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!
Carol writes:
I am expecting a baby boy in July.
Siblings are Kade Thomas, Nora Isabelle, and Rory Josephine.
We want to use the name “Monroe” in his name but aren’t sure if we should break from the 4-letter first name pattern.
We need help finding a 4-letter first name that would go well with Monroe as a middle name.
If you can help, I would appreciate it!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new son!
Before I ask whether you should break your pattern, let me be nosy: do you imagine you’re likely to have more children? Because if this child almost certainly completes your family, I’m inclined to stick with four-letter names. They’re abundant, and it’s easy to come up with a dozen that would wear well. So it feels like sticking with the letter count serves as a useful filter for possible names.
But … if you can imagine adding three or four more children to your family? That four-letter rule might feel limiting. Yes, choices abound. But it’s not as easy when you’ve already used your five or six most favorite four-letter names.
I’m going to stick to four-letter names for my suggestions, because I found plenty that would be great with Kade, Nora, and Rory plus middle name Monroe.
FOUR-LETTER BOY NAMES
ALEX
Alex leans pretty traditional, but so does Nora. I also like that it’s on the gender-neutral side, just like Rory. But if you’re looking for a more modern possibility, Axel might appeal.
CORD
I tend to list Chord with the musical names, but Cord – as in rope – works every bit as well.
JOVE
Strictly speaking, Jove is another name for Jupiter, the king of the Roman gods. Except I don’t hear it as a mythological name. Or maybe I hear it like Atlas and Orion – very wearable, modern-sounding options.
LINK
Presidential surname Lincoln is having a moment, so why not Link? It’s a little Legend of Zelda, but in a good way.
NATE
How do you feel about repeating initials? Because Nate seems pretty perfect, if Nora doesn’t mind being one of two Ns.
RAFE
Okay, same question with Rory. Rafe is often short for Raphael, but I like it on its own, especially as a brother for Kade.
REID
Reid strikes a good balance between all of your kids’ names, I think.
SHEA
An Irish surname name with a baseball vibe.
I’m most drawn to Alex Monroe – or maybe Axel? – with Cord as a close second.
But I know there will be some great suggestions to consider.
I am absolutely in love with Jove. Jove Monroe, mwah, that’s darling.
People mentioned Cody and Otis, which both have different vibes but also sound great! Cody repeats the ending of Rory, though, and with how short the names are the endings matter!
Otis Monroe. Nice. I like it.
So many amazing suggestions! Lemme add a few more:
Duke Monroe
Roch Monroe
Hart Monroe
Reid Monroe
Wolf Monroe
Zack Monroe
Hank Monroe
Ames Monroe
My suggestion is to name him Monroe, because that’s the name you seem excited about! I think it’s more fun for a kid to have a first name that their parents loved and chose just for them than to have a first name that was determined by the fact that their siblings have four letters each.
I could see insisting on the pattern if every kid started with Q or every kid had a flower name. But four letters is not obvious or conspicuous at all—especially when the names are spoken aloud.
So Monroe seems like the clear choice to me. That said, you’ve gotten some great suggestions here!
Luke Monroe
Kade, Nora, Rory, and Luke
Jett Monroe
Kade, Nora, Rory, and Jett
Jace Monroe
Kade, Nora, Rory, and Jace
(This one uses the same long ‘a’ sound as Kade to mirror how Nora and Rory both share the ‘oh’ sound).
I like Nash and Knox!
Owen Monroe
Luke Monroe
Jack Monroe
Evan Monroe
Zach Monroe
Finn Monroe
It’s similar to Alex/Axel, but I like Alec: Alec Monroe.
Kade, Nora, Rory, Alec
Joel, Cole, Ross
Cody
Dean Monroe (seconding or thirding?)
Milo Monroe
Cole Monroe
Levi Monroe
Beau strikes me as the right balance. It shares Kade’s adventurous spirit. I think of both as “modern cowboy” type names – rugged yet fit for a board room. Plus at one syllable each, while the girls are two syllables, they seem well paired.
Kade, Nora, Rory and Beau. Beau Monroe.
Drew Monroe
Dean Monroe
Gram Monroe
Kade, Nora, Rory, Drew
Kade, Nora, Rory, Dean
Kade, Nora, Rory, Gram
Maybe this is so popular you’ve already considered it, but how about Jack Monroe? I think Jack sounds pitch-perfect with Kade, Nora, and Rory.
I like Seth or Zane for y’all! Or Luke.
Axel and Reid are my favorites from Abby’s list. I’ll add Carl/Karl, Curt/Kurt, Walt, Luke, Rhys/Reese, Whit, Frank, Ford, Clif, Owen, Alan, Hale, Jesse, Boone, Liam, Mack, Vance, Vince, Royce, Wyatt, West/Wesley/Weston.
Hale Monroe
Wynn Monroe
Jett Monroe
Shaw Monroe
Hoyt Monroe
Troy Monroe
Joss Monroe
Lots of great suggestions here. What about Zane? Zane Monroe. Kade, Nora, Rory, and Zane. I like how the boys would both would have the long A sound in their names while the girls have the long O sound in theirs. Plus it could be fun to name him a Z name if it’s your last child.
There are some great suggestions here – although I think Cord is a little too similar to Kade. I also thought of these names that I think fit the style of your other children.
Ezra Monroe
Jude Monroe
Adam Monroe
Dean Monroe
Theo Monroe
Nico Monroe
Seth Monroe
Otis Monroe
Hugh Monroe
Ezra Monroe is probably my favorite! I think Seth or Hugh is also very adorable!
Ezra was my first thought, and favorite. Also, loving Jude as a first for Monroe. This Mama definitely shares my own naming style.
i agree about Kade/Cord.
Some great names on this list. Ezra Monroe sounds fab with this sibset.
A couple of extras i thought of (apologies if ive repeated any suggestions)
Otto, Orin, Sage, Leif, Hiro… some perhaps a bit left field…
Axel for sure has the right vibe. I noticed Nora and Rory are diminutives, so I went with it.
Beau
Dirk
Finn
Jace
Judd
Zeke
I like Jace because Monroe means from the mouth of the Roe (river), and Jason was the captain of the Argo (the first Greek warship to travel the high seas).