Finding Cozy Traditional Baby Names Like Sophie and Bennett

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COZY TRADITIONAL NAMES ARE THEIR VIBE

Marisol writes:

Our new daughter will be here at the end of August, and for the first time we do not have a name picked out in advance.

I’m not sure how to describe our style, but someone else described it as “cozy traditional baby names” and that feels right.

Sophie Elizabeth was almost Everly, but we couldn’t agree on a spelling. I wanted Everlie, but my husband didn’t like it. I saw someone with a sweet baby girl named Sophie on Instagram and we both immediately knew it was the right choice.

Bennett James might have been Benjamin, which is a family name on my husband’s side, but his cousin named his son Benjamin around the same time Sophie was born. While we don’t see them often, we thought it might cause confusion for the grandmothers (who are very close), so we settled on Bennett James as a a way of including the “ben” and “jam” letters. I ended up liking it so much more than just Ben!

If this baby was a boy, we were thinking about Finn, but maybe not because of the NN letters again like Bennett.

For a girl, we’ve moved away from Everlie.

We are considering Eva, but I feel like it’s not enough name. We both like Avery, but I’m not convinced it goes with Sophie’s name.

A few days ago, we listed every name we were willing to consider, then traded lists and crossed off anything we couldn’t live with. Besides Avery and Eva, that gave us:

• Charlotte (we know a few, but none are really close to us/our kids)
• Eliana/Elianna (disagree on spelling)
• Willow (not sure this is really our kind of name)
• Meadow (same thing with Willow, I think I like this more for someone else, but maybe I’m overthinking this)
• Selah (new to me, love it, but some people say it say-la and I think it’s more like see-la?)
• Josie (maybe too close to Sophie)
• Delaney/Delainey/Lainey/Lainie (not sure we agree on the exact spelling/version, but we both really like this)

It feels harder, because when I say them with Sophie and Bennett, I’m not sure any of them are really right. The one that stands out to me is probably Josie, but Sophie and Josie? It’s not like being Tracey and Stacey, but maybe it’s too close.

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

NAMING A SISTER FOR SOPHIE & BENNETT

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

I completely agree that “cozy traditional” describes Sophie and Bennett.

But imagine if you named their sibling Meadow or Lainey or Eliana? I suspect you’d quickly find some other way to describe their names that would feel just as right. Or maybe the image of the name you choose would shift in your mind to fit “cozy traditional.”

In other words? Style categories can be helpful, but we should use them as a guidepost, not a prison.

From your current list, I want to put Selah in the top spot. But Sophie and Selah are rather similar, and I do hear Selah pronounced with a long A sound most often, so that gives me pause.

Let’s dig deeper for more names in that could be considered cozy traditional – potentially.

In addition to that description, I think the right name will probably:

• be clearly gendered
• be popular now, even if it’s traditional over many generations
• not be a short form of a longer name; be something that feels complete as-is

FRESH SUGGESTIONS FOR A SISTER FOR SOPHIE & BENNETT

DELIA

Delaney, Selah, and Eliana bring to mind Delia. It can be short for Cordelia or a similar name. And it’s less common that Cecilia or Delilah. But I think Delia hits the right note as a sister for Sophie and Bennett.

ELISE, ELSIE

Elsie was the first name on this list, but I wonder if Elise could be every bit as appealing? Elsie fits right in with Maisie and Ellie, but Elise is more timeless.

EVELYN

You’ve considered Evie. And traditional Charlotte is high on your list. Could Evelyn be the best of both?

JANE/JANIE

The long A vowel sound of Lainey, but with a far more buttoned-up vibe.

MARGOT

Take traditional Charlotte and mix in wildflower Meadow, and you’ll arrive at Margot. A little on the inventive side, but plenty serious … except that O ending feels ever-so-slightly offbeat, too.

ROSALIE

Josie brings to mind Rosie, but maybe this is one of those moments when a longer name makes sense?

VIOLET

The backbone of Charlotte, but with the floral style of Meadow and Willow, as well as the V of Eva and Avery.

WINNIE

Take Willow, blend in Sophie and Josie, and Winnie feels like the logical sister name for this group.

Overall, I’m most drawn to the idea of Jane called Janie. Sophie, Bennett, and Jane or Janie. My only hesitation? In Pride and Prejudice, eldest Bennet sister is Jane. But I’m not sure that’s all that close or obvious … and it’s probably not a negative, either. I love the idea of Jane Evelyn.

I think I’d put Violet in the second spot. Sophie, Bennett, and Violet. In fact Violet Jane, maybe?

Readers, over to you! What would you name a sister for Sophie and Bennett?