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!
Tabitha writes:
We have two daughters: Charlotte, born in 2012, and Amelia, born in 2015. We’re expecting our third daughter in a few weeks, and want to avoid another Top Ten name. While we knew both of girls’ names were popular, neither were in the Top Ten when we chose them.
My favorite name for this daughter was Evelyn, but I see that’s in the Top Ten now, too.
It’s not that I don’t like their names, but we do hear them A LOT, and I wish it was something a little less common. My name is a little bit different, and I always liked that. (My husband is Michael, and he’s a junior. He says it doesn’t bother him, but if I call Mike in a crowded room, more than one guy turns around!)
Ideas, please!
Please read on for my response, and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Dear Tabitha –
Here’s what leaps out at me:
It is very, very difficult to know which names will be favorites among our circle of friends. There are around 350 kids in my children’s school. There’s one Ava, a single Emma … and two Londons.
But it is true that Top 100 – and especially Top Ten – names do tend to recur. Even if you don’t hear a lot of them in your immediate circle of friends, as your child moves into the school years, you’ll probably hear those popular choices repeating.
It hasn’t changed the way you feel about your older daughters’ names, so part of me wants to encourage you to use Evelyn, if it’s the name you love. But I get that nagging feeling of wanting something all your own, too.
Parents often get stuck at this point, believing that names are either appealing and popular, or weird and rare. This is false! Plenty of names qualify as “normal” – but fail to rank in the current US Top 100, 500, or even 1000.
Let’s take a look at some great options:
Adelaide – Shorten it to Addie, and she’ll be lost in the Addie-Maddie crowd. But use Adelaide in full, and odds are good that your daughter will be the only one. At #276 in the US, it’s a name everyone recognizes, but few people are using.
Eloise – Eloise instantly makes me think of the enduring Kay Thompson children’s story, set in New York City’s Plaza Hotel. Lately, though, it’s on the rise as a girl’s given name. I think it fits well with Charlotte and Amelia, but at #190, is lower on the popularity charts.
Evangeline – It’s tempting to look for perfect substitutes for Evelyn, and Evangeline is one. At #267, it ranks much lower on the charts that the tailored Evelyn. It’s a smidge more dramatic and romantic, too, popularized by Longfellow’s 1847 epic poem of love lost. But I say it still works.
Genevieve – Or maybe Genevieve is the perfect Evelyn substitute? It takes similar sound and layers in some French style. At #184, it hits the sweet spot exactly.
Miranda – I’m always surprised to realize that Miranda peaked in the 1990s, but it did. The name ranked in the Top 100 for a handful of years. And yet, I don’t think it’s dated at all. Instead, it feels literary and almost traditional. That makes it a great sister name for Charlotte and Amelia. It currently stands at #344.
Vivian – My first thought was Vivienne. But here’s the thing – you’re comfortable with a name that’s just slightly less common, right? At #97, Vivian might be exactly right – somewhere north of fast-rising Evelyn, but not as unusual as, say, Marlowe or Zendaya.
Overall, I’m torn. If Evelyn is the name that calls to you, I’m not sure I’d rule it out. As of 2017, it ranks #9 in the US, just a few places behind #7 Charlotte and right behind #8 Amelia.
And yet, since you asked for help avoiding another Top Ten name, I’m going to suggest Vivian. The sounds are similar to Evelyn; it has a tailored, but traditional style; and while it’s a Top 100 choice, it’s hard to argue that Vivian is over-exposed.
But I’m curious to hear from readers – what would you suggest as a sister for Charlotte and Amelia, especially if they’d like something just slightly less common?
Reading this post and the attendant comments is making me realize (humorously) how territorial I fee over our girls’ names. We have Vivian, Margaret, Veronica and Dorothy. So far, all of our daughters only meet elderly ladies who share their names, and among them Margaret is the most encountered.
I like some names that were popular and pretty twenty to thirty years ago and we don’t see them anymore like Valerie, Vanessa, Kristin, Christina, Dyana, Nicole, Briana, Danielle, Rebecca, Jacqueline, Jennifer, Elyse, Alicia, Tess, Tanya, Arabella, Elisha, Mikayla, Janessa, Meadow, Willow, Kennedy, Cassandra, Joy and Joyce… I love Angela!!
To go with the classic, old-fashioned style, what about Dorothea?
I suggest Louisa or Philippa – similar classic style as Amelia and Charlotte but not so popular.
Have always liked Vienne a little more than Vivienne, AND it’s more unusual.
Violette
Amelie
Elodie
Elise
With this sibest I like:
Amelia, Charlotte, and Adalet (not ranked)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Adalyn (134)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Camilla (308)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Georgiana (not ranked)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Margaret (132)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Marilyn (528)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Miriam (285)
Amelia, Charlotte, and Rosemary (457)
I also like Genevive and Vivian from Abby’s list, and Rosalie and Juliet (although this might still feel too popular due to all the Julie/Julia/Juliana/Juliannas in the mix nowadays) from Duck’s list.
Winifred
Charlotte and Amelia have a few common traits. They’re classic, nickname friendly but not automatically nickname’d, vaguely German-French but not super on the nose, and they’re names I’ve loved for years. 🙂
My suggestions to hit the same beats, or at least most of them:
Eleanor
Louisa
Dominique
Juliet
Rosalie
I think Evelyn is absolutely adorable, and Genevieve and Vivian are my favorite of Abby’s suggestions. Of the suggestions in the comments, Beatrix (and spelling variations) is the one that I love the most. I’ve never heard any of those four names in person, if that helps!
Alice!
Eliza was my first thought! The three names go great together: Charlotte, Amelia, Eliza. Swooon.
Mary
It’s a traditional classic and instantly familiar, but by the numbers not popular at all currently.
I really like the suggestions of Vivian, Emmeline, Gwendolyn, Esther, Rosemary, & Josephine. They would all work beautifully with Charlotte and Amelia!
I’d like to suggest Beatrix because I think it’s charming, unexpected, yet instantly familiar and undeniably classic. You might also consider Jane or Florence.
However, as a direct replacement for Evelyn, I think either Vivian or Gwendolyn is your best match.
Elinor / Jessamyn / Verity?
Vivian was my first thought for you, even before I read the suggestions. Please consider repeats seconded. Other names I like with the sibset:
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Edith
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Lydia
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Vera
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Gwendolyn
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Florence
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Frances
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Phoebe
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Josephine
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Dorothy
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Genevieve
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Eliza
Ch@rlotte, Ameli@, & Rosemary
\
I love love love Vivian, individually and with your sibset. Everyone gets their own first letter and ending. It’s not so unusual that it doesn’t fit with Amelia and Charlotte. It’s a beautiful, fun, spunky name.
I also want to second Penelope. I feel like Penelope has been hovering in the same place for awhile, and I don’t personally think it’s going to make it to top ten status.
I also like Hazel for you.
Penelope
Eleanor
Beatrice
However, Evelyn is quite lovely so you may be happier just sticking with it…
Good luck and Congrats!!
Sabrina?
I’ll offer up my daughters’ names … not too different but certainly not heard everywhere … and I think they both go beautifully with Charlotte & Amelia (and Evelyn, too):
Harriet
&
Susannah
Of your suggestions I love Vivian, and from the commenters’ suggestions I love Philippa, Rose, Stella, Phoebe and Lydia.
I would also suggest Catherine/ Katherine, Helen, June, Laura, Mabel, Marian, Mary
I always think Jocelyn would be a good alternative to Evelyn, yet nobody ever seems to use it! So that’s my suggestion.
Charlotte and Amelia are so classic and regal and traditional that they will always, always be sensible choices, no matter their ranking. I’d put Evelyn in that same class. If it’s your favorite, use it. There are names that will always be sensible choices, no matter if they went through a period of popularity- Rachel, Amy, Ellen, Paul, Gregory, Peter, etc. Honestly, Evelyn is my favorite of all the other suggestions. Use what you love.
I love Genevieve! It gives so many nickname possibilities, too, which -if there is another little one with the same name- gives flexibility. As for other options, what about:
Juliet
Honorine (Nora, Honor)
Esther (Etta, Tessa?)
Phillippa (Pippa)
That said, Charlotte, Amelia and Evelyn sound beautiful together.
I like Vivian as well and I have always loved Evelyn as well.
My kids also have top 10 popular names but really they have never been around duplicates. I love that their names are still chosen even by parents today. I also love that when we watch old movies we hear their names.
I think if you love Evelyn, you should use it. I understand wanting something that isn’t Top 10, but it’s a beautiful name and if it’s THE ONE, go for it!
Otherwise, I think Vivian is the best alternative. Very similar sounds and overall feel. It also works wonderfully with Charlotte and Amelia.
How about Evelina? It’s currently popular in Eastern Europe and is very similar to Evelyn. Or Ginevra, Geneva, Estelle/Estella, Evangeline. I’ve also seen Aviana. Evaine is a medieval name I’ve seen in books.
I love all of Abby’s suggestions, especially Vivian. Just a few others I thought would sound great with your other daughters – Elizabeth ( I know its #13 but it seems less trendy to me than others in the top), Rose, Alice and Stella. I agree with Abby though, Evelyn does pair nicely with Amelia and Charlotte!
If you love Evelyn, go for it! Since it is popular, it fits right in with the other girls’ popular names: a perfect sib-set. Maybe seeing other ideas will cement Evelyn as The Name.
Emmeline might work nicely too.
You could go with Eva or Eve, though you seem to like the longer names.
What about Angelina?
Or I had a friend growing up named Angelin (with the same -lyn sound at the end as Evelyn). Angelin sound like a nice, slightly different substitute if you are sure you don’t want Evelyn.
Vivian fits so well with the older sisters! I also love Adelaide! We seem to have similar taste in girls names. 🙂
I’d like to suggest Mary and Josephine, which I think would work well with the sisters names.
In addition to Adelaide, how about Adelyn or Adeline?
Going on the assumption that something that something with “-lyn(e)” is desirable (rather than focusing on the “Eve” part), what about Pauline? Utterly recognizable as a name, quite unique, fits the slighty old-fashioned vibe of Charlotte and Amelia. Another possibility would be “Magdalyn”, which is again recognisable but distinctive, matches the other two well, and wouldn’t get caught up in “Madeline/Maddie” territory.
I’m also surrounded by British kids, which have a slightly different collection of old-fashioned names to choose from, which makes me want to recommend Florence as a possibility.
I hear you. My first daughter’s name turned out to be more common than we expected. So for daughter #2 we aimed for more unusual. And then a friend in our larger circle chose the same name a few months later for her daughter. That has honestly bugged me more than hearing daughter #1’s name more often. I guess I’m just saying it’s a gamble to try to choose something less common. So make sure you love love whatever you choose.
I think Abby’s list is spot-on. I’ll add Josephine and Esme and Fiona.
I think the suggestion of Vivian is great for you!
Also wanted to suggest:
Phoebe
Nora
Lydia
Georgia
Gwendolyn
Meredith
Hannah
Eliza? Violet?