Sister for Juliette Grace: Longer and Lovely Girl Names

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 A SISTER FOR JULIETTE

Lauren writes:

We have one daughter, named Juliette Grace. I knew I wanted a longer name because our last name is very short. It sounds like Day. My husband is almost always called “Mike Day” because there are lots of Mikes/Michaels and because it’s easy to just say it together.

I always liked Julia and Juliet, but my husband wanted to spell it Juliette. We’re not French or anything, but I’ve come to like the way it looks.

For this daughter, nothing is feeling like The One just yet. We have considered:

• Anastasia – I grew up with the movie and I’ve always loved the name. My husband liked Juliette better, but he says he’d be good with Anastasia, too.
• Liliana – Or maybe Eliana? Would it end up being Lilly/Ellie all the time?
• Paulina – Maybe this is too old-fashioned?
• Victoria – I wanted to be Victoria/Tori when I was younger, but maybe this is just a name I like, not really one I want for my daughter, plus I wouldn’t want her to be “Tori Day” and I think that could happen.

My husband suggested Paulette, but I think two -ette names is maybe too much. Also no word/place names, because it sounds like an event, like Willow Day or Denver Day.

We both seem to agree on pretty names, ballerina names, something a little bit longer to go with our last name. But I want her name to be strong, too. Nothing is sticking like Juliette did and the closer I get to my due date, the more I’m starting to panic.

Read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

LOVELY NAMES LIKE JULIETTE

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new daughter!

It’s interesting that you mentioned ballerina names. They’re graceful, powerful, and absolutely strong. Dancers are amazing, right?

Names like Anastasia and Paulina and Juliette are long, traditional, maybe vaguely European. Pretty, yes, but with plenty of substance, too.

So I think you’re on the right path. That means the ideal name will be:

• Three syllables (or possibly four)
• Not likely to be shortened automatically (this is weird, right? Alexandra becomes Alex or Lexi or something … and yet Anastasia is almost always used in full)
• Romantic but also well-established
• Not another -ette name

I do think all four/five of the possibilities you’ve listed fit that description. It sounds like Anastasia is the front-runner, but Liliana/Eliana, Paulina, and Victoria work, too.

Naming a sister for Juliette anything ending with an -ette does feel less-than-ideal, so the only one you’ve mentioned that I would drop is Paulette. But it sounds like that’s already off the table!

Let’s brainstorm some more options.

ROMANTIC, LONG NAMES FOR JULIETTE’S SISTER

AURELIA

An ancient name like Julia, with an irresistible meaning: golden.

CECILIA

A popular name ranked just outside of the current Top 100, Juliette and Cecilia are similar in terms of popularity.

EVANGELINE

A literary name with a long history of use, Evangeline also avoids an -A ending, like Juliette, but it’s every bit as elaborate.

FRANCESCA

While it’s often considered Italian, Francesca works nicely in English. I love the way Juliette and Francesca are both European tour names, but from different parts of the map.

MARIANA

Marianne is French; Marianna the Italian; and Mariana, typically Spanish. But the single-N spelling is the most common version in the US, so it’s the one I think works best for you.

PERSEPHONE

A Greek goddess name associated with springtime, longer than similar Chloe, Zoe, or Phoebe, and unlikely to be shortened – unlike Penelope.

SERAPHINA

Yes, it’s long and dramatic – but it means fiery.

VIVIENNE

Possibly the most logical sister name for Juliette that I could imagine – if you’re leaning in to the French vibe.

Overall, I do think Anastasia checks every box and makes a perfect sister name for Juliette. If not Anastasia, I’m most drawn to Persephone and Seraphina.

Readers over to you! What would you name a sister for Juliette?