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!
Lauren writes:
Our third child will be our second girl. We love the name Lennon and it very much feels like this baby’s name.
Our last name is St@n-lee. Lennon joins brother Porter Bennett and sister Monroe Quinn.
We like:
- Repeating letters – we love Lennon’s three Ns.
- It’s another 6-letter name.
- Gender neutral surnames.
But now we have a middle name dilemma.
Our favorite middle name to do is Wren (or Wrenn, to follow the double NN).
But it sounds a little sing-songish.
Help!
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
Patterns are interesting. I don’t immediately notice that Porter, Monroe, and Lennon all have a repeating letter. I’m too busy noticing that they’re nicely matched surname names; modern favorites, but with deep roots.
But even if the pattern isn’t immediately obvious to an outsider, there’s no question Lennon is a perfect fit. Another unisex surname, comes in at six letters, and offers a repeating initial – and you both love it. How lucky!
So let’s talk about middles.
I agree that Lennon Wren isn’t great. But it’s not eyebrow-raising off, either. (What would give me pause? Lennon Lynn, maybe. Or Lennon Ann, even.) The ‘r’ sound in Wren helps the name sound distinctive.
Now, to the one-N or two question?
As a middle name, it doesn’t really matter. If you are fairly confident that Lennon completes your family, I’d probably opt for Wrenn. Why not? It’s a fun way to connect the siblings’ names.
If you went with Lennon Wren or Lennon Wrenn, I’d say it was a solid choice.
But let’s test drive some other middle name options, because it’s the best way to determine if anything really is better than Wren.
MIDDLE NAMES with a DOUBLE N
BRYNN
I’m not sure Brynn offers any advantages over Wren/Wrenn, except that we’re used to seeing it with a double N.
FINN
Traditionally masculine, but possibly an option for a daughter, too. Still, I think Lennon Finn trips right over the line into the “probably masculine” rather than “squarely unisex” camp.
JEANNE
Maybe much too traditional for you, but I love the sound of Jeanne with Lennon.
RAINN
A unisex nature name, we’re used to seeing multiple spellings of Rain/Reign/Rayne, so Rainn blends right in. Plus, the bright A sound stands out next to Lennon.
SWANN
I kind of love Swan and Swann as given name. They’re trending France … and could work well in the US, too, particularly in the middle spot.
MIDDLE NAMES with a DOUBLE LETTER
BREE
Breezy and upbeat.
BELLE
Maybe too conventionally feminine? And I suppose it sounds a little descriptive. (“Where can we see the famous London Belle/London bell?”
JETT
A high-flying modern favorite.
UNISEX MIDDLE NAMES
BLAIR
A tailored surname middle offering a distinctive sound.
GRAY
Color name Gray makes an unexpected middle.
LAKE
Another nature name, like Rainn or Swann, with plenty of unisex appeal.
REEVE
There’s a double E here, but I think the real draw of Reeve is the name’s sharp, distinctive sound.
A MIDDLE NAME FOR LENNON
Overall, I think Lennon Reeve is all kinds of amazing – there’s the double E, the sharp V. And it’s just a slight adjustment from Wrenn/Wren.
But I wouldn’t rule out Wrenn/Wren, either.
If you can flip through all of my suggestions, and everything readers dream up, too, and still feel most drawn to Wren/n? Then I say embrace it.
Readers, what would you choose for Lennon’s middle name?
I wouldn’t say Lennon Wren is sing-songy, but if you are the type to use both names, you may find yourself stumbling over the combination. I think Lennon Wren and Lennon Brynn both sound pretty, in spite of being a bit challenging together. I think an L name would be cute, and much easier to say.
Lennon Lou
Lennon Leigh (Please don’t spell it Lee. 30 years old and still mad at my mom for spelling my middle name Lee.)
Lennon Laurie
Lennon Reese was my first thought, but considering the surname begins with S, I think both Lennon Greer and Lennon Reeve are better options.
I do think Lennon Wren sounds a bit too singsong. What about Lennon Sloane? Lennon, Quinn, and Bennett all have double letters and Porter, Monroe and Sloane are all surname names with that long O sound. Sloane meets your surname style and 6 letter pattern, it’s just missing double letters but since Lennon takes care of that I think it’s a non issue.
Porter Bennet, Monroe Quinn, and Lennon Sloane.
Lennon Winslow could also work, but I prefer the flow of Lennon Willow.
I really like Lennon Brynn for you–it seems to blend Bennett and Quinn interestingly.
Lennon Wren isn’t a perfect combo but it’s not at all bad, and if you love it, use it! I don’t think there’s any need to spell it Wrenn as Lennon already has a double (triple!) n.
Otherwise, to match the nature-y aspect and W of Wren, I thought of Lennon Willow. You get two double letters in that one!
Another thought was Lennon Iris.
Or Lennon Campbell!
I love the suggestions of Lennon Reese and Lennon Greer for you.
I wonder how you’d feel about Rhys or the more feminine spelling Reese? It’s my daughter’s middle name, and we got what we ordered: a very fiery, spirited girl
What about Lennon Sonnet, Lennon Hollis, Lennon Reed, or even Lennon Cinnamon? Congratulations on the new baby you are expecting!
I know Cinnamon is a bit of an outlier, but just thought I would include it as an option anyway. Reed seems like it might be a good alternative if you decide Wren doesn’t fit as a middle name.
I vote Lennon Wren. You’ll rarely say the same together aloud, unless you’re the type that does. And the kids won’t be paired together (especially their middles) in adulthood, so it seems unnecessary to force an alternate spelling for Wren, just to fit a pattern. It takes a bit away from the lovely bird association. Plus, your first two don’t have two Ns in their first names as well, to butt up against the middle. It would be like Porter Greer and Monroe Boone. I think what makes their names really neat is that the pattern is subtle. Maybe instead, Lennon could take a letter from each of her siblings (they share O and R!) like Lennon Rooney? Or Lennon Forrest / Dorset / Romilly / Royce / Ambrose.
Greer! Two Rs, 2Es, I’m used to hearing it for girls but I’ve heard it considered unisex, sounds great with Lennon and her siblings names but has its own distinct sounds …
Porter Bennett, Monroe Quinn & Lennon Greer.
Lennon Greer is perfect!