with new categories of ribbons and trophies at whatever (multiple) activities she excels in. Other parents, well-meaning as they may be, are simply copycats, followers, and their daughters will be, too. Don’t hate them. Appreciate them for their role in the big picture, perpetuating the feeder pools of mediocrity against which your Caitlin will thrive.
In the meantime, you will have to come up with new ways to spell Caitlin, different from the masses, that accurately represent your daughter’s individuality.
According to childbirth records in all 50 states and two U.S. territories, close to 1.9 million young girls respond to the name commonly spelled C-A-I-T-L-I-N since 1998. But many of their forward-thinking parents have opted for alternate spellings, such as:
Cynthia: “Her name is Cynthia, after her grandmother, but we’re pronouncing it Caitlin,” said mother Dorothy (pronounced Jessica) who was named for her grandmother.
Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyytlin: When it came time to name their kid, big “Happy Days” fans Tony and Julie Sparlini, simply thought, “WWFD…What Would Fonzie Do?”
Caitlinm: One nameless Louisiana couple opted to make the “m” silent. When asked if their kid would have to spend too much time explaining, they responded, “That’ll be nothing compared to the time we spend explaining why we’re nameless.”
Skatelin: In this one the “s” is silent but that won’t stop her from becoming an Olympic skater! (Surname Gilooly is entirely silent.)
Cialtin: This alternate spelling is rapidly growing in popularity among linguist couples who believe that people read words as hieroglyphics and as long as the first and last letters are correct, it really doesn’t matter.
K8LN: These California parents opted for a spelling that would fit on a license plate and can also be used as a computer password.
Ctln: This similar abbreviation was concocted by New Jersey parents who knew their daughter would have an exceedingly busy calendar of practices, rehearsals and lessons. “By eliminating 3 letters,” they told us, “We save time filling in her name on permission slips.”
Cgheaighdtllyenmnne: This Vermont family pays tribute to its Welsh roots, but they say they’ll call her Cgheaighdtie for short.
KKKaitlin: Mississippi parents paying tribute to their region’s heritage came up with this one.
Aitlinkay: Parents Roger & Maria Farnthasar love the idea that their daughter will be bi-lingual.
Keightlun: One Nebraska couple wondered, “Why should only girls have this advantage?” and named their son Caitlin, spelling it in what they deem this more masculine way. Their son took it one big step further and enthusiastically spells it “Spike.“