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Re: -line
Adaline - I prefer Adeline, and I like it, but I'd be afraid it'd be shortened to Addie and then someone might assume her name was Addison (shiver). Caroline - Well, it's my name, so I'm a bit biased. I like it quite a bit. If it weren't my name, I doubt it'd be in my top 10 or anything, but it'd probably be in my top 20. I think it can be elegant, but it can also have that preppy, southern vibe that I dislike. Coraline - I actually think it's kind of cute. It's one of the only made up names I can get behind. Emmeline - I love this. I think it's adorable, better than Adeline. It's Victorian in the best way possible, not stuffy, but charmingly old fashioned. Madeline - Eh - I like it a lot more with the "line" pronunciation, but it isn't the traditional way it's said... or I don't think. Plus, I'm a traditionalist, and I see this I think it "should" be Madeleine. Either way, I don't love it.
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Coraline isn't made upCoraline has been in use in France since the 1950s though it didn't gain any popularity until the 80s.
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Ah, ok. Since it isn't in the database I just assumed (wrongly). Either way, it's pretty darn cute.
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It was probably made up in the 1950s. Eh?I really don't think adding -line to a short name counts as "making it up." I mean, that's what happened to Caroline, isn't it? It's more like making a diminutive official.
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I think "-ine" means something like "similar to," "like," or "resembling" in Latin, so I'm thinking they meant it, once upon a time, to mean "resembling Carolus." Though this is just me blabbing with nothing to back it up.
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"Resembling coral" would be more likely, surely? Like crystalline = resembling crystal? But you're probably on to something with your Carolus idea: anyone who wanted a change from Caroline but not too great a change might well find Coraline suitable.Whatever, I don't much enjoy adjectives as names - Bonnie, etc - so for actual use I'd far rather use or see Coralie.
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I was talking about Caroline, not Coraline, but yeah, that works for Coraline. :)
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I always just assumed it was a diminutive, like -lein in German? I dunno though
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