I love my name, Kathleen, but thought I was just "Kathy" until second grade as that is what my family called me. (Though I know there were a few times, when angry at me, my mom would use my full name. She would also call me "Katrinka" because I was born in NDak where there was/is a high population of Scandinavian folks.)

I became a "Katey" when a boss with the same name told me there couldn't be two Kathleens in the same dept. As a funny thing my nieces and nephew call me, sometimes, Aunt Loo as in "Ooo, even kissed Aunt Loo" 'cause my middle name is Louise, which I also like. Then I came to Mudcat and became Kat. I prefer Kat or Katey...hate, absolutely, "Kathy" for myself. What I really loved was, out of similar discussion on here, I started using Kat'leen and Sandy Paton always addressed me that way, esp. in emails. To my dad I was "Katty" which I really love.

I've pretty much got my family trained, though my one remaining aunt, who is old, still calls me Kathy. I would never bother her about it, now, though. She's too old and frail.

I have a sister named Priscilla. I've never, ever heard anyone named that called Penny! My sister is Pris, sometimes, but mostly Priscilla.

In grade school, because of red hair in a ponytail and freckles, I got teased about being "Woody Woodpecker." Brats!

kat/katey/katty/kathleen/AuntLoo