I am someone who really tries to get names right on the first try. Carolina is hard. If the last name is Hispanic leaning, I would get it right. If not, I would seriously not know which direction to take it in.

Having said that, I love all the Carolina/Caroline/Carolyn names. Don’t let it stop you.

This is going to be hard to correct for many people, I'd imagine. I don't think it's at all like giving your child an ethnic name that gets butchered initially (which one of my children has, fwiw). Because it's such a common word, people will have to retrain themselves to say it properly as opposed to simply learning a new name. It's asking people to change a habit. Also, I don't think it's a regional thing either. (Most kids in the US learn the states.)

It just depends on how much you can tolerate that. People can and will learn how to say it correctly, but it may take a little longer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most americans will mispronounce it the first time around, or perhaps forever. People won’t be able to spell it. People will call her Caroline.

To me, it’s too big of a burden to give a child. A million headaches for the rest of her life. Sorry Americans are dumb, but that’s the reality.

Beautiful name, but just name her Caroline.

I totally disagree. I have an ethnic name whose pronunciation could never be gleaned from its spelling, unless you know the name. People have butchered my name and, yet, I love my name. If nothing else, it's a conversation starter. Carolina will not have the level of irritation I have had. Some will say it like the states, but once corrected, they will get it right. Team Carolina!

Agree. I have a "foreign" name that people mispronounce at first. Maybe even at second. But once you know it, you really know it.

It hasn't been this terrible thing in my life. Love my name.

A very sweet girl in my daughter’s grade has this name and no one has any difficulty pronouncing her name. We heard it the first time we met her and consistently pronounce it correctly.

It is a beautiful name- if you love it, use it!

Anonymous wrote:I have an Italian/Spanish/Portuguese name, and it’s easy to manage because you usually say it first. She’ll occasionally correct people, but it’s ok.

I would use it.

Same poster. Some of you are just guessing outcomes(wrongly). My surname is not Spanish nor characteristically anything.

LOVE this name. It's my favorite and I wanted to use it for my daughter but my husband nixed it.

Anonymous wrote:Most americans will mispronounce it the first time around, or perhaps forever. People won’t be able to spell it. People will call her Caroline.

To me, it’s too big of a burden to give a child. A million headaches for the rest of her life. Sorry Americans are dumb, but that’s the reality.

Beautiful name, but just name her Caroline.

So people of different ethnicities should just pick white names to make it easier for "Americans" (many of which are hispanic btw)? Do you hear yourself?

Anonymous wrote:Most americans will mispronounce it the first time around, or perhaps forever. People won’t be able to spell it. People will call her Caroline.

To me, it’s too big of a burden to give a child. A million headaches for the rest of her life. Sorry Americans are dumb, but that’s the reality.

Beautiful name, but just name her Caroline.

I totally disagree. I have an ethnic name whose pronunciation could never be gleaned from its spelling, unless you know the name. People have butchered my name and, yet, I love my name. If nothing else, it's a conversation starter. Carolina will not have the level of irritation I have had. Some will say it like the states, but once corrected, they will get it right. Team Carolina!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the last name is Hispanic I wouldn’t hesitate to pronounce it caroleena. If it’s Carolina Johnson, I’d definitely pause.

+1.

+2

It also makes me think of the Shaggy song from the early 90s. Beautiful name, great song, different pronunciations.

Anonymous wrote:Most americans will mispronounce it the first time around, or perhaps forever. People won’t be able to spell it. People will call her Caroline.

To me, it’s too big of a burden to give a child. A million headaches for the rest of her life. Sorry Americans are dumb, but that’s the reality.

Beautiful name, but just name her Caroline.

You may be right but I disagree with your conclusion. It’s okay if she gets called Caro-ly-na or Caroline instead of Carolena occasionally, even frequently. Lots of people with foreign names walk through life having their names mispronounced, especially if they live abroad or work internationally, as many do in DC. She’ll take it with a grain of salt and meanwhile have a lovely name that her social circle will know how to pronounce.

Anonymous wrote:If the last name is Hispanic I wouldn’t hesitate to pronounce it caroleena. If it’s Carolina Johnson, I’d definitely pause.

+1.