UPDATE: Please welcome Naomi Anne! Amber says, “No matter how many names we both liked, I really wanted to have an M name. After looking at this list and the comments a hundred times, my husband pointed out Naomi. It’s nothing like Emma and Molly (or Amber or Michael), but there’s a strong M sound. Everything clicked into place. She’s Naomi Anne, the middle name for Michael’s grandmother, but also because now she has a double letter, just like Emma and Molly. Thanks to everyone for helping us find the perfect name for our long-awaited baby girl!
Amber writes:
We have two daughters, Emma Grace and Molly Rose. They’re just eighteen months apart. Emma will be 9 this summer, and Molly is 7. After many years of thinking we couldn’t have more children, we’re expecting a third daughter in August. While names were always easy for us, this time, nothing seems right.
Maybe it’s because we know SO many girls! Between family, school, sports, scouts, and church, it feels like we must know over a hundred girls, at least. All of the other names we liked when we were expecting Emma and Molly are taken: Ava, Nora, Sadie, Ruby, Daisy, Clara, Lila, Katherine/Kate.
We also have a long, Italian last name – four syllables, starts with a B, ends with an a. I really don’t like the way longer names, like Olivia or Amelia, sound with it. Also, we’re not especially Italian, so names like Rosa, Maria, etc. sound too Italian, if that makes sense.
Nicknames are a sore spot with my husband, who is Michael – NOT Mike. So we prefer names that either don’t shorten, or, maybe, by some miracle, shorten to something he likes. (Katherine/Kate is his one exception so far, but now it is our niece’s name.)
Other names seem ruled out because they’re too close to Emma and Molly. We loved Ella for Molly, but felt Emma and Ella were too match-y. We’ve also ruled out Gemma and Lily for similar reasons.
While I’m eager to avoid recycling a name, my husband strongly dislikes names he’s never heard of before. He also doesn’t like “old” names, and he’s not exactly objective about them. He thinks Hazel is old, but also Evelyn. (Never mind that we know two Evelyns under the age of five.) I don’t like made-up names, so Kaylee, Hailey, Kinsley, etc. are out, though he tends to like those just fine.
For a while, I wanted a name with an ‘M’ sound in it somewhere to match her sisters’ names, but as my due date gets closer and our list is blank, I’m willing to let that go.
What have we overlooked that would work?
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your third daughter!
If it helps, you’re facing the classic conundrum faced by experienced parents. We know what we like and what works for our family, but the reality of having named children and knowing so many more? That limits us in surprising ways.
But let’s talk about those limits for a minute.
Since your niece is Katherine-called-Kate, that name is out. But are Ava, Nora, Sadie, Ruby, Daisy, Clara, and Lila also the names of close family members? Or friends who are like family?
Because sometimes we do tend to cross out names that belong to, say, a neighbor’s kid or a maybe friend from work. And it can be awkward, in the moment, to repeat a name. But if you truly love Ava or Sadie or Clara, it’s worth considering that relationship. Neighbors move. We change jobs. If it’s not completely necessary to rule out a favorite, maybe you shouldn’t.
Still, I’m going to proceed as if all of those names belong to nieces and goddaughters and close friends’ children and make some fresh suggestions instead.
A SISTER FOR EMMA and MOLLY
ALICE
A storybook name with plenty of strength, Alice sounds like a sister for Emma and Molly.
CHARLOTTE
While Charlotte is very popular, it’s not on your can’t-use list. (And I’m inclined to repeat my maxims about how even the most popular names are less common than they were before.) It reminds me a bit of Katherine, though there’s not necessarily a Kate equivalent.
EDEN
Maybe slightly more modern – though the Garden of Eden is anything but.
LUCY
If Ruby and Lila are favorites you’ve had to rule out, would Lucy offer some of the best of both?
MAREN
Like Eden, Maren is a little more modern. It’s a Scandi take on Mary, tailored and strong.
MILA
Mila shares sounds with Emma and Molly, which could make it exactly right – or maybe too close? I think Emma, Molly, and Mila are fun to say together.
STELLA
Stella – or Bella? – shares the Ls of Molly and the two-syllable, ends-with-a construction of Emma. It’s a mainstream favorite that’s still plenty cool.
VIOLET
For something completely different, would you consider Violet? Daisy is on your like-but-can’t-use list, so maybe another floral favorite would appeal?
I think my favorite is Maren. Different ending sounds make the three names distinct, but the shared M sound links them. The question, of course, is probably whether Maren hits that mainstream, but not repeated, sweet spot?
I love the name Stella for you! You mentioned that you loved Ella but it was too close to Emma… however Stella still includes the double letters featured in Emma and Molly as well as being two syllables and is far enough apart from Emma! So maybe Stella Kate?
Also I love Ava with Emma (I have an Emma and was going to use Ava if I’d had another girl second time around). So if Ava is not a name by close relatives / friends perhaps revisit – Emma, Molly and Ava would be cute!
I love so many of the suggestions and most of the ones I’d suggest are already listed … except maybe Sophie? I don’t think I’ve seen that yet.
Among them all, I’d like to second the suggestion of Anne. Double letters, not an M (maybe if you squint) but it sounds so lovely alongside Emma and Molly and looks so pleasingly symmetrical. I also thought that if you used a one syllable first name with a two syllable middle, all the girls would match in syllable count. I’ve always loved the idea of a small Anne Sarah. That would be beautiful here ….
Emma Grace, Molly Rose & Anne Sarah?
Emma, Molly & Anne
Aimee/Amy, April, Autumn, Bella, Bria, Britta, Brooke, Brynn, Calla, Camille, Camryn, Chloe, Faith, Gia, Hannah, Holly, Hope, Isla, Laney/Lanie, Lilia, Lily, Maggie, Mara, Margo/Margot, Mariah, Mariel/Marielle, Marta, Mataya/Mattea, Maura, Makenna, Maxine, Melanie, Mimi, Mina, Miri, Moira, Myra, Nina, Paige, Rachel, Remi, Roma, Romy, Rose/Rosie, Ruth/Ruthie, Summer, Talia, Tatum, Taya, Tori, Willa, Zoe
I really like the suggestion of Maeve for you. Emma, Molly and Maeve sound fabulous together. Mabel is another good one.
Since you like Katherine nn Kate, I wonder if you have considered Margaret, which has a similar feel, sounds great with the sisters, has the M and also nn potential like Meg or Maggie.
My other thought was leaning into names like Ayla or Layla/Leila. They are similar to names you like but can’t use (eg Lila), share sounds with Kaylee, Hailey etc that your husband likes, but with history behind them.
BELLE!
Short, modern , nickname proof, different ending to her sisters names, different starting letter, repeated double consonant pattern.
Molly, Emma and Belle.
At first I was going to suggest the lovely name Amalia. However, I quickly realized that name is way too similar to both Emma and Molly to be a good fit! Here are some other ideas
For m names: Alma or Camilla
For double letters: Carrie or Jessa
I also like the suggestions of Lucy, Cora, and Hannah others made.
I’m not surprised this is such a challenge! Emma and Molly are perfectly balanced with each other: two syllables long, M sound, double letters, feminine but not frilly, relatively nickname-proof, classic but not old-fashioned…
It’s hard to think of names that check the same boxes without coming too close to this existing pair (see: Gemma, Ella, and Lily).
Of Abby’s suggestions, I especially like Alice and Violet. They introduce new vowel and ending sounds to the sibset. Charlotte is lovely as well, but at 9 letters, maybe it’s too long for your preferences (even if it’s only two syllables)?
At first glance, I was surprised you were focused on M as the link between your daughters’ names, because the double letters seemed like a more striking connection to me. But then I realized that both you (Amber) and your husband (Michael) also have M in your names, so it really does tie your family together!
I’m inclined to lean away from names that *start* with M, since you already have a Molly. It can be practical to have different initials for labeling clothes, school supplies, and such. With that in mind, here are some possibilities that contain an M:
Summer (fitting for an August baby)
Romaine
Simone
Palmer
If you *like* the idea of duplicating initials, you could consider:
Michelle
…in honor of your husband. It also has the double letters of your other daughters’ names.
Other possibilities with double letters:
Hannah (my own name was actually the first that came to mind)
Tess or Tessa (as several others have suggested)
Corinne
Adelle
Lillian
Anne
And a few wild cards that don’t match the M or double letters, but that seem to fit in well with your taste and other criteria:
Claire
Iris
Cora
Helen
Finally, if you and your husband both truly love Katherine/Kate, I don’t think you have to rule it out simply because it’s your niece’s name. Plenty of families have first cousins with shared names – especially if they’re named after a grandparent. If the cousins don’t live nearby, it’s even less of an issue.
Katherine or Kate would also make a lovely middle name!
I really hope you’ll update us once your new daughter arrives.
Love Alice from this list!
For some reason I am thinking Emma, Molly and Flora.
Tatum (M sound, not made up or too old!)
Could you flip the M and look for W sounds? Have a joke/story about how you thought you were all don’t with babies and then she turned everything upside down
Winnie
Wren
Willa (same ending as Emma, Molly’s double L)
I’m thinking of short and sweet Amy, Mia and Mina for the ‘M’ connection.
I’d also like to suggest Leah, Adele, Cleo, Flora, Lena and Paige.