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.
COMPLETING THE PATTERN
Ashley writes:
We are expecting our fifth and (for real this time!) final child. Our older kids are:
- David Joshua – named for our dads, who are both David, and the friend who introduced us, Josh, sometimes called DJ but mostly Davy
- Chloe Marie – first name I always loved, middle name for his grandmother Mary
- Ava Catherine – sort of a last minute choice because we thought she looked like an Ava and nothing else seemed right, middle name for my grandma Catherine
- Ethan Clark – a first name we’d considered before using a family name for David, and Clark is my maiden name
This probably feels silly, but after Ethan was born, I noticed that there’s no B name. We have A, C, D, and E. So we’ve been joking about finding a B name for this baby. And because all of our kids have two syllable names, this name has to be two syllables, too!
We’re pretty set on Bennett if it’s a boy, but could use some help with a girl.
Middle names can be family last names Wallace, Carter, or Kelly, plus Roger for a boy, and Sheila or Denise or Dawn for a girl.
My husband likes Beatrice but I can’t get over the three syllables. I like Bailey and Briar, but for someone else. Brooke is great, but not Brooklyn.
There are a few names we’re considering more seriously, but I sort of want to see what people come up with independently, if that’s okay?
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
PATTERNS CAN MEAN VERY SHORT LISTS
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new baby!
I’m going to say this, even though I feel like you probably know it. You don’t need to complete the pattern. I didn’t notice it at all! And should you ever welcome a sixth child – or even, maybe, adopt a chihuahua. you might feel the pressure is really on to choose a name like Franklin or Felice.
But it sounds like you’ve thought this through, and are willing to prioritize completing the pattern over finding some ideal name.
So let’s come up with some amazing two-syllable names beginning with B for a daughter.
TWO-SYLLABLE GIRL NAMES BEGINNING WITH B
BECCA
Short for Rebecca, but somehow a little fresher than the original. If you know Anna Kendrick’s character in the Pitch Perfect series, she spells it Beca. The double-C spelling makes sense to my eyes because of RebeCCa, but both are options.
BELLA
This is the logical choice, right? It’s great with Ava and Chloe, an obvious B name without feeling too try-hard.
BERYL
I love this vintage name borrowed from a green gemstone, but it’s quite rare today.
BETTY
Sparky vintage Betty is almost certainly due for a comeback … eventually.
BLOSSOM
This quirky floral name has a surprisingly long history of use, but it would be a bold choice in 2024.
BONNIE
The first name that came to mind! A Scottish word meaning pretty, Bonnie has been used as a given name for ages. It ranked in the US Top 100 from the 1920s into the 1960s. Today it’s making a quiet comeback.
BRENNA
Brenna might mark the midpoint between logical choice Bella and wait-what Blossom. A smooth take on Brenda, possibly inspired by Brennan or maybe it means raven or dark-haired.
BRIDGET
Traditional and saintly, Bridget is the kind of name we all know but seldom hear in real life. I do like it a lot with your kids’ names: David, Chloe, Ava, Ethan, Bridget. Lots of different beginning and ending sounds make them all seem distinct.
Overall, I’m drawn to Bella, and I feel like Bella Denise is the obvious combination. But I want to push for Bridget, too – it’s a little unexpected, but it sounds so good with your older kids’ names and I really like the idea of Bridget Dawn or Bridget Kelly. (Though that second one is very Irish, to be sure!) Plus I think it has some of the flavor of Beatrice, so I wonder if your husband would like it, too?
Maybe it’s my accent but everyone I know says Beatrice as Bee-triss.
So if you like 2 syllables…. There you go!
I made a list before reading any replies:
Bridget
Brenna
Bonnie
Brisa
Beryl
Brielle
I think Bridget is pretty much perfect and would choose Bridget Denise based on sounds only (though I’d go with whatever honor name makes you happiest). I also love Beryl, have you ever heard of Beryl Markham? That would be a cool namesake!
I do agree that 2 syllables is not essential – any B name you love will fit the pattern nicely 🙂
I think the B is probably more important than 2 syllables and agree with others that you might want to reconsider Brooke or Beatrice. Bridget or just Brie feel like they fit well with your sibset.
Other options: Bina, Brina, Brylee, Blaire, Belaine, Beckett, Britta, Bevan, Babette
How sweet that this kiddo will complete the alphabetic sibset, just as they’ll complete your family!
I do wonder, if syllables weren’t part of the formula, would you be all-in on Beatrice or Brooke? Because I think they’re both great matches for your other children’s names. If you really love one of them, I think you should go for it—or at least consider it the “name to beat”.
On a similar note, I think the name you’ve already chosen for a boy, Bennett, would work well for a girl, too. I have a friend with a seven-year-old daughter named Bennett. I think it’s a great gender-neutral name. Makes me think of Lizzy Bennet, the heroine of Pride & Prejudice.
Bella is my favorite from Abby’s list. I know some people consider it a nickname, but to me, it’s a perfectly complete name—especially since it’s the Italian for “beautiful”. I think Bella goes nicely with Ava and Chloe.
I also really like Becca, Bridget, and Betty, although I find the spelling Bette (as in Davis) more sophisticated.
I would add:
Besta
Blanca
Brené (or Brenée)
Brielle
But again, if none of the options here excite you as much as Beatrice or Brooke, I think it’s fine to throw the syllable rule out the window for your last child!
There’s also Brittney, which is still well used.
Bebe or Bibi, Beret, Bessie, Bhodi, Billie, Bindi, Bobbie, Brianne, Brienne, Bristol, Brynja.
Bella and Brenna seem to be the obvious choices but I do love the suggestion of Brigid!
What about Brontë? I know a teen Brontë and while it’s different, it doesn’t stand out as such among the Avas and Chloes of the same age.
Also, Bethel? The sound is lovely, and if the religious connotation doesn’t bother you, Bethel Dawn sure is pretty.
I met a 2 year old Betsy the other day. Cute as a button, big eyes and head full of curls and so spunky and confident… And yes. It made so much sense. I was opposite from a fan before, but having met a Betsy, but it clicked. Personnally I love the combos Betsy Wallace or Betsy Carter. Ava, Chloe and Betsy….
For other options, Bonnie seems to have the same homespun vibe of Ava and Chloe. Not fussy, traditional and feminine but not weak…. Briar has the strength but not the history. Bridget has the strength and tradition but less all American (which is an assumption on your goals, admittedly). As much as I love Isabella, Bella feels like it highlights one feature disproportionately. But Betsy Ross makes this name strong, and revolutionary and feminine all at once.
I’m team Betsy! (Also I kind of love the shared ending sound… Even if created differently – Stefanie, Chloe, Davy, and Betsy.)
Do you want really cute, Celtic, classic, popular?
Bexley or Brynlee would be cute. Someone I worked with had a Brynlee.
Branwen and Bronwen/Bronwyn are Welsh classics. Breesha is Manx, a form of Bridget. Brona might be Irish. Brielle is an old short form of Gabrielle. Brea and Bria are more modern forms of Brianna.
I think that if you’re set on a B name and you like Brooke, then use that! It creates a nice rhythm with your older kids’ names even though it’s not two syllables – David, Chloe, Ava, Ethan and Brooke feel perfect to me.
I also like how Brooke is the shortest when you say it, but visually it’s the longest because it has more letters than the other names.
Actually, looking at them now, I see that David, Chloe and Ethan all have 5 letters, while Ava has only 3. Maybe a B name with 3 letters would help complete the set? Bea or Bay come to mind, or even Bow or Bly.
But if you do really want the 2 syllables, I’ll suggest Britta.