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.
TIME FOR A LAST MINUTE CHANGE
Mia writes:
We have a daughter named Hadley Sienna. We always planned to name a second daughter, if we had one, Emery. Now we’re actually due with our second daughter, and there’s an issue.
My brother has proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Emily. And now we realize that Emily and Emery sound very similar.
We’ve decided to rethink our daughter’s name, but we only have about eight weeks, and nothing feels right.
Our last name sounds like B@r-ber, so a lot of names with an R sound don’t sound right and I don’t like B names with our last name, either. We’re ruled out Marlowe, Harper, Parker, Briar, Beckett, Bailey, and Carson.
Instead of thinking about names that would work, I feel like we keep thinking about every name that wouldn’t work.
Can you help us with a new list?
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
KEEPING THE STYLE, BUT SHIFTING THE SOUNDS
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
I love Emery as a sister for Hadley, but I can see that Aunt Emily would sound an awful lot like her niece Emery. That doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker, but it sounds like you’ve decided it won’t work for your family.
So let’s look for a new name for Hadley Sienna B@r-ber. The criteria are:
- Almost certainly a modern, surname-style name
- Nothing with a strong R sound
- Probably not another two-syllable, ends-with-y name
Let me explain that last point. One of the reasons Hadley and Emery are great together is their shared style, but slight difference. Emery’s extra syllable is subtle, but it makes the names sound more distinctive. It could be a different ending sound, or a shorter name, too – just something to differentiate Hadley and her sister.
A SISTER FOR HADLEY
CAMPBELL
Cam names have had a good run, including Camden for boys, Camila for girls, and Cameron for both. Campbell remains nicely underused.
DELANEY
My immediate thought. I love the way it shares a middle D with Hadley – it’s just enough repeating sound to ensure they sound like sisters.
ELLIS
A smooth slip of a name.
EMERSON
The tiniest shift would be choosing Emerson instead of Emery. It still shares the EM sound with Emily, but I don’t trip over Emily and Emerson the same way I might Emily and Emery. This might be either the perfect compromise … or still too close.
LENNON
Another popular surname, this one more unisex than Hadley, but with the same vibe.
SLOANE
A strong, definite sound. Modern, but not novel.
SUTTON
A current favorite, boosted by actress Sutton Foster – which is a good test case for how good it could sound with your surname, too.
TATE
Friendly and bright, and rising in use across gender lines.
Overall, I think it’s possible that Emerson might solve your problems without a particularly big change. But I’m also guessing you’ve already considered Emerson and aren’t sure, so let’s move on.
I’m really drawn to Lennon and Sutton. Since you used a more elaborate middle name for Hadley, I wonder if you’d consider something like Lennon Cecilia or Sutton Charlotte?
I was coming here to second Ellis, that is lovely with Hadley.
However, I’m so surprised no one has suggested Everly! Is it too popular? It’s so very much like Emery but sounds different enough to Emily and won’t lead to shared nicknames (Em, Emmy.) That’s why I think Emerson is also out.
I think the right names with Rs can sound just find with your surname…
Keaton
Lennox
Merritt
Perry
Prairie
Rooney
Scottie (seconding)
Sonnet
Congratulations on your daughter and sister for Hadley Sienna.
These two names with middle names come to mind.
Averly Savannah
Cassidy Emerson
All the best to you.
I like some of the names already mentioned, especially Winslow and Londyn. Perhaps Emery could be used as the middle name.
Winslow Emery
Londyn Emery
Eden was my very first thought. Or Maeve. Feminine yet frills free just like Hadley
Wren or Brynn for the same reasons as Eden/Maeve. I know they both feature an R sound but I think it works with the last name just fine.
Ainsley doesn’t feel too far off from Emery
Haven if you are ok with repeating initials.
Tatum, Rowan, or Elliot if you want something a bit more gender neutral than my other suggestions
I think Tatum, Rowan, or Elliott would also work well with the last name.
I’ll also suggest Collins, which seems to be primarily female right now in the U.S.
Here are my suggestions without looking at the others. I’d also avoid a strong “er” ending, but an “r” elsewhere doesn’t clash with the surname. Hadley has been a pretty popular name in this area. I know of one with a sister named Rylan and one with a brother named Wyatt.
Addison (Addy)
Adler.(Addy)
Aniston (Annie)
Averill
Caplan (Cap or Cappy)
Chapel
Day
Delaney (Laney)
Jensen (Jenny)
Kerrigan (Kerry)
Quinn
Remington (Remi)
Romilly (Romy or Millie)
Sterling
Teagan
Tenille
Windsor (Winnie)
Also:
Adair
Ainsley
Avery
Callahan (Callie)
Corrigan (Cory)
Emersyn
Gracyn
Kensington (Kensi)
Kinsley
Lacey
Lovelace (Lacy or Love)
Makenna
Waverley
Willoughby (Willo)
My very first thought was Avery.
Morgan
Bellamy
Alifair
Tamsin
Clarion
I like Ellis. It fulfils the criteria for surname name yet sounds enough like Alice to retain femininity.
I have a few more:
Hadley & Winslow
Hadley & Peyton
Hadley & Reagan
Hadley & Larkin
Hadley & London
Hadley & Cameron
Hadley & Teagan
I really like Winslow of these. I think it isn’t overly popular & could be shortened to “Win”…
Also Larkin, though it does have that repeating “ar” sound. I don’t think it sounds too similar. I might also suggesf Arden, another one I’ve always liked.
Here are a few more surname-names that I think would work well for Hadley’s sister:
Padget
Linden
Auden
Lowen
Logan
Scottie (if you want another name similar to Hadley in terms of sound)
Best wishes!!
I like Linden quite a bit.
I used Linden for a minor character in my fantasy novel for kids 10-12 (still looking for the right literary agent to represent me). I think this name for girls feels fresh and could always be an honor name for special “Linda” (aunt, grandmother, etc.).