View Message

One of my best friends is named Katherine, and she goes by Katy, so I have a positive association with this name, though I much prefer the spelling Catherine. Kathryn is also a decent spelling. It made several comebacks in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, so it's not dated yet.

---

As for Katie, it's not a bad nickname, but it has a childish or teenage feel that doesn't exactly work on adults. I much prefer Kathy, Kitty, or Kat, though Katie, Kate, or Katy are not bad at all. Katie as a a standalone name, however, just seems childish. I do not care much for the Kaitlin, Kaitlyn, and Katelyn alternatives to Caitlin that use Katie as a nicknames.

Katherine, I think is a stunner. I feel weird saying that since it’s basically just the English version of my own name but I think it’s a legitimally gorgeous classic. Catherine and Katharine are just as nice.

---

Katie on its own is okay. I like it as a nn but as a stand alone name, it’s a little underwhelming. Still nice, though, but it’s better as a nn for Katherine, Kate, Katharina, etc.

I love the name Katherine, but I prefer the Catherine spelling. It's so elegant and timeless. I know Catherines of every age. I think the nicknames are what dates it. Cathy for people born around the 60s and Katie for people born in the 80s and 90s. I think Kitty and Kit are fresher nicknames, but Kate doesn't feel dated to me either. Katie is a solid nickname. I'm a bit biased. My old roommate was named Katherine nn Katie, and she's sweet as a button. I prefer Katie as a nickname. As a full name, it feels insubstantial.

I do likmybe it, but I am not sure if I would use it for a future daughter. I prefer Charlotte or Kate.

I love Katherine, and would use it either as a fn or mn. Katie is ok but I prefer Kitty or Kit as a nn.

Nice, I only like Katie as a NN

It's always felt like the ultimate boring feminine name to me, respectable, but with no sparkle or personality, the female Nicholas, if you will. Katie sounds horrifically wimpy, but also slightly malicious, and definitely immature.

I've known so many Katherines-called-Katie that it just seems boring to me. I prefer just Katherine/Catherine without a nickname.

Boring

---

Sorry, but I find this name so lifeless. Don't even mention Katie, which I now deem a collection of sounds rather than a name.

---

Catherine is marginally less limp.

KATE

I love Katherine. I prefer the Catherine spelling but Katherine is gorgeous. It's classic and elegant and versatile. I would love to have this name.

---

I don't like Katie though. To me "Katie" is one of those archetypal children's names like Timmy, Sally, Johnny etc. I prefer Kate or Katya. Both are still cute but not as cutesy as Katie.

Katie doesn't appeal much; it never did, and now it's so overused, along with all the names/versions of names it can be short for.

---

Katherine. I prefer the K- spelling, with an -a- in the middle instead of an -e-. Katharine; then Catherine. But, strictly mn material until the current craze has been over for about 50 years, by which time I won't be considering names!

I like Katherine. Definitely a nice classic in my eyes, though a bit bland. Katie is cute, but a bit too cute, so I prefer Kate and Kat.

I love Katherine and I think Katie is cute. I've probably known more Katies than any other name, though. It was SO popular with girls in my generation, born in the 80s, grew up in the 90s. I prefer Kate, which I think is beautiful and elegant, whereas Katie is fun and cute.

For some unknown reason, I loathe the name Katherine (any spelling). I don't mind Kate, but Katherine just grates on me and I hate it.

I think that Katherine is a nice and classic name, it is also dropping down in popularity. In my opinion, Katherine is not dated, it's timeless! :)

---

I think Katie is a good nickname for Katherine, I'm not 100% sure whether I like Katie on its own or not. I think it's okay.

It's beautiful and classic, and I should think it's boring, but for some reason I don't.

---

I think it's on its way to being dated. I am not one of those who think that just because a name is classic, that means it can never be dated. The popularity of Katherine has dropped a lot in the past ten years, and it's now out of the top 100. So yeah, it's on its way.

---

I would never use Katherine, though. Kathleen nn Kathy was just too ubiquitous in my generation. And I wouldn't feel comfortable that my daughter Katherine would never be called Kathy, even if I didn't want her to be.

---

Katie as a nickname is cute, Katie on its own nope nope nope nope.