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!
Melissa writes:
We are having a surprise third baby – we don’t know the gender yet.
We have a boy and a girl, Kellan and Kendall. We like Declan or Landon for a boy, which I think minus being a “K” name fits.
We are completely unsure of a girl name … lost is more like it! We don’t like names ending in -y or -ie and don’t want an H name. We’re not really feeling adding another K to the set, either.
Any help would be awesome. Thanks!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Dear Melissa –
Congratulations on your third!
It’s funny … some people would hear Kellan and Kendall and think, of course their third child has to have a K name, too! Other people hear Kellan and Kendall and have the exact opposite reaction.
I used to think I would’ve pushed for another K name … except in our own family, my husband and I are As who gave our son an A name, and then chose a C name for our daughter. Other factors mattered more than completing a set.
It sounds like you’re in a similar place. It’s not that there aren’t K names you might like. You’d just rather find something that suits this child, but doesn’t make them sound quite so coordinated. (Koordinated? Groan.)
The right name for Kellan and Kendall’s sister would probably be:
- Tailored, even unisex in style.
- Modern – nothing like Agatha or Millicent.
- Nickname-proof.
- Familiar, but not Top 100 – which rules out Skylar or Addison.
So what’s midway between, say, Addison and Millicent?
A SISTER FOR KELLAN AND KENDALL
BLAIR
A handful of one-syllable surname names come to mind: like Blair/Blaire, Sloan/Sloane, and Laine/Lane. Choosing a third surname emphasizes that it’s the style you like, not so much the letter K. And shorter names are often nicely nickname-resistant, too.
HOLLAND
One thing that stands out to me: both Kellan and Kendall share a double-L … just like place name Holland. I suppose some might ask if you’re Dutch. (Of course, if you are, it could be perfect.) But Holland has been used as a given name for years, and has ranked in the girls’ Top 1000 every year since 2014.
LYRIC
Word names might work, and Lyric is one of those musical favorites that feels a little different, but also perfectly familiar. (I’d call it a “sweet spot” name.)
MAREN
A tailored Scandi import, connected to more traditional feminine names, Maren bridges the difference between picks like Mary and Margaret and modern surname favorites like Madison and Mackenzie.
PARKER
Parker is more popular for boys, but ranks in the girls’ Top 200, too. That’s one reason it goes well with Kellan and Kendall. Another factor: like Declan, it has the ‘k’ sound in the middle, without being a third K name. It’s subtle, but it connects the names nicely.
SUTTON
Another surname name option that’s rising in use, Sutton seems like a good match – it shares just a little of Kellan’s ends-with-n rhythm, but I can say the three names fast without tripping over them.
TEAGAN
Like Kendall, Teagan seems unisex – but it’s used in far bigger numbers for girls. That might make it perfect.
WINTER
If you’d like to edge slightly away from surnames in general, a handful of nature names share that tailored style. Winter is my favorite with Kellan and Kendall, but Briar, Sage, and River would all work, too.
Overall, my favorites are Teagan and Parker. I think Teagan just plain sounds right. And Parker’s middle K appeals, too.
But let’s open it up to the community, because I know they’ll have some good suggestions.
I like Declan and Landon for you. From Abby’s list, for a girl, my faves are Blair, Sutton and Teagan.
A few additional suggestions:
Merritt
Hollis
Tiernan
Tierney
Collins
Larkin, Brooklyn, Blayke or McKenna.
I like keeping the K but not as an initial. Breaks the pattern without excluding this new baby
Some great suggestions already, so I’ll try not to repeat. I agree that Teagan and Parker would both work nicely!
Keeping the K in there, but not up front:
Annika
Brook
Danika
Erika
Clark (It worked on The 100!)
Dakota
Makenna, Mckenna (so many spelling options there, but too much “ken”?)
Mckayla, Mikaela, Mckinley…
Rebekah, Rebecca (totally different style and possible unexpected spelling, but it could work…)
Double L
Bellamy (speaking of The 100, while I prefer Bellamy on a boy, the double L and unisex feel would be great with your other kiddos)
Adella/Adelle
Allana
Allison
Arielle
Ellis
Marielle
Pallas (I’m probably the only person who likes this, but I do!)
Willow
Tailored:
Adair
Love the suggestion of Maren!
Neve
Love Abby’s suggestion of Teagan. If the double-L connection appeals, maybe Wallis or Bellis?
I like your double letter/double L connection, so playing off of that –
Miller
McKenna
Tessa
Charlotte/Lottie
My first thought was Harper, but if they are not keen on H names then Parker would be cute too. I would also offer Sailor.
I think your suggestion of Blair is cute, Briar may also fit.
Rowan*
Parker
Eden
Brenna*
Brynn/Blynn
Campbell*
Playing on the has the letters “A, E, L, &N”
Braelyn*
Lauren
Leandra
Leanore
Linnea*
Natalie*
Naleah
Noelani
Adeline
Annabel
Aveline
Elenna
Ellasyn*
Emmaline
Evaline
*Names I think go very well with this sibset
Here’s a few more suggestions:
McKenna
Dakota
Brooklyn
Quinn
Morgan
Elliot would share the double L which is a nice subtle way to link all the names together.
Other suggestions
Avery
Delaney
Morgan
Tessa
Eden
Reagan
Campbell
Sutton
Palmer
Brooke
Paige
Would you like:
Arden
Sawyer
Dallas