Style

[pegasus2o5.livejournal.com]

Although it matters to some people more than others, I think most of us here agree that sibling names should go together stylistically, or at least not clash horribly. Which brings me to a problem. Not a pressing one, since there are no babies in my near future, but still. I have two distinctly different "styles" that I lean toward. More dominant at the moment is the Neo-Traditionalist: Alice, Charlotte, Lily, Gabriel, Jonah. The other, starting to swing back into favor, is more of an Offbeat style: Callista, Ariana, Tabitha, Dominic, Jasper. What do you do when you like, not just more than one name, but more than one kind of name, about equally? The choice for Baby 1 sets the tone for all the others to follow, so it's an important choice to make!

I suppose I could try giving my husband a vote, but since he's not in the near future either...

ETA: Thanks for all the responses! I feel a little reassured now that I can use a name from one set without ruling out the others forever. Yay!

Comments

[schexyschteve.livejournal.com]

Depends on the two names. Something like Jasper and Alice (hey, Twilight) go together fine. Dominic and Charlotte work too.

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

I think names that don't sound ridiculous together(oh hey McKynli and Charlotte) are fine, but names that just DO NOT GO are bad.

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

IDK, none of my older kids (or their names) had anything to do with what I named subsequent kids. "No, hunny, I couldn't name you what I really wanted to because your older sibling doesn't have a similar name" doesn't seem so good to explain when that child is later asking about names (as most do when they decide to have kids or somesuch conversation comes up).

My older 2 have very traditional names (first and middle(s), in fact) but my youngest has a name you very VERY rarely here in the US ("Annika"). I did not feel like giving her a more traditional or regional name just because her older siblings had such names.

Each of my children are very different, and are named accordingly. :)

[compulsivelyme.livejournal.com]

I would pair any of the names on any of those two lists.

I agree with the commenter that noted that you don't want to name one kid Kayleigh and one Richard, or one Rainbow and the other Charlie, because that doesn't really make sense. But your list of Offbeat names still encompasses some pretty traditional ones.

[lind-saay.livejournal.com]

agreed.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

I think it's okay if sibling names don't match perfectly. In fact, I think the combination of sibling names can change how the names feel. For example, consider these sibsets:

Samantha and Charlotte
Samantha and Brandy
Samantha and Araminta
Samantha and Lauren

Theoretically the sibling names are all the same "style" as Samantha (depending on how you define Samantha's style), but the sib name changes the perception of Samantha's name.

[rorylareina.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[kort-ni.livejournal.com]

Ugh, you totally stole my name. Baby number one was going to be McAppletonArmChair...but now it's not unique enough.

but in seriousness, it sounds like you and I have similar tastes and similar husbands, so we'll be going the more traditional route too.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

I guess you'll have to spell it McAppletynArmLeigh to really stand out from the crowd. PS "Leigh" is pronounced "Chair" in this case.

[ber-waves-of.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. I named my son Lennon Daniel, and I ADORE his name, but it's been very difficult to find a good sibling name that's similar in style/tone. His baby sister's name is going to be traditional yet uncommon, but her middle name is more common/borderline trendy/modern, so I think as a sibset, their full names do "fit" together. I decided I'd rather choose a name that I REALLY REALLY LOVE than worry too much about finding another name just like Lennon. Like an above commenter said, my kids will be totally different, so their names can be too. :)

[a-tergo-lupi.livejournal.com]

I don't really get the sibset planning, honestly.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of it is about the image parents want to project to others. It's not a totally noble impulse but it's hard to avoid. For example, my daughter's name is Jane. For a future baby I am uncomfortable using a really frilly/elaborate name...I don't want my daughter feeling like she got the boring name and her sibling got the "good"/fancy name. But on the flip side, I don't want to pick something so terribly common that it makes the combination excruciatingly dull to an outside observer. Jane and John, anyone? Theoretically the same style but in combination they don't seem like my style. I guess I want to pick a name for the same reasons I picked Jane, which are: it is clearly feminine without being silly (for a boy I'd want clearly masculine without being macho), it is well known but not overly common in this generation, it is traditional enough for my husband while being quirky enough for me, it is friendly and approachable, it is easy to remember and spell, it is an old name with history. So partly it's my ego, and partly that the names my husband and I both like are in ONE category (instead of the three or four categories I'd draw from if I was naming kids on my own). So I guess if my naming priorities changed drastically (I found religion or changed husbands or something), then I would be less concerned about choosing a "matching" sibling name. But since my priorities/preferences are the same, it's likely that sibling names will "match" in some way.

[harinakshi.livejournal.com]

I don't think you should worry about matching or setting a tone for future kids. You know the names you love, some more traditional, some not. When you're pregnant you'll find out what you're having and pick a name, one will stick, like, that's IT and no other name will do. And the same thing will happen with your next baby. If you feel like your first boy HAS to be River, and then you feel your next baby HAS to be Christopher, don't say, no, I have to name him Stream to match his brother. You know?

I think maybe you're just looking too far into it. I mean, Lily and Tabitha, no one is going to see a difference in tone or style or be like WTF was that mother thinking? All of your names would work together.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

I actually know twins named Lily and Tabitha, so there you have it.

[sal_amanda]

I don't think it really makes a difference at all if siblings don't have matching names.

[gipro2003.livejournal.com]

Agreed. As long as it isn't completely ridiculous as others have mentioned, I don't think it really matters.

An example:
Giulia
Megan
Wade
Wyatt

My siblings and my name. I don't think they are all of the same style, but each name definitely fits each of us. When I name my kids, I will go more for names I like rather than worrying about matching sibsetsd.

[taleofaredhead.livejournal.com]

I don't think this is a major deal, at least in my mind. If you name one child Elizabeth and another Mkaydin, that's one thing. In my mind, though, your names would all be fine together.

[daydream11.livejournal.com]

I do care about style, but as long as each name compliments the others well, I'm not too fazed about the situation. I have issues with names being mismatched - the Duggar family is terrible about this, even with the matching initials - but overall, it isn't a problem.

Thankfully, I tend toward Greek Mythology names with a hint of English Traditional and Latin: Ariadne, Persephone, Anastasia, Andromeda, Camilla, Ulysses, Verity, Arthur, Henry. I'd pair any of the names with the others without a second thought, even though on paper Verity, Ulysses, and Anastasia may not "go" together.

[satunian.livejournal.com]

They're a little stylistically different, but I wouldn't say those names clash horrible. Especially considering the children carrying those names will more likely reflect the parenting they've received rather than what their name sounds like. What I mean is, if you have two girls and name them Alice and Ariana, it's not like Alice is going to be wearing frilly dresses sipping tea at four o'clock with petit fours while Ariana is snapping gum dying her hair green before going to the mall. I'm sure it'll fit them regardless - besides, I sorta feel like Callista, Tabitha, Alice and Jasper could fit in either category