Choosing From a Long List of Great Names for Boy/Girl Twins

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.

WELCOMING TWINS IN A BLENDED FAMILY

Kristen and Robert write:

We are having boy/girl twins and are struggling with names. 

A little background. This is a second marriage for both me and my husband. He has a son named Christopher and I have a daughter, Kathryn, called Kate.

We’ve decided on family names for the twins’ middles, but first names have us stumped.

Our last name starts with an E but is pronounced You-wen. So many of the names we agree on end with -an, -en, or -on and we’re not sure that works with our last name, or are we overthinking that? And as much as we don’t want any matchy twin names, we also don’t want them to be jarringly different either. 

We’ve looked at so many names at this point that I’m not even sure we’re seeing them clearly any longer and it’s making my head spin, so a fresh set of eyes would help. 

Here’s our list so far:

BOY NAMES

• Jasper (I like it. He’s still on the fence.)
• Orion (nn Ori)
• Harrison (but I’m not sure about nn Harry, and it feels too popular)
• Luca
• Rowan (He likes it. I’m not sold.)
• Leo
• Beckett
• Simon 

GIRL NAMES

• Clea (I saw it on your site and it’s become my new favorite, but then I second guess myself.)
• Olivia (We both like it but there are Olivia cousins on both sides)
• Harper
• Odette
• Haven
• Elliotte (nn Ellie)

We’d love to get your take (and your readers’) on the names above and we’re open to new suggestions. 

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

MAKING THE FIRST DECISION

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your twins!

A few things leap out at me:

• We tend to talk about finding our style. I get it, and yet … I don’t have a name style. There are qualities that I appreciate, but. mostly? My style = names that I like. This is not helpful, but it’s also pretty normal. Your list? Feels so much like my lists! Lots of vintage names, popular favorites, some more obscure choices, all in a glorious this-goes-together-because-I-say-so mix. And it does!
• When lots of choices are good, but none are a lock? It’s like you don’t have a toehold. In this case, you do have family middles in mind, so that’s a good start. I’m reluctant to share them here because it might (I mean, a million-to-one chance, but still) spoil the surprise.

So let’s start with what we DO know.

• There’s no rule that says you can’t name your kid Jordan You-wen or Ellen You-wen or Maren You-wen. But … I think your instinct is correct. Since there’s no significance to any of the two-syllable, ends-with-N names on your current lists, it seems like the right approach is to drop them. So that removes Rowan and Simon from the boys’ list and Haven from the girls’ list.
• We’re looking for something midway between traditional and contemporary. As soon as you’ve chosen one twin’s name, of course, you can calibrate the other to, as you say, not match but not be jarringly different.
• Nicknames are great, but you have to love them. I always think it’s worth ruling out a formal name with a really obvious, default nickname if you actively dislike it. In other words? While I think it is a great choice, I’d drop Harrison, too.
• Worth noting: Your older kids’ names skew traditional. Not strongly. But a bit more than your current list. While you’re under no obligation to match their names, it makes me wonder if you’re less likely to ultimately choose the rarest names listed here? Or maybe you’ve grown more comfortable and confident as parents and understand that even a really unusual name can make a great choice today.

FAVORITE PAIRS FROM YOUR CURRENT LISTS

Based on the names I’d suggest dropping, your current boys’ list is Jasper, Orion/Ori, Luca, Leo, and Beckett.

For girls, there’s Clea, Olivia, Harper, Odette, and Elliotte/Ellie.

There are few possible pairs that seem perfect together. Would you consider any of these?

CLEA and LUCA

They share strong L and C sounds, but not in the same order. They’re both a little bit romance language. And while Clea is very rare and Luca quite popular, they’re still a good style match.

ORION “ORI” and ELLIOTTE “ELLIE”

Three-syllable longer names with sweet short forms? Perfection.

BECKETT AND HARPER

Two contemporary choices with surname style that are still clearly gendered. Beckett and Elliotte seem too similar and likely to be confused, but Beckett and Harper are coordinated and still distinct.

FRESH SUGGESTIONS

JASPER AND BERYL

Jasper is a vintage name with a subtle gemstone link. So is Beryl. And while Jasper is pretty familiar, Beryl is very rare. I like the way Beryl’s strong B mimics the strong P sound in Jasper. Another option here? Sybil, or even Hazel, but that’s already on my list.

LEO AND HAZEL

Two mainstream favorites, both with ties to the natural world and strong, bright sounds.

OLIVIA AND THEODORE “THEO”

While both are quite popular, they’re also names with appealing, traditional style. If you like Leo, then Theodore-called-Theo seems like an easy substitute.

ODETTE AND LIONEL

I love Odette’s sparky, vintage presence. It’s an unforgettable name, the kind that seems like it would’ve been walking a red carpet in 1920s Hollywood. Lionel? That’s the name of the dapper fellow in a tuxedo from the same era. (Actually, I’m cheating there – Lionel Barrymore really was a 1920s and 30s Hollywood star.) You might call a little Lionel Leo for short, and I think Odette and Leo are great together, too.

Overall, it’s hard not to love Beckett and Harper for your twins. But I’m also so drawn to Clea and Luca.

From my suggestions, I’d probably put Leo and Hazel at the top, but maybe Jasper and Hazel would have the edge if dad warms to the idea.

Readers, over to you! What would you name boy/girl twins starting with these lists?