[#5868] meaning of name "kjerstine"

[Gjest]

Hello - The name Kjerstine runs in my husband's family history and I was wondering if anyone out there might know it's meaning. We are expecting a daughter in one month :) and would like to give her this name (with a more english spelling possibly), but prefer to know the meaning of it first.So if anyone can direct me to a place that might have the meaning I would appreciate it!Thank you, Kristin Peterson krp77@frontiernet.net

[Gjest Heidi Tofterå Slettemoen]

I am not certain, but I believe that it has the same root as your first name (Christina), and that Kjerstine/Kjersti/Kjerstin (last two more modern) are a dialect-versions and derived pet-/nicknames.There are 29 women bearing the name Kjerstine in Norway today.I believe a more English spelling would be Kirsten/Kirstin(a). The English pronounciation of Kirsten is quite close to Kjerstin.Maybe others can be more precise?

[Gjest Rune Bjerke]

Heidi seems to be quite right (according to the book we bought when we were naming our kids). My great-grandmother was always referred to as Kjerstine or Kjerstina, even though the vicar has written Kirstina in the church register. This great-grandmother was, by the way, left behind in Norway by her husband, who emigrated and disappeared. I know it's very unlikely that your husband is related to him, but do you happen to know where the Kjerstine name in his family has its roots??Rune

[Gjest Kenneth Holter]

Quite correct, Kjerstine is a dialectal form of Kristine, and may also be found in the forms Kirstine, Kirsten, Kjerstin and so on.The name is a female version of the male name Christian, which means "christian" (obviously...)Just a suggestion: Kerstina or Kirstina would be suitable "English" spellings, and would be even closer to the actual pronounciation of Kjerstine, as the "-a" will give a sound similar to the "e" at the end of Kjerstine. An "e" in Kerstine og Kirstine would most likely not be pronounced in English.Good luck with the baby (and her name)kh

[Gjest Aase R.Sæther]

The Norwegian -kj- sound is more like the English -ch-So maybe Cherstine?

[Gjest Rune Bjerke]

This is really getting sophisticated. Remember that the Norwegian letters "kj" would be pronounced differently in different parts of Norway... Good luck in choosing a name, Kristin.Rune

[Gjest Kristin Peterson]

Thank you for all of your help so far!I will have to check on which part of Norway my husband's family came from - I'm not sure off hand.And we have been thinking of starting the name with "Ch" if we use it, since the original Kjerstine pronounced it that way. She would be my husband's great-grandmother.Kristin