Naming Twins in a Blended Family

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.

NAMING BOY/GIRL TWINS

Hope writes:

My partner and I will welcome boy/girl twins this summer, maybe a little sooner. They will join our blended family:

• Jack Evan
• Mia Elizabeth
• Sutton Reign

I like short, simple, traditional, and popular names. My partner likes names that aren’t in the Top 100 and that feel a lot more interesting. I’d call them trendy, but I don’t want that to sound rude.

Here are our boys lists:

• Henry (my #1 pick), Cole, Luke, Leo, Benjamin/Ben, Miles (love it but not with our last name)
• Jett (his favorite), Ares, Crew/Crue, Wilder, Briggs

For our daughter:

• Emma (my favorite), Lily (also my favorite), Zoe, Daisy
• Remi (his favorite), Marlowe, Scottie, Blaire, Elowyn

We have some possible family names: Joseph or Josephine, Matthew, Timothy, Margaret, Annette/Anne but these are probably middle names only.

Our last name sounds like Mah-Loy.

Can you help?

Please read on for my response and leave your suggestions in the comments.

NAMING IS ALWAYS A BALANCING ACT

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your twins!

Compromise is tricky, right? But it’s doubly tricky with twins. Not only do you have to go through the process twice, but you’ll want to balance your children’s names with each other.

We always want siblings’ names to flow reasonably well. It feels like we say twins’ names together even more often when they’re young, so finding two names that feel even is a factor.

That’s a lot to think about – before we even consider individual preferences and styles.

Let’s look at boy names first.

NAMING TWINS IN A BLENDED FAMILY: BOY’S LIST

A few of these names feel like a natural midpoint between more traditional Jack and Mia and more modern Sutton. I’d say Cole, Leo, and Miles from your list hit that mark; and Crew from his current favorites.

But I wonder if we can consider a few new options.

ARLO

I’m looking for midpoints – names that share a certain style with a name on your list and a name on his list. Ares plus Leo leads to Arlo, and I think it’s a perfect brother name for Jack, Mia, and Sutton.

BROOKS

A softer, more mainstream (pun not intended!) Briggs.

DEAN

A traditional-ish choice that feels intellectual, like the job title, but also perpetually cool, like James.

JUDE

Jett plus Crew in terms of sound, but with an old school charm.

RORY

From his favorite girl’s name Remi, plus the sound of your top boy’s name, Henry.

WYATT

More familiar than Wilder, with the TT of Jett, and the more familiar appeal of Jack and Mia.

NAMING TWINS IN A BLENDED FAMILY: GIRL’S LIST

ANNIE

You say Daisy, he says Scottie. Annie falls somewhere in-between, plus picks up on your family names list.

CLAIRE

The tiniest consonant change transforms 21st century Blaire into classic Claire.

GEMMA

Emma and Remi share that strong EM sound. Could Gemma be a sweet spot for you both?

MARGOT

A more traditional choice with all of Marlowe’s energy.

SADIE

Daisy and Scottie both make me think of Sadie.

VIOLET

A tailored flower name with a bolder sound, Violet seems like the kind of name that appeals to those who like Lily, but also parents who favor Elowyn.

CHOOSING TWIN NAMES

While I think every name works individually, some aren’t great in combination. Violet and Wyatt sound like a tongue-twister together! Let’s see if we can come up with some combinations that sounds like boy/girl twins, but also twins in a blended family, matching Jack Evan, Mia Elizabeth, and Sutton Reign, too.

JUDE BENJAMIN & CLAIRE ELOWYN

Probably the most traditional first name pairing. I like how they’re short, balanced, and pick up on the sounds from your husband’s list – Jett, Crew, and Blaire.

ARLO BRIGGS & GEMMA BLAIRE

I think these are excellent compromises – tweaks to Ares/Leo and Remi/Emma, with bolder middles fro your husband’s list.

WYATT MATTHEW & ANNIE JOSEPHINE

Maybe my favorite duo, particularly because they blend those great family names with the best of your individual styles, too.

It depends on a few questions: is including family names a priority? If so, that limits your ability to mix and match bolder, modern choices from his list with more traditional ones from yours. And where, exactly, do you want to set the needle between more established favorites and newer names?

On paper, I love Arlo Briggs and Gemma Blaire, but that overlooks the family name component.

Over to you, readers! Can you help name twins in a blended family?