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!
Bethany writes:
We are pregnant with #4! My kids are Benjamin, Hamilton, Mary Catherine, and their new little sister. Suggestions welcome!
Please read on for my response, and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Dear Bethany –
Congratulations on your new daughter!
Here’s what jumps out at me: your kids’ names are long. Maybe they’re called Benj or MC or Tony by friends and family, but the way you list your names gives them a certain kind of impact.
It seems unlikely that you’ll be naming this kiddo Bob.
Benjamin and Mary Catherine fall in the very traditional names camp. Hamilton boasts history galore, too, and yet it’s far more novel as a given name.
That makes me wonder if your new daughter’s name shouldn’t be a little more different, too.
I’m guessing you’d like something easy to pronounce, though, so that limits some of my possible suggestions. And I’m wondering if a double name might appeal? Of course, that might make you feel like a third daughter in the future would also need two names, and that can present a challenge.
Let’s dive into the names!
Anastasia – Long and elegant, Anastasia feels nearly traditional – in some languages, surely it is. It splits the difference between Hamilton and Mary.
Annalisa, Annalise, Anneliese – Annalise is the most popular spelling in the US, though you can argue that Annalisa makes more sense phonetically, and Anneliese is the German original. Regardless of spelling, I think it’s an appealing double name, similar to Mary Catherine, but different enough that you’re not trapped in a pattern.
Cordelia – Literary and with plenty of history, Cordelia sounds like a sister for Hamilton or Benjamin or Mary Catherine.
Genevieve – I originally thought about Gwendolyn, but if Benjamin is ever Ben, and Gwendolyn is ever Gwen … well, that might be adorable or confusing or maybe even both. So let’s look at Genevieve instead. I think it’s one of those great overlooked traditional names. It’s risen in use since the 1960s, but remains relatively uncommon, just inside the current Top 200.
Louisa, Anna Louise, or maybe Louisa Anne or Lucinda – Back to the double names idea … how about Anna Louise? Or maybe Lucinda?
Rosalie – Rose names make great choices. We all recognize them instantly, and most of us probably know a Rosie or three. But the great variety of Rose names makes all of them feel just a little different and special.
Theodora or Dorothea – I would suggest Theodore for Hamilton and Benjamin’s brother, so the feminine forms seem to belong on this list, too.
Veronica – One of my favorite quirky classics, Veronica is a New Testament name with a powerful meaning and an on-trend sound.
Overall, I’m most tempted by Veronica. I think it meets your criteria while still balancing out the differences in popularity between your older kids’ names. And there’s something quite timeless about Veronica that seems appropriate for your family.
Readers, what would you suggest to Bethany as a sister name for Benjamin, Hamilton and Mary Catherine?
Oh, Felicity is a great suggestion!!
Agreed!
These names all have an early American/Colonial feel to me. I love the suggestion of Virginia, I think that works beautifully. I’d also add Anna Grace, Eliza, and Felicity.
My first thoughts for you were Abigail, Lydia, and Phoebe. I love the suggestions of Louisa, Lucinda, Susanna, Juliana, Helena, Priscilla, and Joanna. I think my favorite is Susanna.
I love so many of the suggestions made by Abby and others– particularly Genevieve, Theodora, Rosalie and Veronica, Evangeline, Susanna, Frances, Georgina and Caroline– but I don’t think I’d be able to resist the double name/combo name to match Mary Catherine! So many things (including many of those already suggested) would be darling paired with Anna or Eve.
Penelope… or Alice.
Ooh I think I would go traditional but not super common:
I love the suggestion of Susannah (I like it best with an h though)
Caroline
Eleanora
Evangeline
Cassandra
Juliana
Constance
OH – Susannah is a brilliant thought!
I just love Claire with Benjamin, Hamilton, and Mary Catherine! (even though—or maybe, because?—it breaks out of the multi-syllabic theme)
With your sibset, I like:
*note: avoiding B, H and M names*
Lydia
Francesca or Frances
Annabel
Annelise (not Annalisa like Anneliese bit more like Anne plus Elise)
Eliza
Susannah
Georgina or Georgiana
Josephine
Colette
Juliet
Arabella
Estelle
Ramona
Tabitha
Evangeline
From Abby’s list, I like Genevieve best.
Benjamin, Hamilton, Mary Katherine and Susanna.
Susanna would be perfect!
I like Ana Louise for your family, and I’m waiting for Dorothy and Louisa to make a comeback!
Here are some combo name options:
Emma Jane
Sarah Jane
Hattie Rose
Nora May
Margaret May
A few other classics to consider:
Colleen
Victoria
Dora or Dori
Christina
Annalisa or Anna Louise would probably be my favorite for you. But Cordelia is a great suggestion, too. Or maybe Anne Elisabeth?
If they wanted another double name, there are a lot of pretty options:
Anna Elizabeth (Annabeth, Annalise)
Lucy Jean
Sarah Jane, etc.
I’d also suggest something long and elaborate that could shorten to a nickname if she wanted: Angelique, Caroline, Emmeline, Evangeline, Helena, Jessamine, Juliana, Liliana, Lillian, Lucille, Luella, Margaret, Penelope, Susannah, Victoria, Virginia. Then add the middle name or family surname of your choice. I know someone who just had a baby she named Lucille. Her nickname is Lucy. Her older children have names that remind me of yours.
I love Abby’s suggestion of Veronica! Genevieve would be a close second.