Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, one reader’s name questions will be discussed. We’re relying on thoughtful comments from the community to help expectant parents narrow down their name decisions. Thank you in advance for sharing your insight! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.
ONE MORE FOUR-LETTER NAME
Sara writes:
My husband John and I have three daughters: Nora, Eden, and Lily. In each case, we chose the name we liked best. Lily was on our list from the beginning. Eden was a last-minute suggestion from a friend.
We are now expecting our fourth daughter, and our last child. We realized, after we named Eden, that all four of us had four-letter names. We weren’t too worried about it with Lily’s name, but it helped us decide on Lily over other names we liked equally.
Now we feel like we’d really, really like to find another four-letter name for baby four!
If possible, we’d also like her name to end with another letter/sound and not repeat the same initial – so no more E, J, L, N, or S names.
Our last name sounds like W@ll@ce and the girls all have the same family name as a middle name, which sounds sort of like Hunter.
I’m feeling kind of blank, but I also haven’t done all that much looking. John agrees it would be great, but he keeps suggesting other names that I do like, but don’t fit our accidental theme.
Help!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
COMPLETING THE PATTERN
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
I know you already know this, but I want to say it, just in case: it’s absolutely fine if you fall in love with a name that has five letters. Or three. Or seven! It’s great if the name also ends in A, Y, or N or even starts with a letter you’ve already used. And so on.
After all, this is a nicely subtle pattern. If you quizzed a dozen of your nearest and dearest, would they know? I’m guessing at least some would say, “oh, huh, never noticed that.”
But you’ve asked, and I get it. I mean … to be the youngest and find yourself named Ophelia or Marigold might be a little awkward.
So let’s brainstorm!
A SISTER FOR NORA, EDEN, AND LILY
HOPE
Lovely virtue name that’s immediately recognizable, but relatively underused.
IRIS
Gorgeous flower name with a distinctive sound.
JADE
It’s another J name, yes. I ruled out Jane, as it’s a feminine form of John. LINKFIX But Jade seems different enough that it might be worth considering.
KATE
An enduring classic with a bright sound.
OPAL
Vintage gemstone name. I might’ve suggested Ruby, but Opal ends with an -L, a sound you haven’t used yet.
ROSE
As classic as Kate, with the long O of Opal and a different ending sound: S.
RUTH
The first name that came to mind.
SAGE
A nature name that also means wisdom and brings to mind a pretty shade of green.
I’m sure there are more, but these were the ones that felt like the best options – even though I broke the no-repeating-initials rule in a few places. If I may, it seems like repeating a J or S might be less of an issue than two sisters sharing an initial.
Also noteworthy: your girls’ names are all four-letters and two-syllables. But your husband’s name is a single-syllable, and so I wonder if it might appeal to pick a one-syllable name for this daughter. To end the sentence, if you will.
And so I’m tempted to suggest Nora, Eden, Lily, and Rose.
Except, Lily and Rose together might be very, very floral.
So I’m also tempted by Sage: Nora, Eden, Lily, and Sage. It’s a touch more modern, like Eden’s name. But only a touch. And while Sage would share your initial, I think it’s distinct enough that it wouldn’t be an issue.
Okay, I can’t follow all of the rules, but I bet some of the readers can solve this puzzle.
Readers, what would you suggest as a sister name for Nora, Eden, and Lily?
Without looking at other suggestions:
Alys, Arie, Avis, Bell, Bess, Beth, Bryn, Coco, Dani, Dare, Davy, Elle, Emme, Erin, Evan, Finn, Flor, Iris, Jane, Jean, Joan, June, Kate, Kitt, Lynn, Oona, Penn, Quin, Rose, Ruby, Ruth, Star, Tess, Thea, Vere, Zoey
Such a fun challenge! Eden and Lily feel eco/wordy, while Nora and Lily feel traditional. I feel like another word name would leave Nora out, but another traditional name would leave Eden out. Hope and Iris on Abby’s list are gorgeous though. From the comments I like Bryn, Esme, Ines, Tess (though not sure how those last two each sounds like the surname.) Everything else repeats an ending or initial or leaves out Nora or Eden IMHO. It’s a real head scratcher! I wonder if something more modern or more unisex like Eden would work…I like these with the sibset (but again not sure of this ending sound with the surname)
Alix
Cass
Maybe you don’t care about having three word names so then I’ll also suggest Gray, Coco… Unless something inspires you in these responses, I think you’ll need to decide which pattern is most important. No shared initial (tons of great J and S options if you can remove parent initials)? Only 4 letters (Briar, Talia, Piper, Clover would be great if more letters are possible)?
Good luck! Can’t wait to see where this one lands.
A few more:
Ruby
Thea
Rhea
Anna was my first thought. It ends with -a, like Nora, but it sounds pretty distinct. Nora, Eden, Lily, and Anna. Anne is pretty, too, and I like how it’s a different number of syllables from her sisters. Other thoughts:
-Aria
-Bryn
-Emma
-Esme
-Evie
-Faye
-Isla
-June
-Kira
-Mila
-Mira
Sorry for any repeats and good luck!
Congrats on girl #4, how exciting!
I love Jade and Sage from Abby’s suggestions. Kate is a great fit as well
Other ideas:
Would you go for Tessa called Tess? I believe Tessa has connections to the number 4 or fourth born child (Greek word for 4 is Tessera) so this seems fitting. Or you could just go for Tess!
Nora, Lily, Eden, Tessa/Tess
Kaia (ky-a). Balances out the sibset with another more modern sounding name like Eden
Nora, Lily, Eden, Kaia
Zoey. A Z name could be suiting for the last born child. Nora, Lily, Eden, Zoey.
Wren. Nora, Lily, Eden, Wren. Very sweet!
Anna. A classic choice you can’t go wrong with.
Nora, Lily, Eden, Anna
Congratulations!
I wouldn’t use Rose, Sage, or Iris since then all the girls except Nora would have a nature connection (two flowers, Garden of Eden) I also think it would be pretty cool if you used a name ending in the -y or -i sound since you already have two names ending in -a and two names ending in -n in your family so this way Lily could also have a match!
Ruby
Romy
Rory
Faye
Dove
Cleo
Abby
Indy
Congratulations on baby #4!
The first name that came to my mind was also Ruth.
Nora, Eden, Lily & Ruth.
But I think I like Hope or Kate better with your sunset.
Nora, Eden, Lily & Hope
Nora, Eden, Lily & Kate
Other names I like for you that don’t fit all the criteria: Wren, Skye, Lark.
A quick search for 2 syllable names that fit: Azul
What about Ines? I think it is a beautiful name and goes well with the others:
Lily, Eden, Nora & Ines
Also…
Ione
Asta
Romy
Faye
Dove
Vera
Ayla
Alma
Mara
Kaia
Best wishes!!
Hi Sara. I’ve got two names for you- June and Juno. If you want to relax your requirements a bit, how about Orla, Esme or Oona?
What about Clio?