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!
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THEY’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO CHOOSE
Mae writes:
We have a toddler named Luna Elliette. I love everything about her name and will freely admit that I obsessed over choosing it from the minute we decided to start a family until the very last second we wrote her name on the official forms.
Now we’re expecting our second child, and another girl, in a few more weeks. This time, the whole naming question snuck up on us and nothing feels right.
Our rules:
- We’re Mae and Matt, so no more M names.
- No repeating initials for our kids, so no more L names.
- Short, no nicknames, nothing complicated, because our last name starts with a V and is four syllables.
Names we’re considering:
- Cleo – I love this. Matt thinks it’s maybe too much.
- Stella – Matt’s favorite. But I think it’s twee to have kids with names that so obviously mean moon and star.
- Clara – I think we could both live with it, but it’s not exciting to me.
- June – I like it, but Luna and June sound so similar to me, like it’s one name: LunaJune.
- Molly – Matt’s favorite for Luna until I said no M names. (And he agreed it would be a lot.) Not really my style anyway. I think it’s probably too cute.
I think we could use some new ideas and I’d also love to hear what others think about Cleo and Stella.
Thanking you in advance!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
TWO GOOD CHOICES AND A FEW MORE IDEAS
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
I can imagine either Stella or Luna working well as a daughter’s name. But I can also see why you might hesitate.
Let’s talk about those names first, and then see if we can think of a few more suggestions.
CLEO or STELLA?
Luna is a great name! It’s also popular, currently ranked in the US Top Ten.
Of course, even a Top Ten name isn’t that common anymore. But it makes me wonder if Cleo feels too different for your husband?
Cleo peaked in the US Top 200 early in the twentieth century. It fell out of use for decades, and while it’s back, it’s still outside of the current Top 600. So it’s rare, even though it remains familiar as a name and very wearable.
Stella, on the other hand, has been a Top 100 name since 2010. It’s not quite as popular as Luna, but hits the same mark in terms of popularity. Except it is very matched, isn’t it?
If you ever had a third daughter she’d be … Nova or Lyra? And a son would be … Galileo? Buzz?
Okay, no you wouldn’t have to. But it does sound a little celestial.
So between the two, I’d favor Cleo.
(Full disclosure: my daughter’s name is Clio.)
Still, I think there are lots of names that are closer to Luna and Stella on the familiarity scale, without being quite so plucked-from-the-night-sky.
NEW IDEAS FOR LUNA’S SISTER
CHLOE
Cleo and Chloe shares lots of sounds. (As the mother of a Clio, I promise you that it’s misheard as Chloe all. the. time.) Would it appeal to you both?
DAISY
Another nature name like Luna, but not nearly as matched as Stella.
FREYA
Mythological Freya is new and fairly rare in the US, but it’s rising quickly in use and might be just familiar enough for you both.
HADLEY
A literary surname name that’s nothing like Luna … except somehow I think they work together anyway.
RORY
Gilmore Girls put Rory firmly on the list of familiar possibilities for a daughter. It’s spirited and strong.
SCOUT
Another name borrowed from fiction, Scout feels like a short, unexpected choice that’s not too different.
TESSA
Sweetly feminine, like Stella, but without the night sky vibe.
WILLOW
An O-ending option more mainstream than Cleo.
Overall, I want to pull for Scout. Scout Emerie, maybe?
But I feel like the name to consider first is Chloe. It’s just the obvious solution, a midpoint between Cleo and so many other names. Chloe Amorette or Chloe Juliette, maybe?
If that’s a no, though, and Scout is too different, I’d go back to Daisy. Daisy Elinor, maybe?
Many congratulations on your daughter and sister for Luna Elliette
Some thoughts are :
Summer Lois
Aurora Nicole
Nina Eloise
Ella Marianne
Chloe Serene
Something that just occurred to me: Stellaluna is the title of a popular children’s picture book.
The main character is a fruit bat named Stellaluna who gets separated from her family and adopted by a flock of birds.
A positive association, but if you go with Stella for your second daughter, you will likely get some people assuming it’s a reference to the book, at least when the kids are in elementary school.
Cleo Estelle is a brilliant compromise! Beautiful combination and I love how Estelle echoes the sounds of Elliette.
I hadn’t even thought of Elliette/Estelle being so close, but I do like that even more now that you mention it!
Cleo Estelle! I think Luna and Cleo go beautifully together, and the middle names are similar but not too similar. Plus, you still have that celestial theme without it being too obvious.
Oh love the idea of Cleo Estelle – best of both worlds!
My immediate thought looking at the list of names was Sally, well and Polly. Close to Molly and Stella but lacking the issues they present. Luna and Sally are cute together not so distinctly different to be from obviously different families but so so close to seem themey like Luna and Stella. I also love the suggestions of Carys, Della and Zoe for Luna’s little sister.
Earlier today, I thought of “Tilly” as a short form for “Matilda”. Perhaps you can bend your rule for short names and go with “Matilda”. Or if you wish, “Tilly” or “Tilda”? It’s a sweet connection to your “Matt”.
“Cleo” is a cool name and is in the same neighborhood of “cool” as “Luna”. They seem to fit, as short, 4-letter names for sisters can. I think it works for your family.
“Stella” and “Luna” automatically remind me of the song “Bella Luna” by Jason Mraz. Lovely song, but I can agree that it does seem like you don’t want their names to be too quaintly paired!
I agree that either Stella or Cleo could work. My first thought for you was Phoebe and I really like that one.
Other favorites:
Blythe
Daphne
Sybil
Willa
Willow
Sylvie
Flora
Zora
Pippa
Dalia
Maris
Marina
Chiming in one more time…Calla (including on my list & by others). Calla Henriette, Calla Odette…similar style of middle names. Anyway…good luck deciding…I am sure her name will be perfect for her!
Audra, Bria, Brielle, Brynn, Calla, Delia, Della, Elle, Esme, Eve, Fia, Gina, Hope, Iris, Ivy, Joelle, Katya, Kit, Maeve, Mara, Mila, Nina, Nora, Ruby, Rue, Thea, Una, Vera, Willa, Zelie
Loving the suggestions of Chloe, Zoe, Della, and Eden. Violet Estelle feels like perfection.
Pippa, Rosie, and Blake might fit the vibe.