[Opinions] Caroline
I've been enjoying the warm, motherly, vintage Caroline recently. What do you think of it? How do you pronounce it - KAR-uh-lien or KAR-uh-lin? (I only like KAR-uh-lien, and I prefer it in a British accent where the 'a' is closer to the 'a' in apple than the 'a' in air.)
What middle names would you put with Caroline? Do you like Caroline Wren?
What sibling names? Do you like Caroline and Hazel for sisters?
LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS
- Shel Silverstein
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
What middle names would you put with Caroline? Do you like Caroline Wren?
What sibling names? Do you like Caroline and Hazel for sisters?
LISTEN TO THE MUSTN'TS
- Shel Silverstein
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
Replies
Caroline is a name I did a complete 180 on in the past year. Beforehand, I'd always found it too cold and haughty (kar-uh-LIEN pronunciation; kar-uh-LIN is Carolyn, in my view). More recently, though, I find it endlessly sophisticated and charming.
I also prefer the British nickname Caro to the American nickname Carrie, even though I'm American - mostly because Carrie sounds... kind of sad. Not Gothic like Alice (to my ears), just... crestfallen. It's difficult to explain.
For middles, I think Caroline sounds best with a name that begins with a vowel. I also wouldn't go for something else ending in -n, so I can't say I'm terribly fond of Caroline Wren. These are what I would propose:
Caroline Ivy (my stock combo)
Caroline Iris
Caroline Alice
Caroline Sophia
Caroline Antonia
Caroline Elisa / Caroline Elise
Caroline Margot (also Margot Caroline)
Caroline Audrey
Caroline Viola
Caroline Adele
Caroline Arista
Caroline Joanna
While I like Hazel, she is in a very different genre form Caroline, so I would find sisters with these names a bit jarring. Like they were named by different people.
I also prefer the British nickname Caro to the American nickname Carrie, even though I'm American - mostly because Carrie sounds... kind of sad. Not Gothic like Alice (to my ears), just... crestfallen. It's difficult to explain.
For middles, I think Caroline sounds best with a name that begins with a vowel. I also wouldn't go for something else ending in -n, so I can't say I'm terribly fond of Caroline Wren. These are what I would propose:
Caroline Ivy (my stock combo)
Caroline Iris
Caroline Alice
Caroline Sophia
Caroline Antonia
Caroline Elisa / Caroline Elise
Caroline Margot (also Margot Caroline)
Caroline Audrey
Caroline Viola
Caroline Adele
Caroline Arista
Caroline Joanna
While I like Hazel, she is in a very different genre form Caroline, so I would find sisters with these names a bit jarring. Like they were named by different people.
I pronounce it the British way, unsurprisingly. My best friend is Carolyn, pronounced with -lin.
It's a good name, a timeless classic which seldom attracts nns; I've always liked it but never thought of using it until my new-born daughter surprisingly looked like a Caroline. I didn't know then and don't know now what that means, but it certainly happened and we were very happy with it.
I don't like Wren or Hazel. Caroline Rachel; Caroline Alice; Caroline Clare; Caroline Janet (my friend is Carolyn Jane).
Siblings: Peter and Lucy; Ian and Ruth; Keith and Louise
It's a good name, a timeless classic which seldom attracts nns; I've always liked it but never thought of using it until my new-born daughter surprisingly looked like a Caroline. I didn't know then and don't know now what that means, but it certainly happened and we were very happy with it.
I don't like Wren or Hazel. Caroline Rachel; Caroline Alice; Caroline Clare; Caroline Janet (my friend is Carolyn Jane).
Siblings: Peter and Lucy; Ian and Ruth; Keith and Louise
So exquisitely beautiful. I pronounce it the British way, ending in -line. There are two in my recent family tree. One with sisters Florence and Isabella; the other with sisters Alice and Georgina. Caroline Wren is pretty. To me Hazel is not as timeless as Caroline and I wouldn't choose it myself as a sibset, but I certainly see why you like it.
I like the name. It has some warm vibes and I like that it's classic. I pronounce it as KAR-uh-lien. I quite don't like Caroline Wren, they had the different vibes, in my opinion. I like Caroline and Hazel as siblings though.
TW: Death
For middle names, I can only think about Caroline Martha, which was named after the late poster of this site who post under the name Martha (CarolineCarolina). She died on September 29th. https://www.behindthename.com/bb/ot/5389703
TW: Death
For middle names, I can only think about Caroline Martha, which was named after the late poster of this site who post under the name Martha (CarolineCarolina). She died on September 29th. https://www.behindthename.com/bb/ot/5389703
This message was edited 11/4/2022, 12:18 AM
I really like Caroline. It would be an honoring name for a Charles and Carol for me. I prefer the long i rather than the short (which I prefer to spell Carolyn). Either vowel sound for the first vowel works for me.
If I were to use Caroline, I like the idea of the nickname Cara.
Caroline Wren is nice. I like seeing Wren. Caroline and Hazel could definitely be sisters. Similarly warm and comfortable, worn-in calico sheets on the line type of names.
Combos:
Caroline Susannah
Caroline Daphne
Caroline Elise
Caroline Alice
Caroline Gloria
Caroline Rhoda
Natalie Caroline
Julia Caroline
Susannah Caroline nn Sunny (one of my pet combos haha)
Siblings:
Nolan
Bennett
Anthony
Lydia
Harriet
Bridget
If I were to use Caroline, I like the idea of the nickname Cara.
Caroline Wren is nice. I like seeing Wren. Caroline and Hazel could definitely be sisters. Similarly warm and comfortable, worn-in calico sheets on the line type of names.
Combos:
Caroline Susannah
Caroline Daphne
Caroline Elise
Caroline Alice
Caroline Gloria
Caroline Rhoda
Natalie Caroline
Julia Caroline
Susannah Caroline nn Sunny (one of my pet combos haha)
Siblings:
Nolan
Bennett
Anthony
Lydia
Harriet
Bridget
Caroline is beautiful, I only like -lien pronunciation though. Caroline Wren is stunning!
I like the first pronouciation lien,. Lovely name, I don't like the combo with Wren though it doesn't seem to flow and the styles are so different. I like Hazel but not as a sibling name for Caroline
Mn Amy, Anthea, Grace, May, Phoebe, Ruby, Ruth, Tessa, Yvette, Olivia, Rachel
Sibling Susannah Marguerite Genevieve Vivienne, Laura, Vanessa, Natalie
Alastair, Anthony, Thomas, Timothy, Benjamin, Daniel, Elliott, Gabriel, Jonathan, Robert, William, Matthew, Nicholas, Nathaniel, Alexander, Oliver
Mn Amy, Anthea, Grace, May, Phoebe, Ruby, Ruth, Tessa, Yvette, Olivia, Rachel
Sibling Susannah Marguerite Genevieve Vivienne, Laura, Vanessa, Natalie
Alastair, Anthony, Thomas, Timothy, Benjamin, Daniel, Elliott, Gabriel, Jonathan, Robert, William, Matthew, Nicholas, Nathaniel, Alexander, Oliver