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Name Help: Twin Boys

October 22, 2016 By appellationmountain 34 Comments

Name Help: Twin BrothersName Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every Saturday one reader’s name questions will be discussed.

Courtney writes:

We have two daughters, Stella Mackenzie and Vivian Joelle. I love their names, don’t really mind when we meet other girls with the same names, and didn’t really spend a lot of time coming up with them.

We wanted just one more to complete our family, and guess what? We’re having twin boys!

If we had a third girl, I liked Hadley or Sophie, but I don’t really have a boys’ list.

My husband keeps suggesting names like Matthew, Joseph, Nicholas, and Christopher. They’re okay, but we know lots of men with those names. And we don’t really love them. They’re just … names. Our dads are William and Larry. We like the idea of a baby William, but Larry? Sorry, no!

The boys are due in January, but will probably arrive sooner. Our last name is one-syllable, starts with a Q, and is used as a first name, too. So that means no super-short names, please.

Please read on for my response, and share your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

Hi Courtney –

Congratulations on your twins!

Some people find it harder to name girls, but I’ve often found that boys bring up more conflict. Maybe that’s because we sometimes feel pressure to stick to more traditional names for our sons. (Though that’s changing!)

 

For girls, you’ve chosen names that are current but not modern. Vivian and Stella feel vintage, but mainstream vintage, as opposed to still slightly dusty names like Bernadette and Dorothy.

For boys, your husband prefers names that might be called timeless. The feminine equivalents might be Katherine and Elizabeth.

It’s possible that he prefers more traditional names for boys. But let’s look for the logical brother names for Stella and Vivian, and see if these will work.

Miles – Miles combines a current sound with a long history of use. It makes a perfect brother name for Vivian and Stella.

Theo – Theodore is another option, but it seems like lean towards nickname-proof names. Theo stands on its own very nicely.

Julian – Julian shares the same rhythm as Vivian, but I think they’re different enough to be sibling names.

Emmett – I love the sound of boy names like Everett, Beckett, and Emmett with your surname.

Felix – Felix is definitely vintage, and boasts plenty of history. But like Stella and Vivian, the name feels quite current now.

Oliver – Oliver keeps climbing the popularity charts, but if you aren’t phased by the possibility of your son sharing his name, I think it’s a great brother name for Stella and Vivian.

Henry – Henry seems almost as classic as Christopher and Matthew, but it also crosses into vintage territory, like Vivian and Stella.

Jonah – Jonah shares the possible nickname Joe with the more traditional Joseph – and yet it’s different, too.

As for middle names, I wonder if this would work: William and Lawrence. I agree that Larry feels a little dated, but it originated as a nickname for Lawrence. Lawrence strikes me as a timeless, enduring choice.

My favorites are Jonah Lawrence and Theo William, but I know others will have great suggestions, too!

Readers, over to you! What would you name twin brothers for Stella and Vivian?

More names you might like:

  • Name Help: A Twin Brother for MichaelName Help: A Twin Brother for Michael
  • Name Help: Twin Brothers for BeckettName Help: Twin Brothers for Beckett
  • Name Help: Twins Bring Double Naming ChallengesName Help: Twins Bring Double Naming Challenges
  • Twin Boy Names: Shared First InitialTwin Boy Names: Shared First Initial
  • Name Help: Soren and His Twin BrotherName Help: Soren and His Twin Brother

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Comments

  1. CysDawn says

    December 17, 2016 at 6:59 PM

    Willary is an awesome combination of William and Larry.

    You could do Willary with grandpa Larry’s middle name and William

    Another idea would be Willary and Wyatt give them there grandpa’s middle names as there middle names.

    Reply
  2. CrysDawn (pronounced Chris-Don) says

    November 22, 2016 at 3:23 AM

    What about combining William and
    lary to make new names……. Maybe Willary (pronounce will -air- E ) and Liliam (Lil -liam).
    ? My combo’s problem need work but you get the general idea. Or I saw the name Lawrence suggested
    How about Liam and Lawrence

    Reply
  3. Shayla says

    October 26, 2016 at 7:18 AM

    I like Jasper and Calvin for off-the-beaten-path boys’ names. They feel vintage cool like the sisters’ names.

    Reply
  4. C in DC says

    October 25, 2016 at 10:57 AM

    Josiah, Cedric, Leo, Harrison, Judson, Jedidiah, Francis.

    Variations on William and Larry: Willem, Liam, Guillermo, Guilliam, Gwilym, Wilmot, Wim; Lars, Loren, Lorenzo, Enzo, Larkin.

    I’m partial to Francis William and Theodore Lars (Frank and Teddy/Theo).

    Reply
  5. Jaime says

    October 25, 2016 at 12:01 AM

    Love William and Lawrence for the middles. Or use Larry’s middle or surname instead of his first. I love Milo for you…I like Miles as well but prefer the jauntier sound of Milo. Maybe Milo and August/Gus or Milo and Felix or Milo and Jasper??

    Reply
  6. Annamaria says

    October 24, 2016 at 9:51 PM

    Love the suggestions of Felix, Liam, Oliver, Lucas, Ansel, Thomas, Arthur, Lewis, Oscar, Anton, Francis, Walter, Frederick, Casper, Otto, Martin

    Other ideas: Willis, Noah, Conrad, Owen, Tristan, Harold, Gregory, Tobias, Calvin, Patrick, Spencer, Ronan, Jensen, Hector, Carsten, Jesper, Christoph, Norris, Jerome, Basil, Wilson, Henning, Weaver, Elliot

    Reply
  7. Vanessa says

    October 24, 2016 at 1:31 PM

    Stella and Vivian both sound a bit Southern to me, but also vintage… How about Shepherd, Holden, Cameron, Tucker, Lucas, Elijah, or Sawyer? I also love the suggestions of Jasper and August!
    August William and Holden Lawrence might be my favorite combo.

    Reply
  8. Maggie says

    October 23, 2016 at 7:48 PM

    Alfie Abby
    Freddie Annie
    George Dulcie
    Harry Darcie/y
    Jack Georgie/a
    Jamie Lucy
    Lewis Maggie
    Mattie/y Mamie
    Olly Molly
    Oscar Polly
    Rennie Sadie
    Sam Tilly
    Tom Trudy

    Reply
  9. Madelyn says

    October 23, 2016 at 6:54 PM

    I looove the nickname “Law” for Lawrence. Just putting it out there. Good luck!

    Reply
  10. Lisa T. says

    October 23, 2016 at 2:05 PM

    I looove the suggestions of Theodore (Theo) and August (Gus)! Lawrence and William as middles are also excellent.

    Reply
  11. Lauren says

    October 23, 2016 at 12:15 PM

    What about..;
    Alexander Laurence and Maximilian William,
    Daniel Laurence and Benjamin William* or
    Francis Laurence and Jonathan William

    *= if your not 100 percent certain sure that you don’t want traditional (biblical) firsts’ and if your definitely not going to have other children after -I can’t abide people who has a son called Benjamin and then have another son-.

    Reply
  12. Sara says

    October 23, 2016 at 11:30 AM

    Too bad short names are off the table (I actually like one syllable given names with one syllable surnames, but I understand that’s not to everyone’s taste) — because a nifty form of Laurence that is both familiar but unusual, easy to pronounce, and “modern” in its usage in the US is the Scandinavian form Lars. (I’d also suggest Lasse, except that some people find its pronunciation, rhyming with Lassie, off-putting for a person.)

    Reply
    • Kelsey D says

      October 23, 2016 at 12:52 PM

      Not sure how the original poster feels about matchy-type names but what a great idea! I love the idea of doing a spin off the original names.

      Liam and Lars for William and Larry!

      Reply
  13. Nicole says

    October 23, 2016 at 11:05 AM

    Stella, Vivian, Benjamin Lawrence & Donovan William

    or Martin Lawrence & Frederick William

    or Casper & Elijah

    or Lionel & Edmund

    or Otto & Louis

    Reply
  14. Kelsey D says

    October 23, 2016 at 11:01 AM

    I love Stella and Vivian! Congrats on your twins!

    My favorite would be George and Oliver.

    Walter and Theodore. Walt and Theo.

    Theodore and August. Theo and Gus.

    Other names:
    Franklin
    Frederick
    Charles
    Giles
    Henry
    Arlo – I know it’s short but because it is still two syllable I think it sounds good with your last name

    Good luck!

    Reply
    • Kelsey D says

      October 23, 2016 at 11:03 AM

      Oh I forgot a few. Edmund or Edward are both dashing names!

      Louis (Louie).

      I like Victor but not sure if you’d want to double up on first initial.

      Reply
  15. Emily says

    October 23, 2016 at 9:39 AM

    Here are a couple more ideas:

    Winston
    Hugo

    Reply
  16. Mint says

    October 23, 2016 at 7:28 AM

    Stella, Vivian, Oliver, Emmett

    Reply
  17. Candy says

    October 23, 2016 at 5:44 AM

    My favorites from the list are Julian Lawrence and Everett William.

    Reply
  18. KaterinaS says

    October 23, 2016 at 4:58 AM

    I like Miles Lawrence and Theo William. August and Oliver are great suggestions too. August William and Oliver Lawrence.

    Reply
  19. Christina Fonseca says

    October 23, 2016 at 3:11 AM

    Congrats on the twins. My first thought was LIAM, short form of William and it starts with the same letter as Larry. Since you like 6-letter names for girls, I stuck with that for boys. Some ideas: Cooper, Harvey, Hudson, Jasper, Marcus, Walter, and Wesley.

    Reply
  20. Kate says

    October 23, 2016 at 12:47 AM

    I like Max & Leo. Strong well known boys names with just a little something more like Stella & Vivian.

    If you wanted like longer name options Maxwell William and Leonard Lawrence.

    Stella, Vivian, Max & Leo

    I also like Miles, Grant, Carter, & Donovan for you.

    Reply
  21. Adk says

    October 23, 2016 at 12:28 AM

    From the suggestions my favorite would be Theo and Miles or Theo and Oliver. I would suggest Grant, Jay, and James but I’m afraid they’re all maybe a bit choppy with the surname. Perhaps Calvin, Harvey, Gus (August), or Jack?

    I think Theo William and Gus Lawrence are a stunning set. Or if you want to be more formal you can do Theodore nickname Teddy/Theo and August nickname Gus.

    Stella, Vivian, Theo, and Gus.
    Stella, Vivian, Teddy and Gus.

    Reply
  22. The Mrs. says

    October 22, 2016 at 10:48 PM

    Howard & Gordon!

    Howard William and Gordon Lawrence.

    Stella, Vivian, Howard, & Gordon Q.

    And congratulations!!

    Reply
  23. Sargjo says

    October 22, 2016 at 10:37 PM

    I think Stella and Vivian are dashing! Boys names in the dashing category for me that haven’t been mentioned are Oscar, Roman, Iver, Anton and other sort of Euro flair names at home in a bohemian den or a manor house or a casino table in Monaco.

    Reply
  24. Jacquie says

    October 22, 2016 at 9:35 PM

    Fave suggestions: Miles and Felix
    Extra suggestions: Lewis and Ira

    Reply
  25. Carrie says

    October 22, 2016 at 9:31 PM

    Oh wow…Stella and Vivian are stunning together. The boy suggestions offered above are all excellent! I especially love Emmett & Theo. A few ideas i have:
    Arthur
    Barnaby- sounds cool with your surname!
    Chester
    Elliott
    Gabriel
    Graham
    Leo
    Nathaniel
    Peter
    Ruben
    Solomon
    Xavier

    Reply
  26. Tara says

    October 22, 2016 at 9:08 PM

    My favorites from the suggestions are Felix & Oliver. Stella, Vivian, Felix & Oliver sound wonderful together.

    I’m not usually a fan of Miles but I do feel like it is handsome here, and I agree that Emmett and Everett would sound good with the last name.

    If repeating initials are okay, I like Sebastian or Vincent, but perhaps not with each other.

    John is short and ends with n, but I like it with the last name.

    Samuel & Charles
    Calvin & Evander
    Franklin & Thomas

    Reply
    • Maree says

      October 23, 2016 at 9:50 PM

      I actually know brothers named Sebastian and Vincent! I skipped a beat when I heard it but they are both Saints with that dominant S sound so I guess they are linked in that way.

      Reply
  27. Elizabeth says

    October 22, 2016 at 7:49 PM

    I love Stella and Vivian because they seem super feminine in an extremely strong, solid way. My suggestions for brothers: Ansel & Orson.

    Reply
    • Sargjo says

      October 22, 2016 at 10:38 PM

      Ooh I love these!

      Reply
  28. Georgie says

    October 22, 2016 at 7:23 PM

    I think any of these would be great with your girls’ beatiful classic names: Hugo, Leo, Timothy, Dominic, Lucas, Raphael, Darcy, Milo, Reuben, Alexander, Xavier.

    Reply
  29. Margaret says

    October 22, 2016 at 6:25 PM

    I love all of your suggestions on this one. My favorite combos would be Oliver William and Henry Lawrence.

    Reply
  30. Riley says

    October 22, 2016 at 5:41 PM

    What about August? I love Theodore and really like the idea of using grandpas’ names as middles using Lawrence.

    Reply

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