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 came up with our daughter’s name, Clara Evelyn, on our honeymoon, three years before we even started trying for a baby.
At the same time, we agreed on Jack Matthew for a boy.
Now Clara is almost three, and we’re expecting for the second time. We were shocked to learn we are expecting twins. (As far as we know, we’re the first in our families!)
Choosing names is harder this time, probably because there are so many more kids in our family/friend group.
Here are my questions:
- We still want to use Jack, but is it too popular? It feels like we hear it a lot.
- If not Jack, our list is Henry, Max (maybe?), Cooper (but our last name ends with R, so it doesn’t really sound right), Parker (same problem), Wesley, Adrian (maybe).
- For our daughter, we like Lydia, Vivian, Josie/Josephine, Daisy, Eloise, and maybe Madeline, but probably only as a middle. (Clara was almost Clara Madeline.)
- Should we try to make their names match somehow? My mom and sister keep suggesting same first initial or something like that. I can get how that might be easier, but it feels like it doesn’t help.
Our last name is Raker with a B.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your twins!
Let’s start with the easy question: should you name your son Jack Matthew?
If it’s still your favorite name, then that’s an easy yes.
After all you know lots of kids, but it doesn’t sound like you know any one single kid – a nephew, a best friend’s son – that rules out using it. It’s just a general feeling that Jack is Very Popular, right? And it is! But even the most popular names are less common than they used to be.
So if you still love Jack, use it!
That means we’re actually looking for only one name: a sister for Clara Evelyn and Jack Matthew.
Should twins’ names match?
Let’s address the possibility raised by your sister and mom: naming Jack’s sister Jane. Or Jill or Juniper or Jerusha.
If it just so happened that your favorite girl’s name started with J, then maybe matching initials would be worth considering. And you do have Josie/Josephine on your list, so maybe that’s an obvious choice.
Matching initials is pretty subtle, and there probably lots of non-twin siblings out there called Jack and Josie.
But I love Swistle’s advice to expectant twin parents. (She’s the parent of twins herself.) Proceed as if you’re naming your next two children. What’s your favorite boy’s name? Jack Matthew. Great. Now what’s your favorite girl’s name? How does it sound with Clara Evelyn and Jack Matthew?
So let’s proceed that way.
A SISTER FOR CLARA EVELYN AND JACK MATTHEW
I think all of the names on your current list have potential. Rather than focusing too much on them, let’s see if there are some fresh ideas worth considering.
ADA
If Madeline is your go-to middle, a shorter first name makes sense. And Ada sounds very much like a sister for Clara and Jack.
DAPHNE
Daphne is an up-and-comer kind of name, boosted by Bridgerton, but also by Chloe and Penelope. It has the same vintage vibe as Clara.
ELIZA
Eloise made me think of Eliza. It’s about as popular, but maybe a smidge more classic, since it comes from Elizabeth.
LILY
Daisy makes me think of other flower names, and Lily is one of the best.
MARGOT
If you love Madeline, would another M name appeal?
STELLA
Like Ada, it’s a short name. And while Clara means clear, Stella means star – that feels like they’re almost connected, in the sense that both suggest the sky.
VERA
Vera shares Vivian’s Vs, but it also has a great meaning: faith or truth, depending on the language.
VIOLET
Another flower name, but with that sharply stylish V.
My favorite might be Lily, particularly because Lily Madeline is so pleasing. And it strikes me that Jack Matthew and Lily Madeline share very similar middle names, which might be subtle enough that no one will notice – but that you can feel like you’ve checked the “connect the twins’ names” box, too.
If you’re concerned about popularity, though, Lily isn’t the right choice. It’s hovered in the US Top 50 for nearly two decades. And that’s not counting Lillian and other Lily names. In that case, I’d probably suggest Daphne.
Though, from your original list, I do love Eloise as a sister name for Clara and Jack.
I definitely don’t think you need to match twin names or sibling names at all, but it’s a fun challenge. Clara and Jack both have a C, so what about Lucy? The meaning, light, matches well with Clara meaning clear or bright. I think Madeline and Matthew connect the twins names well, but if you really want to connect twin names, Eliza, along with Elise and Elsie, also match nicely with Jack by their meaning, “Pledged to God”, while Jack means “God is Gracious”.
Love using John as an alternative to Jack … as is, or with Jack as the nickname.
I know a couple Clara/Jack sibsets and they work so well together it is no wonder! They share the same tailored, all American, slightly vintage feel. And they both have a c.
Lucy Madeline ‘Raker’ – Clara, Jack and Lucy
Darcy – Clara, Jack and Darcy
Or without the c,
Emily Josephine Raker
Elsie Josephine Raker
One of the Clara/Jack families we know has a third called Birdie, short for Elizabeth. It reminded me of Daisy from your list. What about..
Margaret “Daisy” Eloise Raker
Clara Evelyn, Johnathan “Jack” Matthew, and Margaret “Daisy” Eloise – Clara, Jack and Daisy
Best of luck!
I love your style. To me a sister set of Clara and Josephine/ Josie is irresistible. I also really like Rose (maybe not with Jack) or May/Mae for you. And Lydia is one of my favorite names. Jack is ubiquitous where I am, but that would probably not discourage me. Names that appeal in a similar way: Edmund nn Ned, Leo, Samuel nn Sam, and Benedict nn Ben and William nn Will.
From your list, my favorite girl combo is Lydia Eloise. For boys, how about Jack Wesley or Adrian Matthew?
If you want to use Jack but are not completely convinced, I wonder if you’ve considered using John with Jack as the nickname? Then he would have John as a back-up in case he turns out to be one of 3 Jacks in his class.
Jonathan is also a possibility, or Jackson. Or my favourite “like Jack (or Max) but uncommon” name – Ajax!
For your girl, I think you have some wonderful choices and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. Lydia is one of my favourites so that’s my top pick for you.
Clara Evelyn, John “Jack” Matthew & Lydia Madeline?
I also like Eloise with the siblings. I’m sure you’ve considered Louise or Louisa, but if not, either would also work very nicely.
My other thought is Jacqueline, in case you decide not to use Jack for your boy. It shares the ending of Madeline, which you like, and it’s much less likely she’d encounter another Jacquline, than a boy named Jack would meet another Jack.
Clara Evelyn, Wesley Matthew and Jacqueline Daisy?
I’m one of those people who find Jack and Max (and the whole -ack/s sound) way too common. As alternatives, Zeke/Ezekiel, Jed/Jedi/Jedidiah, Jude, Dex, Dash/Dashiel, Lex/Lenox, Alec, Pete/Peter, Ward, Drew, Dean, Hank, Trent. For names like Henry, Wesley is usually one of my suggestions. Others: Francis/Frank, Arthur, Sebastian, Charles/Chuck, Geoffrey, Stephen, Josiah, Hadrian, Hector, Jerome.
For girls, I think the name should coordinate with Clara more so than the boy’s name. I like your choices and will add Elise, Nicola, Rosa, Alyssa, Janine, Maisy, Macy, Christine, Jenna, Natalie, Gwen, Julia, Joanna, Diana, Iris, Fern.
You have a great list with lots of good options. My favorite is Lydia, I always think Clara and Lydia go well together. If you do Lydia Madeline, the twins will have matching middle initials.
I’m not a big fan of matching first name initials for twins, I think it’s too gimmicky. But if you do want to tie their names together more subtly, Ada is nice – then you have names with 3, 4, and 5 letters, and also their initials spell JAC (Jack) which is fun.
Another option is opposite initials for the twins – Jack Matthew and Madeline Josie.
Good luck, they’re all great names, you can’t go wrong!
Jack Matthew and Lydia Madeline! They share their middle initial.
Jack and Johanna share the same meaning “ God is gracious.” They are both derived from the name John. That would be a subtle way to link them as twins.
You could use …
Clara, Jack and Hanna
Clara, Jack and Anna or Ana
Clara, Jack and Joey
I know you are not looking for J names, but one came to mind that I want to mention.
Clara, Jack and Judith
Judith is such a beautiful under used name and I like that it has a different ending.
Good luck with your decision.
You have so many great ideas. Here are a few more.
Clar@ Evelyn, J@ck M@tthew and….
Elise Madeline
Margot Eliza
Margot Lydia
Phoebe Madeline
How about Clara, Jack, and Stella?
Stella Madeline
Clara, Jack, and Estelle?
Estelle Madeline
(She would share an E with Clara Evelyn and an M with Jack Matthew.)
You have wonderful taste! Originally, I thought Rose might work…but not with Jack!
Best wishes!
I don’t think the twins have to have some sort of matchiness to them but I do think you should look for two names that aren’t too far apart in style and looking at your list, you are right on target! All your names work wonderfully with big sister Clara and twin brother Jack so I don’t think you could go wrong with any of your choices. From your list, I think I like Eloise the most. Clara, Jack, and Eloise.
If you do want a subtle link between the twins then I like the idea of Madeleine as a middle name for a daughter so both her and her brother have the same middle initial. I also like how Madeleine feels similar to big sister’s middle name, Evelyn, as well.
Or you could give the twins opposite initials
Jack Matthew and Madeleine Josephine
Jack Matthew and Maisie Josephine
Jack Matthew and Margo Josephine
If you are concerned about popularity regarding Jack and are getting cold feet on it, then I would consider Wesley on your list. Henry and Max are also very popular and Cooper and Parker are awkward with the surname but Wesley is great and works well with other names on your girls list.
Clara, Wesley and Eloise (all share L sound)
Clara, Wesley and Lydia (L sound again)
Clara, Wesley and Josephine “Wes and Josie” are so sweet!
And if you still aren’t sure, here are a few more suggestions:
Clara, Audrey, and Grant. Grant feels very polished and snappy like Jack, minus the popularity
Clara, Violet and Elliot (twins share -T ending but maybe not too matchy?)
Clara, Eliza and Quincy (Quincy feels similar to Henry minus popularity. Matches the same zippy vibe of Eliza)
Clara, Lydia and Adrian (strong sounding!)
Clara, Lucy and Jack (very sweet names!)
Clara, Adeline “Addie” and Zachary “Zack”
(twins are A to Z which is a fun twinny connection; nickname Zack is similar to Jack minus the popularity, Adeline is similar to Madeleine)
I feel like you have a great list and don’t really need any help 🙂
From your list I like Clara, Jack & Lydia, especially if you use Madeline as a middle. I’m not sure if I can make this make sense, but I like that each of your name combinations have subtly repeating sounds that make them seem so cohesive … Clara Evelyn with the repeated L sound, Jack Matthew with the short A sound and Lydia Madeline with the middle D and also a repeated L.
I don’t think it’s worth forcing twin matchiness when all the names you like go so well together anyway. And they really do. All the very best!