Agreeing On a Strong Sibling Name for Owen and Lucy

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.

WE’VE RUN OUT OF NAMES

Hannah writes:

We have two children, Owen Macey and Lucy Malette. (Both middle names are family names.) Our third child will be here in September, and for the first time, we don’t really agree on a name.

Owen and Lucy were names we decided on pretty easily. If Lucy had been a boy, we were talking about Wyatt. But I’m kind of off Wyatt now. I think it’s maybe too similar to Owen’s name. Maybe it’s less traditional than Owen and Lucy, too, but I think I’m really just trying to come up with reasons why we should keep looking for more boys’ names. The other name I like is Clark, but my husband is a no.

My husband likes Elena for a daughter, but I think it will confused for Alina and Elaine. Also, I like that our children’s names can’t really be shortened, and I’d rather not end up with an Ellie if we can avoid it. My other favorite girl name was probably Ava, but that is now my goddaughter’s name, so it’s out.

What I like about Owen and Lucy: they sound strong to me. No one confuses the names for anything else. I can picture them on a child or an adult.

I know they’re popular names, but we don’t really hear them that often.

Possible middle names: Hunt, Chester, Mackenzie, Dixon, Dean, Halliday, Christie.

Names I like that we can’t use because of close family/friends: Ava (my goddaughter), Luca, Dylan, Miles, Alice, Archer, Evan, Dean. (Though we would still consider Dean for a middle name.)

Our last name sounds like Tom plus lynn plus son.

Help, we’re out of ideas!

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

FINDING FRESH OPTIONS

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new baby!

Owen and Lucy are great together, aren’t they? I’d describe your ideal name as:

• One dominant spelling (Elliot/Elliott and Clare/Claire won’t work)
• Short and nickname-proof (rules out Elena, I think)
• Traditional and current (no Cedric or Guinevere)
• Doesn’t sound too much like Owen or Lucy (might mean we need a different vowel sound, plus no O/L names)

That’s a long(ish) list but I think it still leaves plenty of options.

A SIBLING NAME FOR OWEN + LUCY: IDEAS FOR BROTHERS

BARRETT

I wonder if another ends in -T name for a boy would appeal, since Wyatt isn’t topping your list of favorites anymore? Bennett could easily shorten to Ben, so I’m suggesting Barrett instead. (Could it be Barry? I guess. But I doubt it would happen. If anything, I’ve heard Barrett shortened to Bear.)

FINN

I’m trying to not make all-names-have-four-letters-and-two-syllables a thing, but … Finn does sound great with Owen and Lucy. It’s traditional, but very current.

HAYES

Hayes’ long A sound is very different from Owen or Lucy, but I wonder if this reads a little too contemporary?

JUDE

It shares a vowel sound – and some Beatles backstory – with Lucy. But I think Jude is a great brother for Owen and Lucy.

MAX

Brief, complete, and strong, I think this is a logical brother name for your family.

THEO

I mentally ran through all the traditional and traditional-adjacent O ending names for boys and almost suggested Hugo. But I really love the way Theo sounds distinctly different from Owen and Lucy but still hits the same familiar-classic-with-cozy-vibes mark.

A SIBLING NAME FOR OWEN + LUCY: IDEAS FOR SISTERS

GEMMA

I think probably suggest Gemma as a sister name for Lucy every time. (And probably Lucy for Gemma, too.)

IRIS

One of the first names that came to mind. With all of those strong I sounds, it’s an obvious choice.

ISLA

Or maybe Isla? Anyone who has been around kids in recent years immediately knows how to spell this name. Actress Isla Fisher helps, too.

JANE

Bright, traditional, and surprisingly uncommon. There have been a handful of Jaynes over the years, but I think that’s in the same category as Owain or Lucie.

NORA

My first thought, and still my favorite. All the best qualities of your older kids’ names with a sound that is all its own.

STELLA

One of those names that ranks in the US Top 100 – and has for a while – but isn’t actually all that common. The meaning – star – is a bonus.

Overall, my favorites are probably Finn or Theo for a boy, and Nora or Stella for a girl. Finn Mackenzie or Theo Dixon. Nora Halliday or Stella Christie.

Readers, over to you! What would you name a sibling for Owen Macey and Lucy Malette?