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I think even if you are close, you could still use it as a middle name. Although the Katherine spelling may make less like 'copying'.

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Willow Katherine/Catherine - I'm not a huge fan of Willow but this makes a lovely combo.
Isobel Katherine/Catherine - Very nice & classic
Caroline Katherine/Catherine - The names have too many similarities to be paired together imo.

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Which spelling do you prefer? Katherine or Catherine? (No other spellings please.)
For a first name, I prefer Catherine. As a middle name, I slightly prefer Katherine.

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You could use it as first name, don't think it'd matter. :)

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I like Katherine.

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I like Willow Katherine the best. The other two are fine too, though.

I tend to prefer the C spelling for a mn and I think the name would be fine with a cousin who uses it as a fn. I like Willow Katherine and Isobel Catherine best. Caroline doesn't look or sound right to me paired with C/Katherine.

I think Katherine is really nice. I like this spelling best but Catherine is also nice.

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I think Katherine is common enough that it wouldn't matter if the cousin had the same name, especially since they rarely meet, especially if it's the middle name and especially if it's spelled differently. I don't think people would assume she was named after cousin Catherine or anything like that.

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Willow Katherine is my favourite of those three combos, it just flows nicely. I like the name Caroline but Caroline Katherine sounds strange to me - too many similar sounds and emphases in there.

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my top Katherine combos would be Elsa Katherine, Alice Katherine, Maya Katherine and Phoebe Katherine.

I am a Catherine with a C person, though I also admire it with a K. The only name you mentioned which I think it complements is Isobel (Isabel). Caroline Catherine is especially awkward. Willow I find annoying.

I don't think it'd really matter if you used it again, especially if only as a mn.
Isobel Catherine is my favorite! I really, really love Isobel. I prefer Catherine, because I just have this weird thing against Ks. They look too harsh and pointy to me, so I generally like Cs instead of Ks when possible. It also looks more classic and elegant as Catherine, I think.

If the reason you don't see your niece Catherine has to do with a falling out, then I'd be a little surprised if you would want to name your daughter the same name. If it's just for benign or geographical reasons, then I think it'd be just fine to "reuse" the name. If it was me, I'd just keep it to the middle name spot, personally.

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I think Willow Catherine has the nicest ring, of the three options.

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And, as you have probably guess, Cathering is my preferred spelling.

It definitely wouldn't be problematic, especially if you relegate it to the middle slot.

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I like Isobel Catherine and Caroline Catherine, and I greatly prefer Catherine to Katherine.

I don't see why not. I have a cousin with the mn of Kevin, and our next male cousin was given the fn Kevin, and we're close. I like your combos. It doesn't matter which spelling imo.

I don't see the problem.

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I prefer Isobel Catherine.

Katherine/Catherine is a popular enough name that I don't think that it would be an issue if you used it even though your kids have a cousin named Catherine, especially if it's only a middle name. For all people know, you could have easily named your daughter after someone else considering how many people there are named Katherine/Catherine.

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Willow Katherine/Catherine is my favorite out of your combos. Isobel Katherine/Catherine is my second pick. I love Caroline, but Caroline Katherine/Catherine is too heavy on the hard C/K sounds.

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I don't have a strong preference on the spelling, but I'm leaning towards Katherine as a middle name for Willow and Caroline. With Isobel, I prefer Catherine, though.

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I think, given the circumstances you describe, it's fine to use Catherine/Katherine as a middle name. It would probably even be fine to use it as a first name.

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My favorite of the three combos is Willow Catherine, but I also like Isobel Katherine. Caroline Catherine/Katherine is the only one that I don't like at all. I think it's because it has matching sounds at both the beginning and the end--just too much.

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I used to love only the C- spelling, but lately, I find myself appreciating the K- spelling more and more. These days, it seems to come down to the fn/mn combo or fn/ln combo. I like Willow Catherine, for example, but prefer Katherine with Isobel.

Not in the slightest.

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I really love Catherine / Katherine. I think i'm starting to prefer Catherine with Cathy as a nickname these days.

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Willow Catherine sounds a bit off to me
Isobel Catherine is gorgeous
Caroline Catherine is too much C sound for my liking

It wouldn't matter especially since it is a middle name. I like Isobel Catherine.

I don't think it would matter much if it's as a middle name even if you saw these people all the time unless she going to go by her mn. If not it's perfectly fine.

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I like Isobel Katherine/Catherine best. Willow Katherine/Catherine is nice as well. Caroline and Catherine are too similar in sound to work as a combo imo.

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I'm still not quite sure which spelling I like better. Usually I like the C spelling better for names that can start with either a C or a K. In this case, however, I always liked the K spelling better simply because I like the nn Katie/Kate and I don't like spelling it Catie/Cate. But if it's as a mn I like Catherine.

I think it's fine to use it as a mn, since mns aren't used regularly and your kids don't see the cousin. I like Willow and Isobel as fns, Caroline feels clunky.

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I'm also in a dilemma as to whether I prefer Katherine or Catherine, possibly the latter.

No, I don't think it matters at all, though I would use the K spelling to differentiate it. I also prefer the K version.
I like all your combos - Isobel Katherine would be my own pick out of the three, but all are lovely, though on reflection the same -ine ending rules the Caroline combo out for me, much as I adore Caroline.

This message was edited 9/11/2011, 4:37 AM

As a mn I don't think would matter too much... Of your combos, I prefer Willow... Catherine kind of bores me because it's so overused these days (I prefer either Catherine or Kathryn as spellings, so of the ones you prefer, I'd go with the C) and find Kathleen much more refreshing and appealing namewise... could be something to consider if you want to make sure it's no issue w/ the cousin's parents... I don't like Isobel at all spelled that way... Isobel is ok and Isobelle looks nicest imo. Though it's all kinda boring and overused these days... Caroline is nice in and of itself, but I wouldn't use it with Catherine... good to save for a future daughter after this one. Willow and Caroline might be a nice sibset.