Name Help is a series at Appellation Mountain. Every week, we discuss reader’s name questions, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays. 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! To have your question considered, email appmtn (at) gmail. Looking for your own private #namehelp post? Order one here.
HADLEY, OLIVE, CLAIRE or SOMETHING ELSE?
Kelsey writes:
After a very long wait, we are expecting twin daughters in November. The twin part took us by surprise. We had agreed on a single girls’ name, Hazel Katherine.
There’s so specific meaning or one reason for our choice. I like that it’s a little bit old-fashioned and also strong. Plus it seems like really good name for a fall baby.
Finding a name for her sister feels impossible. While I’m technically due around Thanksgiving, there’s a very good chance I’ll deliver as early as October, so I want to be ready.
These are our favorite names so far:
- Hadley – A close second behind Hazel originally. I do still like it and my husband really likes it, but I’m nervous about two names with the same first initial.
- Olive – A close friend suggested this and I sort of love it, but are two green names too cute?
- Claire – Another name I liked for a really long time. If you ask me for my style, I’d probably say classic, and Claire feels very much like the kind of name I always thought I’d choose.
We’ve ruled out/can’t use:
- Daisy – I just think it’s too summery or something compared to Hazel, and I don’t like the way the “ayz” sound is in the middle of both names.
- Eloise – My husband just doesn’t like the “wheeze” sound.
- Charlotte – Niece’s name.
- Nora – Another niece. I like Charlotte, but I love Nora and it was originally on our short list before our niece arrived. (No hard feelings, just think it’s taken!)
Maybe we just need some new ideas? I feel like if Olive, Hadley, or Claire felt like the one we’d know by now. Or maybe I need someone else to say “yes, this one.”
Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.
EXPANDING A LIST TO SHORTEN IT
Abby replies:
Congratulations on your new daughters!
I’ve always liked the advice to name twins as if you’re naming your next two children, not a matched set.
And yet … twin names are inevitably said together more often, at least during childhood.
Plus, twin parents tell me practical considerations factor in. Since they’ll have the same last name and same birth date, sharing a first initial, too, can cause confusion.
While you might not notice a different naming style for sisters a few years apart, it’s potentially more obvious with twins.
That said, I think you might mix and match Claire, Hadley, and Olive to find a great name.
- Hazel Katherine and Claire Hadley – Both names mix a timeless element with something slightly more current.
- Hazel Katherine and Olive Claire – Are two great names too much? I’m not sure, but they’re anchored nicely by such traditional middles.
- Hazel Katherine and Hadley Claire – On paper, this is my favorite set and I think Hazel and Hadley are just plain fun to say together. But … I hesitate because of that whole shared first initial issue. (Twin parents, please weigh in and let me know if I’m overthinking: can a twin sister for Hazel also have an H name?)
I do think sometimes fresh ideas help. Either you’ll end up with a new name combination in the mix, or you’ll realize that you can’t improve on your current favorites.
My vote goes to Claire Hadley from your original list, but let’s see if we can add some more options.
FRESH SUGGESTIONS: A TWIN SISTER FOR HAZEL
AUDREY
While I do like Claire with Hazel, I think there’s lots of appeal to another complete, two-syllable name. Audrey is less traditional than Mary, but feels more complete than something casual like Sadie or possibly even Daisy.
ESME
Hazel’s sound is distinctive. Sure there’s Mabel and Hayes, but Hazel stands out. So does Esme. That hint of a Z sound in Esme helps, too.
EVELYN
Could Evelyn be the midpoint between Olive and Eloise? It’s another late 19th century favorite with some appealing shared sounds.
MILA
Because you like Nora, I wanted to throw some other two-syllable, ends-with-a names in the mix – but obviously Cora and Flora would be non-starters. Does Mila appeal? Like Hazel, it has older roots, but it’s quite popular right now.
PHOEBE
Hazel is a subtle nature name; Phoebe means bright, and also refers to a type of bird.
STELLA
Or maybe Stella is the nature-adjacent name that works best. The repeating EL sound links the names, too.
VERA
As with Mila, Vera is a strong, two-syllable choice with that A ending. The V of Olive feels like a bonus.
ZARA
While names like Hazel and Hadley might be too matched for your daughters, Hazel and Zara both share that high value Scrabble letter Z.
Overall, it’s tough to choose! But I’m most drawn to Claire Hadley from your list, and Audrey or Stella from mine. Possibly Stella Hadley or Audrey Evelyn?
I really like Olive for you! From Abby’s list, Stella is gorgeous. More ideas:
Is Cora too close to Nora? Probably depends how close you are to your niece. Cora is beautiful and vintage and feels like a cross between Nora and Claire. Cora Hadley and Hazel Katherine, maybe? If Cora is too close to Nora, would Clara be separate enough from Claire?
My aunt wanted to name her daughter Hazel but had already used it for the dog. So her daughter is Katherine “Kitty”. Would a new middle name for Hazel and Katherine as her sister’s name appeal? I like Hazel Claire and Katherine Hadley. Katherine could be Kitty or Kate, or maybe even Wren.
I think a really sweet way to complement Hazel could be another nature or color inspired name. I really like Iris as a floral, and a color too (purple). Iris Hadley and Hazel Katherine, maybe? Sylvie is nature inspired, too, it means “forest”. I love the v of Sylvie with the z of Hazel. What about Sylvie Claire and Hazel Katherine? Ivy has the same v as Sylvie, although, like Olive, it might be too green.
I think a gemstone inspired name could be cool, too. I initially thought of Ruby, and I like Opal too. Both call to mind a color, like Hazel, and have an ecovintage feel. Opal has the same O as Olive, too. Gemma is another sweet possibility.
A little more random but I really like Sienna with Hazel. It calls to mind a reddish brown, and I love the idea of Sienna Hadley or Sienna Claire. Sadie is another cute one.
Most twins I’ve known have had names starting with the same letter. It’s personal preference. I’d suggest: Clara, Delia, Frances, Grace, Ida, Jane, Josephine, Marjorie, Martha, Nancy, Rosemary, Ruby, Ruth, Thea, Vera, Willa as names that have a similar vibe.
Alliteration isn’t bad, but it’s not just two H names, it’s two H names that start the same way ‘Ha’zel and ‘Ha’dley. And that will get mixed very very quickly. For example Hazel and Hope have different secondary sounds to make a distinction.
Hazel and Opal
Hazel and Alma
Hazel and Eve
Hazel and Naomi
Hazel and Talia
Hazel and Sky
Hazel and Autumn
Hazel and Sabrina
Hazel and Fern
Hazel and Lenore
Hazel and Ivy
Sienna and Hazel was my first thought!
Hazel & Sienna -Love!
Evokes that similar autumnal warmth and a beautiful nature-colour.
Similar popularity in the charts.
Different syllable count to twin Hazel which makes them easy to say in the same sentence.
Maybe something like;
Hazel Katherine
Sienna Claire
Sienna Eleanor
My twins are a boy and a girl, so maybe it’s a different experience, but just having multiple kids in general, I am liable to mix up their names all the time no matter what. Maybe that’s a vote in favor of “don’t make the names so similar, so mixups won’t be as brain-melting” or maybe it’s a case of “you’re going to mix them up sometimes anyway so go for the matching initial if you like it”!
I will say, even just at home I find it useful to be able to label things with first initial, and I could see there being mixups at school, doctors office, mail, official paperwork l having girls with the same last name, first initial, and birth date!
I love Olive and Claire, they’re both more my style than Hadley, but I also think Hazel Katherine and Olive Claire are an amazing twin name pair! It’s pleasing that both first names are color/nature-y without being that obvious, both are 5 letters, and the middle names are traditional names with the same starting sound but not a matching initial. I think it’s perfect.
Congrats on your twins! I personally think Hazel and Olive are perfect together. I like Hadley too but I see your hesitation of them sharing an initial.
Some ideas:
Hazel and Sadie (instead of Daisy?)
Hazel and Eliza (instead of Eloise?)
Hazel and Georgia (instead of Nora?)
Hazel and Violet (instead of Charlotte?)
Hazel and Vivian (instead of Olive?)
Hazel and Aubrey (instead of Hadley?)
Hazel and Opal (instead of Olive and Opal is october’s birth stone)
Hazel and Marigold (marigold is October’s birth flower)
From your list, I just want to clarify that Hazel isn’t green, so you could choose Olive without having matching colour names. And Olive is probably more evocative of a colour than Hazel, so I think you’re fine. It’s sweet! I’d stick with that nervousness about two Hs. It’ll be enough that they’re twins, I wouldn’t emphasize their pairing with matching initials. And Claire – well, it’s a lovely classic, so if you love it, why not? Plus it always reminds me of Clair de la Lune, so both have a subtle nature vibe.
I had a lot of the names on your list on my first lists when pregnant, and I feel you on the long-awaited part (CONGRATS!), so perhaps some of these may appeal:
Naturey tie-in that isn’t too much IMO:
Daphne
Pearl
Iris
Gemma
Orla
Penny
Vintage lovelies:
Lucy
Willa
Polly
Maude
I hope you find something you love as much as Hazel for her sister. I can’t speak as a twin mom, but as a mom of two kids, I enjoy having a different initial for each. Who I’d love to hear feedback from even more than twin parents, would be a twin!
I like Hazel Katherine and….
Claire Rebecca
Claire Isabel
Claire Annabel
Claire Abigail
Claire Elizabeth or Elise
Phoebe Isobel
Phoebe Annabel
Phoebe Elizabeth or Elise
Eliza Claire
Eliza Jane
Hazel and Claire strike me as a lovely set. My hesitation is that “Claire Hadley” feels a bit weak and short next to the stronger, longer “Hazel Katherine.” If you take this route, any chance of swapping Hadley for a stronger/longer middle name for Claire? If you find a three-syllable middle, both girls will have four syllables total.
Claire Eloise
Claire Evelyn
Claire Annalise
Claire Annabelle
Claire Genevieve
Congratulations on your long-awaited additions!
I like Hazel Katherine & Hadley Claire the best. Don’t a lot of twins share initials? Maybe it is best to hear from twin parents.
A few others:
Hazel &
Ivory
Xanthe
Lyra
Imogene
Rhea
Linden
Dahlia
Calla
Best wishes!!