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I like the sound of it and the thought of beaches, bright sun and palm trees. I wouldn't use it though, because unlike other place names, my first thought is the location and that only. I like Cali as a NN.

Maybe it’s because I’m old, but all I think of is “Californication”.

Why not Calafia or Khalifa, or another variation? She was the mythical queen that California got its name from, and would avoid the negative associations, song lyrics, or jokes about being named after a state.

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calafia#:~:text=Calafia%2C%20or%20Califia%2C%20is%20the,Esplandi%C3%A1n)%2C%20written%20around%201510.

This message was edited 3/14/2024, 2:02 PM

Well, it should be kinda cool, but I think it ends up being unappealing.
As someone's name, I guess it evokes landscapes and sunshine, more than people-things - but it isn't as pure about it as, say, Sierra or Shasta.
I'm from California, and I love it the way one does, but I wouldn't ever have liked being named after it.

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I guess it's about like America as a name. A naming curio, that will stay peculiar for a reason. Not too bad to bear, though, for one named it. Especially since it can be shortened to a normal sounding nickname.

Terrible. Callie is nice. California is too way over the top

I think California is too long and cumbersome for a first name. Perhaps you can use it as a quirky middle name.

I really like it, so long as everyone is ok with it being shortened to Cali. That's probably what she/he will be called.

It sounds very pretty, but the fact that it's a state name (and isn't as common as say, Virginia or Georgia) turns me away. People often nickname California as "Cali" in everyday speech, too. The associations with the state are much too high for me, sorry. I'd prefer Callie instead of California "Cali".

I don't really like the idea of naming someone after a state.

Far too long for everyday use, so let's consider nns. Cali, Cal, Callie etc are all OK but unremarkable. Then we come to the musical references: jokes about Where is the flower in your hair? would get tired very quickly, but rather that than Californication. I don't like geographical names in general, but this one is particularly unsuitable.

it's too sensational, too hipstery, too influencery, too Kardashian-Jenner clan. I'd use Calpurnia.