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!
Alison writes:
I’m expecting boy-girl twins in December – but they will probably arrive sooner – and I’d like some help finding a special connection between their names. Nothing too obvious, but something that I’ll know about.
I’m Alison, and my twin sister is Amanda. My mom also has twin brothers. My uncles both have J names. I guess the most obvious thing would be to use the same first initial for both babies, but I like the idea of something that everyone won’t notice, at least not right away, if that makes sense.
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Dear Alison –
Congratulations on your new babies!
I love the idea of matching your children’s names without making it too obvious, for two reasons. First, twins do have a special bond, and it makes sense to celebrate it. But they’ll want to be their own people, too, so names that sound like a matched set aren’t ideal.
Sharing an initial is one option, but let’s look at some more possibilities, where the names are linked by meaning, style, and association.
GIRL-BOY TWIN NAMES
ADA and MAX
Great mini names abound for boys and girls alike. In the most extreme example, you could name your children Io and Ty – a mere four letters for both first names combined! But I like a three-letter pair much better, because it’s more familiar – and thus, far more subtle. If not Ada and Max, maybe Ana and Eli? I like Zoe and Leo, too, because they share the same vowels, but the sounds are very different.
FELICITY and ASHER
You might consider choosing a positive meaning, and then finding two names that share it. Felicity comes from the Latin felicitas – good luck, and evolved to mean happy in English. Asher means happy in Hebrew. Lots of names have separate, distinct roots but very similar meanings. Luke and Claire are both associated with bright, for example.
IVY and JASPER
At first glance, these are both nature names – though not super-obvious ones. They’re also both shades of green. But I picked them because they’re both subtly tied to the winter holidays. Ivy, of course, brings to mind the carol “The Holly and the Ivy,” though I suppose Holly might be the more-Christmas-y of the two. And Jasper comes from the name of one of the Three Wisemen.
LUCY and JUDE
They share the same vowel sound, but Lucy and Jude also come from two famous Beatles songs – “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Hey Jude.” Beatles fans would notice, of course, but that’s not likely to include your children’s peers. And since both Lucy and Jude are fairly popular by 2020 standards, I doubt most people would think about their possible origins. (Maybe a combination like Rita and Desmond would attract more attention.)
MEADOW and RIVER
Plenty of families stick with outdoorsy nature names for their children. Meadow and River have distinct sounds, but they’re often found side-by-side. It makes for a nicely compatible pair.
STELLA and LEO
Two night sky names might be perfect together. Leo is a constellation, and Stella means star. Of course, the combinations are nearly endless. Juno and Orion, Carina and Perseus, or Callisto and Oberon, maybe?
SYLVIE and FORREST
Sylvie comes from the Latin silva – forest. But that’s not exactly common knowledge, so while the connection is meaningful, it’s quite subtle. Another option: Silas shares the same roots as Sylvie. While Silas and Sylvie might be too close – there’s that shared initial again – Silas could pair with a tree name, like Laurel, Willow, or Juniper.
WREN and JONAH
I’m not sure if Wren and Jonah belong in the same style neighborhood, and yet I like them together. Wren is the name of a bird, and Jonah? It means dove in Hebrew.
It’s tough to choose a favorite – and I know I’ve barely scratched the surface of possible combinations! Stella and Leo might be my favorite, assuming you don’t mind names that are a little more popular. But if you’d prefer names that are less common, I think Sylvie and Forrest make a great pair.
There’s Theodore and Dorothy… same syllables, just inverted.
Same place: Tiberius and Galilee
Masculine and feminine versions of the same name in the middle: Son Michael, Daughter Michaela or Son Steven and Daughter Stephanie.
Perhaps one has a first name from a material relative and the other has a name from a paternal relative.
Both could have color names… Scarlett and Redford (ooh, both are classic Hollywood, too!).
How about where you were married? Or honeymooned? Trenton and Vienna? Abilene and Charleston?
Most of all, what if they WEREN’T twins? What’s your naming style? Most people give their children coordinating names even if they are not twins. A special connection of having the same middle initial or something else are ways many parents help their children feel connected.
Having said that, congrats and best wishes on your double blessing!
Theodore and Dorothy being inverted syllables might be the most delightful thing I’ve ever heard. What a great suggestion. I wonder what other names could be used in combination that way?
Allen and Nella is a similar pairing, but more of a mirror image than inverted syllables.
Noel and Leon.
Great suggestions! I love Lucy and Jude, Ivy and Jasper and Felicity and Asher best. Oh, and Zoe and Eli.
I’ve always thought it would be fun to name twins with names A and Z
Ava and Zane
Ace and Zara
Anna and Zachary
Ava and Zac (3 letters each too)
Abigail and Zachary (Abby and Zack)
Alex and Zara
Adam and Zoey
August and Zora
Aria and Zeke
Ainsley and Zander
Ari and Zoe (Lion and Life)
I know I’m missing a ton of options but just a few ideas!
I like Theo and Ruth. Theo starts with th and Ruth ends with th; it’s a bookend sort of pairing. And, as with Lucy and Jude, Theo and Ruth each have 4 letters.
If you’re a die-hard Star Wars fan, a not so subtle choice would be Luke and Leia.
You could consider literary siblings. Any pairing of the Pevensie siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe would work. I think I like Peter and Lucy best.
There’s also Holden and Phoebe Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye. You might not want your babies’ names associated with the mature themes of the book, but the names do sound good together.
I like Laura’s idea of anagram names. Abel and Bella is a near anagram (I think Bela looks as if it’s missing the second L.) James/Jamie and Maisie is another not quite anagram.
Jasper and Jade (or Jet and Jade) could reference minerals/gems.
Simeon and Anna from the Bible are a nice pairing. They were faithful Jews who had waited all their lives for the coming of Messiah. The Lord rewarded their faithfulness and they recognized Jesus when his parents brought Him to the Temple.
B-G twins I’ve known in real life: Dave and Donna, Gordon and Abigail, Bradley and Charlotte, and Matthew and Lily.
Such a fun challenge! Congratulations! I LOVE all of Abby’s suggestions especially Ivy & Jasper.
Since you don’t mention your style, hard to know which way to go, but here are some other ideas of tie-ins:
Using YOUR name in their names (ALI&SON or SON&ALI)
Malin & Judson
Calliope & Garrison (Coco & Sonny)
Adalie & Edison (Ada & Eddie)
Calista & Gibson
Dalia & Iverson
Coraline & Morrison (Cora & Mo)
Magali & Henderson (Maggie & Hass)
Novalie & Tennyson
Rosalie & Grayson (Rosie & Gray)
Thalia & Samson
Emerson & Salinger (Emmy & Sal)
Sonnet & Alistair
Season & Valiant
Sonya & Malik
I know twin parents who have gone with the A/B thing but that might be too cliché for you..
Ayla & Beaudry
Amos & Bronywn
Avalon & Blake
Ari & Bea
Garnet and Ruby (gemstones)
Magnolia and Linden (trees)
(sorry if this post doubles! it didn’t seem to work the first time)
Garnet and Ruby (gemstones)
Magnolia and Linden (trees)
🙂
Ivy and River
William, Hallie and Millie can form a gorgeous friend circle. First, they are traditional names which are steeped in history, second, they own stylish L sound. Last but not least, they contain inexhaustible meanings
I love Sebastian and Marguerite. Going in another direction, I love Sage and Nova together. ( Sage is all boy to me because I had a great uncle Sage ). Also love Linus and Margo.
I’ve always liked Jude and Lucy for twins. Another fun idea is Blaise and Isabel because they share the same letters.