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!
Candace writes:
We’re now expecting our third child and need a name for her.
Our five-year-old daughter is Harper Gwyn. Our three-year-old son is Harlan Max, but we always call him simply “Max,” unless he’s in trouble, of course.
So far, we’ve come up with Charlotte/Charlie, Hattie, or Magnolia/Maggie.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughter!
This is a puzzle, isn’t it? Because there’s an obvious pattern in Harper Gwyn and Harlan Max, and it feels like the first question would have to be: can we find another name that starts with HAR? Or at least H?
Except that’s NOT the way you refer to your kiddos. They’re Harper and Max. Those names are nicely compatible, with no overlapping sounds.
And then there’s this: if I think about sister names for Harper, I doubt I’d think of Charlotte or Magnolia. Harper strikes me as modern and tailored, while Charlotte and Magnolia feel a little more old-fashioned.
But there’s no rule at all that says sibling names have to match! And Harper and Charlotte actually do sound pretty compatible, I think.
Except if I heard Harper, Max, and Charlie, I’d feel fairly confident that Charlie was a boy, because it sounds like such a brother name for Max.
And so I think I’d rank your current choices this way:
#3. CHARLOTTE called CHARLIE
It’s a great name, classic and refined, but kept down-to-earth by sparky nickname Charlie.
And yet … I think it sounds a little too close to Harper with those rhyming first syllables and I wonder if there’s potential for having to explain that Charlie is your daughter. (Though, really, I’m probably overthinking that last one. Feel free to tell me so.)
It would work, but I have enough hesitations to put it at the bottom of the list.
#2. MAGNOLIA called MAGGIE
Harper and Magnolia do both lean a little Southern, I think. The first because of the legendary novelist; the second because of the flowers. (And now, of course, the design empire owned by Chip and Joanna Gaines.) That makes them more compatible than their sounds much suggest.
But I wonder if Harper ends up sounding like the odd one out: Harper, Max, and Maggie? Max and Maggie pair so very perfectly that Harper stands out.
#1. HATTIE
I haven’t mentioned Hattie yet, but I’m loving it with Harper Gwyn and Harlan Max. She’d share her older siblings’ first initial. And while Hattie is more of a vintage gem, somehow I like it quite a bit with Harper and Max. Harper, Max, and Hattie.
Maybe I should point out that Hattie is traditionally short for Harriet, and Harper, Harlan, and Harriet is a trifecta of HAR- names that feels like it would never work … but it does. Because Harper, Max, and Hattie are just plain great together.
MORE IDEAS
So is there any name that beats Hattie?
BLAIR
It’s a spare, trim name like Gwyn. I think the style bridges Harper and Max nicely.
EMBRY
Nature name Ember is on the rise, as is surname name Emery. I thought about either of those, but Embry feels like the best of both, with built-in nickname Bree.
HADLEY
Hattie’s surname-style cousin.
HANA
Classic Hannah is falling in use, a Top Ten favorite from the 1990s. But spell it Hanna, or even Hana, and it looks a little different. Possibly Arabic or Japanese, though plenty of Slavic languages prefer this slimmed-down spelling, too.
HOLLIS
One more H surname, an unexpected unisex choice that shortens to friendly nickname Holly.
LENA
I’d initially thought to suggest Helena as a sort of middle ground between Harper and Magnolia. But I wonder if just Lena is more your style?
MARLOWE
Another attempt at splitting the Harper/Maggie difference, with sleek surname name Marlowe. Spell it Marlo and it’s more retro. Another bonus? All three of your kiddos share at least one initial.
WINSLET
A mix of Winnie and Scarlett, Winslet sounds whimsical and tailored at the same time. The upside: just say “like Kate” and everyone knows how to spell and pronounce it. The (possible) downside: being asked “like Kate?” a zillion times.
Overall, my favorite is Hadley. It gives your children a shared first initial, and Hadley shortens to Hattie (or Haddie?) beautifully.
But then again, if you plan to call her Hattie and that’s the name you really love best? I think it works every bit as well on its own.
I’d be tempted to move away from the obvious HAR sound at the beginning and have a gentle nod to it in the middle, with Charlotte or another H name. To me, I’d expect sister to Harper to be named perhaps Adley, Everly or Avery. Or maybe Marlow, Rowan or Morgan?
Adley Charlotte
Adley Hazel
Everly Charlotte
Everly Hannah
Avery Charlotte
Avery Harriet
Morgan Harmony (has the full HAR)
Rowan Heidi
Marlow Hermione
Delaney Kate
Parker June
Bellamy Rue
Ellery Jean
Quinn Meredith
Instead of matching Hs, which gets confusing, I’d match the style: a modern surname with crisp sound, plus a stellar classic middle.
Congratulations! I think your choices of Maggie and Hattie would go well with your sib set! I also love the suggestion of Marlowe, Harlow, Hollis
For H names I would add Hayden, Hallie, Holland and Hazel to your considered names.
Here are some others that might go with your style:
Avery
Willow
Sawyer
Sutton
Rory
Etta
Collins
Campbell
Leighton
Larkin
If you really like Charlotte, maybe you might consider using the nickname Hattie with it. I feel as if there are enough letters in common between the two names to make it work. Lottie is a sweet nickname also. Within the British Royal Family, Princess Charlotte is known as Lottie. : )
Harper and Hadley go so well together. As Abby suggested, Hadley could shorten to Haddie or Hattie.
Best wishes to you!
Hattie for Charlotte is a great idea!
Looking at first + middle names:
Hannah Rae. Harper Gwyn, Harlan Max and Hannah Rae.
Looking at just Harper + Max:
Ruby. Harper, Max and Ruby.
Margot called Maggie keeps the strong AR sound and bridges nicely between Harper and Max. I also love Harriet called Hattie.
Oh, I forgot: Harvest.
Congrats on the new baby girl !
I think the three names on your list all go well with your childrens names.
I think Magnolia is beautiful though I prefer the nickname Nola. It would also make for a cool middle name.
If you intend to keep the HA-pattern, maybe you would consider:
Hale
Halle
Hazel
Haven
Hayden
Harmony
H:
Henrietta (Hattie/Etta)
Hilda
Honor
Hollis
Hunter
Hyacinth (Cindy!)
My first thought was Harlow as well, but Lola as a nickname is awesome. How about Harlow Lane to get to Lola? The only Harlow I know goes by Lowie.
I agree Hattie works great in your sib-set.
Congratulations on number 3!
I think Charlotte is a really neat way to get that HAR in, and I think Charlie is fine with Harper and Max. You might get questions about if you’re a Charlie Harper fan, but he’s cool! Another nickname option is Lottie. Lottie, Harper and Max!
What about Harlow? With an La middle she could be Lola. Harlow Laine, Harlow Lauren, Harlow Lark?
I think all the names on your current list are fab and sound like great sibling names for Harper and Harlan “Max”. I don’t have the same reactions as Abby—I don’t think Charlotte, Hattie, or Magnolia as too “old” compared to Harper. They all feel like fun, glamorous names to me. I picture a giggling set at a Gatsby party. If you’re looking for other suggestions, maybe Elizabeth (“Betsy” or “Elsie”), Sibyl, or Zelda?
Harper and Piper seem like sisters. Pippa would make a sweet nickname if you wanted one.
Harper, Max, and Piper
Do you like Avery? She’s similar in popularity to Harper.
Harper, Max, and Avery
Ruby is as feminine as Maggie but as approachable as Charlie.
Harper, Max, and Ruby
Congratulations and best wishes!
If there’s a chance you’ll keep having children, I’d avoid the HAR pattern. Of your list, Hattie is great, though feels a bit dusty next to Harper – I’d update that to Hadley. That was the girls have surname H names (you could keep going with Hollis, Hunter, Hilliard, Henley), and boys go by their middle or have M names.
I’d love to suggest Hartley called Hattie, maybe something like Hartley Faye