Finding the Right Name for Adrian and Sienna’s Sister

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.

FEMININE, NOT TOO COMMON, AND NOT TOO SIMILAR TO HER SIBLING’S NAMES

Caroline and Ben write:

We’re having our third child, a girl, in February. We’d like her name to fit with older siblings Adrian Clark and Sienna Beatrix.

We’d like something that works in the US and Australia.

We like first names that are a balance between classic and modern, but aren’t too traditional or too trendy. We prefer two and three syllable names.

Our ideal name would be:

• Traditionally feminine, but not frilly
• Nothing in the US top 100
• Names have to work both in the US and Australia
• Doesn’t end in -a because Sienna already ends in -a
• We prefer not to have the -n sound at the end
• No names ending in -s or the -s sound

Our last name sounds like Alice, but with an E. Her middle name will probably be Jane.

Names we like so far, but aren’t set on:

• Aislinn (ASH-lyn) – We like the sound and flow, but it breaks our no names beginning with A/ends in -n guidelines, plus there’s the pronunciation issue
• Daphne
• Laurel
• Liv – Is it substantial enough on its own?
• Margot
• Phoebe
• Rosalie – Too traditional?
• Rhiannon – Ends in -n
• Rowena – Ends with an -a
• Valerie

Names we rejected:

• Cleo – We think of the goldfish in Pinocchio
• Kimber – Too out of place with Adrian and Sienna?
• Mirabel/Mirabelle “Mira” – Maybe too “unique” for us
• Thea – We don’t think Thea Ellis rolls off the tongue well, and it ends in -a, which I actually like, but as we mentioned, we worry about creating a pattern, which could limit us in the future.
• Xanthe – Too out there?

Thank you for your help!

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

NAMING A THIRD CHILD CAN FEEL LIKE A BALANCING ACT

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

It’s so easy to feel like every name we like is a little too popular, or maybe too out there. And while you have a very specific set of wants, it strikes me that lots of potential names fit these criteria.

Let’s look at your current list first.

AISLINN, RHIANNON, ROWENA

While there’s plenty of potential here, each of these names has an ending that potentially conflicts with your older kids’ names, so they’re easy to cut.

LIV

I want to love the name Liv, and for some families? It’s the perfect choice. But I don’t know that it works for you. You might name your daughter Olivia and call her Liv. Olive is another option, as is Livia. But I feel like Olivia is far too popular for you – it’s literally the #1 name in the US, is Top Ten in Australia, and is big throughout much of the English-speaking and Western world.) Olive is less common, but would you really shorten it? And Livia feels like a lifetime of repeating “No, just Livia. Without an O.” So I reluctantly put Liv aside.

DAPHNE, LAUREL, MARGOT, PHOEBE, ROSALIE, and VALERIE

That leaves six great names to choose from.

Each of these names meets all the criteria, including they’re feminine, not frilly, and not ranked in the US Top 100.

I do think all six could work with Adrian and Sienna.

But your question about Rosalie gives pause. Is Rosalie too traditional?

It does feel a little more vintage revival. Sienna debuted in the US Top 1000 back in 1995. Rosalie, on the other hand, has a long history of use.

Margot, likewise, is an old school name that feels fresh and modern now. Adrian and Margot don’t surprise me together, but Sienna and Margot? I don’t expect that pairing. Maybe because Sienna is a smooth, flowing name, while Margot has lots of strong consonants.

I’m going to drop both names, in favor of Daphne, Laurel, Phoebe, and Valerie.

DAPHNE

There’s something light about Daphne’s sound. Adrian, Sienna, and Daphne. I think it works nicely. Worth noting: Daphne ranks in the current Top 250 and seems quite stylish at the moment. That’s not a reason to avoid the name – on the contrary, choosing a name that’s rising in use can be smart. (Not that many kids her own age will have it, but it’s likely to be more familiar in another decade or so, and a familiar name can make life easier.)

LAUREL

I love so many things about this name. Sienna is vaguely word-name adjacent, since it’s associated with the Italian city of Siena and the orange-red clay found there. Laurel, likewise, feels like an established name that brings to mind a shade of green. It’s subtle, but real. Also: Laurel has a liquid, soft sound that pairs nicely with Sienna. My only hesitation: it’s a lot of L sound, and your surname sounds like Alice … and I can’t decide if that works or not.

PHOEBE

Like Daphne, there’s a lightness to Phoebe. It’s a name with plenty of history, but it doesn’t feel like a vintage revival (even though it is). Phoebe means bright, and it’s an upbeat kind of name that’s distinctive and not too popular – yet.

VALERIE

I think Valerie is a surprisingly timeless name. Valerie ranked in the US Top 100 from the 1940s into the 80s. But it’s been in the Top 250 since It’s the kind of name you might’ve heard on a baby in 1957 or 1974 – or today. That’s a great quality, but I’m not confident that’s what will appeal to you. If Rosalie is out, is Valerie truly an option?

FRESH SUGGESTIONS

As I was trying to come with new ideas, I realized we’re not just ruling out every ends-with-A and ends-with-N choice … your sounds-like-Alice last name means ends-with-L names aren’t ideal and even ends-with-S can be an issue.

Still, there are a few names that I’ll add:

ESME

You’ve considered Phoebe and Daphne, and I think they’re great choices. Esme is similar, but ends with an “ay” sound instead of an “ee” sound. I like the way it echoes the S sound in Sienna, and I do think it works with your sounds-like-Alice surname.

GENEVIEVE

The ending sound in Genevieve is distinct; it has three syllables; and it bridges that sort of traditional/modern gap nicely.

JULIETTE

Julia is a classic; Juliette is a little less traditional, but only a little. After all, Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s best-known characters. The -ette spelling is more popular in the US right now, but both Juliette and Juliet work. They’re a good blend of feminine without being too frilly.

JUNIPER

This nature name has been on the rise for ages. It feels traditional thanks to the June sound.

LORELAI, LORELEI

From German folklore to the Gilmore Girls, Lorelei is a name that’s long been familiar. But it’s only become a mainstream choice over the last twenty years. Worth noting: Lorelai is slightly more popular, but only by the smallest margin. It reminds me of Laurel, but the additional sounds make it more compatible with your sounds-like-Alice surname.

NOEMI/NOEMIE

Naomi is a Top 100 favorite, an Old Testament name with plenty of strength and a distinctive sound. But I think Noemi or Noemie – the Italian and French forms of the name, respectively – are just different enough.

A SISTER FOR ADRIAN AND SIENNA

I want to put Laurel at the top of the list. But it just doesn’t sound right with your sounds-like-Alice surname.

Valerie, I suspect, causes some of the same hesitancy that you had with Rosalie.

So I’m putting Phoebe and Daphne at the top of the list, with the edge to Phoebe.

Why? Thanks to pop culture – especially Bridgerton – Daphne is enjoying a turbo boost of popularity. Phoebe is rising, too, but it doesn’t feel like the same kind of thing.

From my list, I think Juliette is the strongest candidate. But Jane isn’t ideal as a middle. I wonder if you might like Juliette Aislinn?

Readers, over to you: what would you name a sister for Adrian Clark and Sienna Beatrix?