Name Esme’s Sister: Choosing a Beautiful, Refined, and Unexpected Name

Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. 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.

FINDING A NAME THEY LOVE AS MUCH AS ESME

Katie writes:

We are expecting a daughter. She will join big sister Esme Ann.

We picked out Esme’s name before we were even pregnant with her. I loved how the name sounded simple but simultaneously chic and sophisticated, kind of vintage but a little sparkly and new all at once.

I also fell in love with the character Esme from the JD Salinger Story “For Esme – with Love and Squalor.” My husband liked how unusual and elegant it sounded, and at the time, he had a strong preference for names with Z sounds.

Esme was the perfect name for us, and I still love when I hear her name called on the playground or at the doctor’s office. I have a necklace with her name on it, and once a barista handed me my coffee and said, “here you go, Esme” – my heart literally fluttered, and I felt honored that someone could think I had such a pretty, distinctive name. I realize this is a lot for the new baby’s name to live up to!

Ann was my grandmother, and is also my middle name. Esme has a second middle name, a very uncommon three-syllable family name, so I loved how short Esme Ann was against the longer second middle name and last name.

Middle Name Options:

Her first middle name will probably be Frances, Catherine, Marie, or Estelle.

She will have the same second middle as Esme, as is my husband’s family tradition.

Current List:

Mabel Frances – I love how cozy and sweet it sounds. Like Esme, it feels surprising but established and easy to say/spell. My husband likes it too, but now I’m second guessing it a little. Does it have the same feminine sophistication I love about Esme?

Naomi Frances – This is a name we’ve talked about for years. I love how classic but distinct it sounds, and my husband loves its elegance and melody. But I know a couple girls with the name already and would have to get over that.

Alice Catherine – I keep coming back to Alice. It’s a family name from both sides, and our and it feels very “us.” I love the way it sounds with Esme and love the character of Alice in Wonderland. But the only thing that bugs me about Esme’s name is that people assume I named her after Twilight. It’s not a huge deal, though I have discovered Alice is also a Twilight name. Would this pair be too Twilight heavy?

Estelle Marie – I worry it’s too similar to Esme. I really love the nickname Este but realize Esme and Este would be crazy.

Frances Estelle – I’ve been thinking a lot about just using Frances as a first name, but I don’t want her to be called Fran, Franny, Francie, Franky, or Cece. I like the idea of Annie as a nickname for Frances, but wonder if it’s too much of a stretch.

Neve Estelle – I’ve always loved the Irish name Niamh and my husband really likes it too, but he’s concerned about Americans being able to spell/say it. He thinks the Anglicized spelling loses some of the name’s spark, and I tend to agree. Even though we love the meaning of “bright star.”

The Can’t-Use List:

Other names we like but can’t or won’t use for one reason or another: Blythe, Eden, Sabine, Simone, Alma, Orla, Zelda, Zuri, Cleo, Ruby, Opal, Zoe, Isabel, Nell/Nellie, Hazel, Iris, Maeve, Beatrice, Cora, Clara, and Greer.

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

THE BEST NAME FOR ESME’S SISTER

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your second daughter!

Sometimes the challenge is narrowing down what matters most, but in this case, your priorities and style feel nicely established. It’s just that lots of names could potentially be a good match, and getting to that final choice is always hard!

We’re looking for beauty, but in a meaningful and enduring way. Esme’s spark comes from all the history behind it. The right name for her sister needs a compelling story, too.

A few points to consider:

• We often worry that a name might not age well, and I hear that concern. But people dismissed Michelle back in the day, and now I know dozens of adult women of accomplishment who answer to the name. Ditto Jennifer, Susan, and so on. Judy was once the ponytailed daughter on space age cartoon The Jetsons. Now she’s someone’s grandma. In general, trust that names will age with their generation.
• And yet … there’s a vibe check, right? Esme sounds like an early 20th century socialite, drifting through a well-appointed New York City brownstone. Mabel gives more of a cheerful diner waitress. Just as vintage, but a totally different energy. Your children, of course, get to rewrite everyone’s impression of the names. But it makes sense that you hear them differently.
• It feels like popularity could be a serious sticking point. Some of your favorite names rank in the US Top 100. That’s not nearly as popular as it used to be, but it’s still enough to give many parents pause. And yet, using a name that you truly love that happens to occasionally repeat is often a better choice than choosing a name you think is just okay.

REVIEWING YOUR CURRENT LIST

Mabel, Frances, and Estelle strike me as easily spelled, not terribly common, and in that same vintage-sparky category as Esme. And yet, I think you have legitimate concerns about all three: Mabel’s slightly different energy; Frances’ potential nicknames; and the way that Estelle and Esme are visually similar and share a starting syllable.

Alice and Naomi feel like better fits for Esme’s sister, but they’re both Top 100 names.

As for the Twilight factor? It became such a pop culture phenomenon that such questions were likely inevitable. Will naming a second daughter Alice turn up the fan-centric energy? Maybe … and yet, the movies are nearly two decades old and the books even older. If it’s your top name, I’d risk it. Then again, if you bristle when asked about it now? It might be doubly annoying in the future.

Now let’s talk about Neve.

It’s a little like Esme, I think. Brief and complete with a distinctive sound. My brain rhymes Niamh with Eve, but Neve with Lev. I blame Neve Campbell. You could choose either pronunciation and make it stick.

Neve does feel nicely cross-cultural. It’s Irish, meaning bright, but it’s also close to the Spanish nieves, for snow. Other romance languages give us similar words. As a surname – which is how the actress Neve Campbell got her name – it’s Dutch or German or Scandi, meaning nephew. There are a few other origins for the surname, too.

Spelling it Neve instead of Niamh sheds some of the Irish authenticity, but it turns it into a broader, more global choice. Also notable: Neve’s middle V stands up nicely to Esme’s scissor-y Z sound.

FRESH SUGGESTIONS

ANYA

Áine is a traditional Irish name often Anglicized as Anne. Anya evolved as a diminutive form of Anne in Slavic languages. A generation grew up with the animated princess movie Anastasia, where the main character also answered to Anya. Now Anya Taylor-Joy is raising the name’s profile.

AVALON

Neve’s middle V is shared with lots of compelling names. There’s vintage Evelyn, but also romantic place name Avalon. It’s paradise in the stories of King Arthur. If you’re looking for rare, but wearable, Avalon checks that box.

CECILE

I wonder if you’d consider Cecile as a substitute for Estelle? Cecilia is more popular, but so is Stella. Think of Cecile as the less common, nicely restrained alternative. Could it shorten to Cece? Sure. But it doesn’t feel like it would be an automatic nickname.

KATERI

This is another long shot, but Naomi always reminds me of Kateri. It’s the Mohawk equivalent of Katherine, broadly known thanks to St. Kateri Tekawitha, the first Native American to be named a saint by the Catholic church. Even if the religious aspect doesn’t appeal, Kateri is a patron saint of the environment. I like it because it sounds like an elaboration of Katie, it is a form of Catherine … and yet also a nickname-proof choice with history.

MAREN

There’s something surname-ish about Maren, but it’s just not the case. Instead, Maren is a form of Mary or Margaret, depending on the language and moment in time. It’s tailored and sophisticated, but has a hint of Mabel, too.

MARIEL

Mariel is an elaboration of Marie with the ending syllable of Mabel. Like Esme, it’s French – at the edges, at least. And like Neve, it’s quite uncommon in the US.

NOEMI

Naomi remains the more popular choice, but this French/Italian/Slavic and German variant has risen in use in the US in recent years. One possible issue: I’ve heard Noemi shortened to Emi … and Esme and Emi is just too, too close, I think.

SYLVIE

One of the names I recommend constantly, Sylvie is the French feminine form of Sylvia/Silvia. (Think Julie/Julia or ophie/Sophia.)

Overall, I’m not sure I can top Neve Estelle, but I do appreciate your hesitations. Mabel Frances is a great match, too, and I do think you’d feel like they sounded just like sisters – at least after a few days!

From my list, I’ll put Maren and Sylvie at the top. Maren Estelle or Sylvie Frances, maybe?

Readers, over to you! What would you name Esme’s sister?