A sibling for Imogen...

General Name Discussion
1

My husband and I just decided we are ready to TTC baby number 2 and now that the decision has been made, I can let the fun of making name lists begin! I am completely stuck on what names would go well with [name]Imogen[/name], however. For a bit of background: we are currently living in [name]England[/name] but will be moving back to the US after baby number 2 is born. [name]Imogen[/name] is SO British that we are finding hardly any Americans we come across are familiar with the name and now I’m not sure if the second baby needs a uniquely British name, as well? Really unsure what direction to head in, so would [name]LOVE[/name] to hear any and all ideas! We use the nickname [name]Immy[/name] for [name]Imogen[/name] and are big names of formal names with cute, spunky nicknames.

Here are some of our favorites so far:

Girls

[name]Lena[/name] (we love this but can’t think of a middle name)
[name]Clara[/name]
[name]Matilda[/name]
[name]Freya[/name] (not sure this name works in the US)
[name]Elodie[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name] (nn [name]Bess[/name]) (this has been the front runner so far)
[name]Rosamund[/name] (might prefer this as a middle name)

middle name possibilities include [name]Ruth[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Wren[/name], and [name]Amelia[/name] (though open to suggestions here, as well)

Boys
[name]James[/name]
[name]Arthur[/name]

I really like [name]Flynn[/name], [name]August[/name], [name]Theodore[/name], and [name]Leo[/name] but husband has vetoed those, thus far…

middle name possibilities so far for a boy are [name]Valentine[/name], [name]James[/name], or [name]Rufus[/name]

2

I absolutely love the combo [name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Wren[/name], NN [name]Bess[/name], with sister [name]Imogen[/name]! So sweet and not too strange to Americans either. I think all of your other options are fine also, most people would know at least how to pronounce [name]Freya[/name]. I actually think you might run into more trouble with [name]Elodie[/name], although I also love [name]Elodie[/name] and [name]Imogen[/name] as sisters.

For a brother, my vote would go to [name]Arthur[/name] [name]Valentine[/name]. Swoon-worthy handsome. If I met a family with children named [name]Imogen[/name], [name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Wren[/name] “[name]Bess[/name]”, and [name]Arthur[/name] [name]Valentine[/name], I think I’d die and go to heaven right there on the spot. [name]James[/name] is nice, but seems a bit plain next to [name]Imogen[/name].

3

For [name]Imogen[/name]'s sister, I love [name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Wren[/name] nn [name]Bess[/name] or [name]Matilda[/name] [name]Ruth[/name] nn [name]Tilly[/name]. For [name]Imogen[/name]'s brother, I love [name]Arthur[/name] [name]Valentine[/name] or [name]James[/name] [name]Rufus[/name].

4

Oh, exciting! So, what’s [name]Imogen[/name]'s middle name? I don’t think you necessarily need to go so British with this next baby’s name, but something a little vintage and quirky, with that hipster [name]Brit[/name] flair, would probably be best.

All of the names on your girl list are nice! Instead of [name]Lena[/name], what about [name]Elena[/name], [name]Helena[/name], or [name]Lenora[/name]? [name]Lena[/name] is a cute nickname as well if she has a long, formal version. [name]Clara[/name] is so fantastic - enough said. [name]Matilda[/name] feels very versatile no matter your home country, but I’ve always held a softer spot for [name]Mathilda[/name]'s spelling. [name]Freya[/name] can definitely work in the US. She’s perky and unusual just like [name]Imogen[/name]! [name]Elodie[/name], I have to say, has never been my favorite. I prefer [name]Eloise[/name] or [name]Esme[/name], personally. [name]Beatrice[/name] has the British flair, and [name]Beatrix[/name] adds a zesty X in there for fun! Finally, [name]Rosamund[/name] has the heaviness common in [name]Brit[/name] naming styles, whereas other [name]Rose[/name] forms from [name]Rosaline[/name], [name]Rosalind[/name], and my pick, [name]Rosanna[/name], can feel a little lighter and more playful.

My favorite of your girl names? Hm. [name]Clara[/name], maybe? Or [name]Freya[/name] is fun. I like the idea of [name]Helena[/name] or [name]Rosanna[/name] very much, though. I’m having a hard time mixing these first names with your middle names, mainly because they all end in A, so A-beginning names aren’t ideal, and then they have R-heavy sounds for the most part, so names with an “R” start sound aren’t great. The best I can think of are [name]Helena[/name] [name]Ruth[/name] and [name]Helena[/name] [name]Wren[/name]. Someone suggested [name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Wren[/name], with [name]Bess[/name] as a nickname, but I’d go with [name]Birdie[/name] there! [name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Lark[/name], too, is really gorgeous - I would advice you to consider [name]Lark[/name] as a middle name. Combinations I like are [name]Clara[/name] [name]Juniper[/name], [name]Clara[/name] [name]Jessamine[/name], [name]Clara[/name] [name]Lilias[/name], [name]Clara[/name] [name]Noemi[/name], [name]Clara[/name] [name]Penelope[/name], [name]Helena[/name] [name]Pearl[/name], [name]Helena[/name] [name]Romy[/name], [name]Helena[/name] [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Helena[/name] [name]Mabel[/name], [name]Helena[/name] [name]Faye[/name], [name]Freya[/name] [name]Rosamund[/name], [name]Freya[/name] [name]Genevieve[/name], [name]Freya[/name] [name]Violet[/name], [name]Rosanna[/name] [name]Lark[/name], [name]Rosanna[/name] [name]Mathilde[/name], [name]Rosanna[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name], and [name]Rosanna[/name] [name]Lucille[/name]. Other first names might be [name]Adelaide[/name] ([name]Ada[/name]), [name]Bryony[/name] ([name]Brie[/name]), [name]Cordelia[/name] ([name]Coco[/name]), [name]Estella[/name] ([name]Essa[/name]), [name]Fiona[/name] ([name]Fae[/name]), [name]Georgina[/name] ([name]Gigi[/name]), [name]Harriet[/name] ([name]Hattie[/name]), [name]Jessamy[/name] ([name]Jessa[/name]), [name]Lucille[/name] ([name]Lou[/name]), [name]Marigold[/name] ([name]Goldie[/name]), [name]Olive[/name] ([name]Liv[/name]), [name]Phoebe[/name] ([name]Bee[/name]), [name]Ramona[/name] ([name]Romy[/name]), [name]Tallulah[/name] ([name]Tula[/name]), or [name]Viola[/name] ([name]Lola[/name]).

With [name]Imogen[/name], I prefer [name]Arthur[/name] off your boy list. [name]August[/name] would’ve been perfect! As it stands, [name]Arthur[/name] [name]Valentine[/name] is interesting.

I might suggest [name]Archer[/name] ([name]Archie[/name]), [name]Alistair[/name] ([name]Aly[/name]), [name]Benedict[/name] ([name]Ben[/name]), [name]Beckett[/name] (Becks), [name]Callum[/name] ([name]Cal[/name]), [name]Dexter[/name] ([name]Dex[/name]), [name]Everett[/name] ([name]Rhett[/name]), [name]Felix[/name], [name]Garrick[/name] ([name]Rico[/name]), [name]Jude[/name], [name]Milo[/name] ([name]Miles[/name]), [name]Oscar[/name] ([name]Oz[/name]), [name]Russell[/name] ([name]Rusty[/name]), or [name]Thaddeus[/name] ([name]Tad[/name]) for a boy. In particular, I enjoy [name]Archer[/name] [name]Valentine[/name] (too [name]Cupid[/name]?!), [name]Everett[/name] [name]James[/name], [name]Jude[/name] [name]Valentine[/name], or [name]Thaddeus[/name] [name]James[/name]. I’d also suggest middle names like [name]Antony[/name], [name]Bertram[/name], [name]Calder[/name], [name]Deveraux[/name], [name]Edgar[/name], [name]Gordon[/name], [name]Jasper[/name], [name]Noel[/name], [name]Orson[/name], [name]Rafferty[/name], [name]Silas[/name], [name]Ulysses[/name], or [name]Victor[/name]. [name]Archer[/name] [name]Gordon[/name], [name]Alistair[/name] [name]Silas[/name], [name]Benedict[/name] [name]Antony[/name], [name]Beckett[/name] [name]Orson[/name], [name]Callum[/name] [name]Edgar[/name], [name]Dexter[/name] [name]Noel[/name], [name]Everett[/name] [name]Calder[/name], [name]Felix[/name] [name]Deveraux[/name], [name]Garrick[/name] [name]Ulysses[/name], [name]Jude[/name] [name]Rafferty[/name], [name]Milo[/name] [name]Bertram[/name], [name]Oscar[/name] [name]Antony[/name], [name]Russell[/name] [name]Victor[/name], or [name]Thaddeus[/name] [name]Edgar[/name] sound nice to me. I really like [name]Felix[/name] [name]Deveraux[/name]!

[name]Lemon[/name]

5

[name]Love[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] with [name]Imogen[/name]. [name]Beatrix[/name] would be even more lovely. [name]Matilda[/name] would pair quite well also. From your boys list I think [name]Arthur[/name] [name]James[/name] would be nice.

Some other ideas

Girls
[name]Violet[/name]
[name]Helen[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Cleo[/name]
[name]Harriet[/name]
[name]Sylvia[/name]
[name]Lucy[/name]
[name]Clover[/name]
[name]Florence[/name]/[name]Flora[/name]
[name]Cordelia[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Hazel[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Ramona[/name]
[name]Daphne[/name]
[name]Scarlett[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name]
[name]Rosemary[/name]
[name]Susannah[/name]
[name]Penelope[/name]

Boys
[name]Miles[/name]
[name]Thayer[/name]
[name]Cyrus[/name]
[name]Willem[/name]
[name]Dexter[/name]
[name]Callum[/name]
[name]Dashiell[/name]
[name]Jude[/name]
[name]Silas[/name]

6

[name]Stella[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
[name]Naomi[/name]
[name]Lily[/name]
[name]Matilda[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name]

[name]Lachlan[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Orlando[/name]
[name]Ashton[/name]
[name]Gabriel[/name]
[name]Patrick[/name]

Sorry for any repeats.

7

I’m just going to be honest and say I really dislike [name]Beatrice[/name] or [name]Beatrix[/name]. It reminds me of beetroot or beat, and I don’t think it’s pretty. I don’t get all the love for [name]Wren[/name], either - it (and [name]Lark[/name]) just seems a bit silly and whimsical to me.

BUUUT…that’s just me. I know everyone else loves them.

I think [name]Imogen[/name] is beautiful, and all the rest on your list are lovely (except [name]Freya[/name]). [name]Lena[/name] is great, but I slightly prefer [name]Elena[/name].

8

Thank you for all of the feedback and suggestions, so far!

LOVE the combo of Beatrice Wren–I think Immy and Bess sound perfect together! I had considered using Elisabeth to get to Bess but Beatrice just seems to fit better with Imogen. I think Beatrix is also great and I may even prefer it, though my husband prefers Beatrice so not sure where we’ll end up on that one.

Matilda Ruth definitely appeals, as does Helena Pearl and Freya Rosamund. The only reason Lena is on our list instead of Helena is that Helena is my SIL’s middle name and I feel it would tie us into using a family name from my side for a middle name if we went with that. Ruth is a family name so I have considered Helena Ruth nn Lena. I also like the suggestions of Rosalind, Rosanna, and Lucille (though Imogen’s middle name is Louise, so Lucille is probably too close). Love Harriet and Ramona too but can’t use either for various reasons.

Imogen’s middle name Louise was inspired by the silent film star Louise Brooks so I’m still on the search for either a first or middle name that has a bit of special meaning to us in the same way that Louise does. Literary names definitely appeal.

I’ve also considered Margot nn Maggie…does that work?

Eliza is a favorite of my husband’s and I’m also a fan of Florence/Flora, Scarlett, Susannah, and Penelope. Phoebe and Stella are growing on me. My husband has also suggested Felicity, but I’m still on the fence there.

The boy names are tricky–I actually love the suggestions of Arthur Valentine and James Rufus but both are family combinations that we wouldn’t want to use together in their entirety, so we would need to mix it up a bit and use either Arthur or Valentine; James or Rufus. Arthur James could definitely work and we’ve also considered James Valentine but neither fully clicks with me yet…I’m still hoping to discover a boy name that has a bit more ooomph to it that my husband will also agree on. He tends to be more traditional with boy names than with girls, though it was his idea to use Valentine as a middle name for a boy. I’m still hoping to talk him into either August James or August Valentine nn Gus. I think Immy and Gus are darling together!

From the other boy suggestions, I like Archer, Beckett, Callum, Everett, Jude, Milo, Miles, Dashiell, Oliver, Love Jasper, Silas, Fergus, and Edgar for middle names.

I’ll have to run some of these new ones by my husband tonight and see where our list stands from there!