Becoming Carly

So I wasn’t always Carly. In fact until a few months ago, I was Caroline. But I went on a course to get a brain transplant – note not a personality transplant as I am happy with that aspect of me but I realised that having a nickname was something I’d always yearned for and so took one. It is a known diminutive of Caroline. Take out the o and turn the ine into a y. Then I rhyme with my kids – Harry, Toby and Betsy. Rather uncool – yes. No it is actually completely naff (do you know where that comes from – not available for f—ing) – how useful is the internet?!

So why would anyone chose to start using a nickname at my age? Well I have always wanted one. Of my siblings, only my sister (Susanne -> Sukey) had one that I gave that to her whilst she was a baby. It was from this nursery rhyme. I rather like to compare these two YouTube videos of ‘Polly put the kettle on’. Funny how YouTube knows where you are as the first one is clearly recorded in India!

I did have nicknames at school but neither Fert nor Fart are particularly nice or kind names so I dispensed with them after school.

So what did possess me to change my name at the ripe old age of 54? Well for one I told people that why not now? Actually I used much worse language to be honest. Like the final f of naff…..

Clearly having a change in marital circumstances was part of it. Also, I had been on a course that did change my life – the Bridge Retreat in Frome, Somerset. The one for the Brain Transplant I mention above. Amazing course. Everyone should do it.

On the last day of the course, I decided I was Carly going forward. But we had no access to the internet otherwise I might have chosen one of the other nicknames names listed below. Carly for sure is a known diminutive of Caroline.

It isn’t that I didn’t like Caroline. I just wanted a change.

Caroline is the female variation of the name Carolus, or Charles (which means “freeman” or “full-grown man”). The name is also interpreted to mean “Beautiful woman” in Latin, “Music” and “Strong” in Italian, “Song of Happiness” in French, and “Joy” in American English.

What I could have chosen.

Nicknames for Caroline

My comments are italicised at the end of the explanation.

Caro – The most common nickname for Caroline. This is my Mum’s name for me
Carol – If you think Caro is too out there or grownup, try Carol. Never did like this name – sorry to all Carols out there!
Callie – Is Callie a nickname for Caroline? Seems so.
Caddie – Caddie Woodlawn was named Caroline – Caddie is an old nickname for Caroline. Now this is one I think I would have like more than Carly but too late now. Can’t change it again!
Cal – A shortened form of Caroline. Sounds like a boy’s name
Car – Short form of Caroline. For real – a car?
Cara – A sweet short nickname for Caroline. Agreed
Cara Curls – For a Caroline with naturally curly hair – well I don’t!
Care Bear – Perhaps, the sweetest Caroline nickname. Vomit
Cari – A sweet nickname for Caroline.
Carla – Another popular nickname for Caroline.
Carly – A cool nickname for Caroline; iCarly made this nickname cooler.
Carolien – A Dutch variant of Caroline. Hardly a nickname
CaroMine – I do quite like this one too.
CaroWine – A funny Caroline nickname. Suitable for a Caroline that cannot do without her bottle of wine. Yup that is me. Particularly in dry Pushkar!
Carrie – Another common nickname for Caroline. I know quite of lot of them and also reminds me of Carrie’s war. One reason to choose a more unusual nickname is that there are sooooooooooooooooooooo many Carolines.
Cat – Some consider this a stretch, but it is a legitimate Caroline nickname. And another one for a cat lover like me.
Cathy – Another nickname considered a stretch, but it works. I disagree – it is a nickname for Catherine really.
Cawol – Suitable for a baby girl named Caroline, because if she could talk, this is exactly how she’d pronounce her name. Oh dear – going to vomit again……
Caz – More popular in New Zealand and Australia. And of my lovely friend Caroline M.
Coco – A cute or funny Caroline nickname, it depends on your tone. And always reminds me of Coco Channel – I should be so lucky to be so famous!
Cora – A less popular nickname for Caroline. And no really very nice!
Leena/Lina – From caro-LINE. Yes we get it but rather silly.
Lennie – A cool nickname for Caroline, culled from Liney. Always reminds me of Lenny Henry so wrong gender. Are we allowed to say that still?
Line – Not a very creative nickname, is it? Or at all attractive – Line – just no….
Liney/Linney/Linnie – A sweet and playful nickname adapted from the original name Caroline. Better than Line but not much
Lollie – Another example of how nicknames evolve. Quite a bit to be honest!
Arrow – From (c-ARROW-line) mad mad mad!
Ina – A nickname for Caroline with Danish origin.
Joy – From the literal meaning of the name (interpreted as Joy in American English) for a happy soul named Caroline.
KaroLie – A funny nickname for Caroline, especially if she knows how to spin a lie or two.
Olie – Another stretch, but it’s an adorable stretch. No it is silly stretch and I have a nephew with that name! Interesting both he and his sister have nicknames – like their mother Sukey – all my doing!!!!
Roe – If you have Caro, Carrol, Line, Liney, you are bound to have “Roe” as well. Well maybe but far fetched.

Things I have done since becoming Carly.

I have learnt to make sourdough bread – I had to leave my starter and hope Sarah and Lizzy feed it well.

I learnt to make yogurt last night – so simple and yummy.

I haven’t really learnt to respond that well to my name – even when no one has called me Caroline (as in Limnisa, Greece or here in India). Leonie came running across the street and physically touched me as she had been calling me Carly several times yesterday with no response!

In London, I wore a badge most of the time. Most people thought I had lost the plot but it meant they asked me about why I was wearing a badge and they could (as could I) make the change.

Kali

A lot of people in India say my name Carly pronounced Kahrli – and it is a bit like their goddess Kali. She looks a bit scary.

I like her nose ring and her skull necklace is cool if macabre.

Kali’s earliest appearance is that of a destroyer of evil forces. Kali has been worshipped by devotional movements and tantric sects variously as the Divine Mother, Mother of the Universe, Adi Shakti, or Adi Parashakti. Shakta Hindu and Tantric sects additionally worship her as the ultimate reality.

She is also seen as the divine protector and the one who bestows liberation. Kali is often portrayed standing or dancing on her consort, the Hindu god Shiva, who lies calm and prostrate beneath her. Kali is worshipped by Hindus throughout India.

Kali’s most common four-armed iconographic image shows each hand carrying variously a sword, a trident, a severed head and a bowl or skull-cup (kapala) catching the blood of the severed head.

Gosh all a bit powerful and scary!

This video really appeals. It is about medical art and reminds me of the fascinating a exhibition I went to with Elle Wilson recently – Body Worlds in London.

A very famous Carly

Carly Simon is a wonderful singer who’s song “You’re so vain – I bet you think this song is about you” is fab.

Other famous Carly’s are the app for cars and the American teen series iCarly

Carly app

No idea what it does but am running out of things to say!

iCarly

is an American teen sitcom that ran from 2007 for 5 years staring Miranda Cosgrove and it tells the story of Carly Shay, a teenager who creates her own web show called ‘iCarly’.

This is the end of the self-indulgent Caroline becomes Carly blog post. Next up is going to be about some of the things I have been creating.

This includes yarn bombing (wrapping actually), planting bulbs and seeds and taking lots of slightly weird photos. Oh and cyanotyping if it works out!