A Sister for Riley

We’re having trouble naming our youngest daughter and need your help… her big sis is named [name_u]Riley[/name_u], and we have already decided that little sister’s middle name will be [name_u]James[/name_u] (after Grandpa, and also dad’s middle name). For that reason, we need something a little girly for the first name (even though I lean towards unisex).

Thoughts on the following?

  • [name_u]Ali[/name_u] (husband’s fave - a name I have always liked but wonder if it sounds too much like [name_u]Riley[/name_u]? This is also the ONLY name on the list that my husband likes…)
  • [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
  • [name_u]Laney[/name_u]
  • [name_u]Lexi[/name_u]
  • [name_f]Tessa[/name_f]
  • [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]
  • [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] (Savi)
  • [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u] (although I am not big on [name_f]Cassie[/name_f])
  • [name_f]Joie[/name_f] ([name_m]Joe[/name_m]-ee - I know, leans too much to the boy side probably, and not sure on full name)
  • [name_u]Reese[/name_u]
  • [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] ([name_u]Rory[/name_u])

Help?! Open to other suggestions as well!

[name_u]Ali[/name_u] just as a name is a little close to [name_u]Riley[/name_u], in that they’re both two syllables and end in the -ey sound. But I also don’t think they’re VERY close. Why not give her a longer name, like [name_f]Alissa[/name_f] or [name_f]Alison[/name_f]? More options can be [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Adeline[/name_f], [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] ([name_u]Laney[/name_u] could also be a nickname! [name_u]Riley[/name_u] and [name_f]Alaina[/name_f] are darling), [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], [name_f]Althea[/name_f]… so on and so on.

Though to be honest, my favorite is [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] :slight_smile:

On your list, my favorites are [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] and [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]. But that doesn’t really help if your husband hates them.

If he likes [name_u]Ali[/name_u], maybe you guys will like:

[name_f]Amy[/name_f]
[name_f]Sally[/name_f]
[name_f]Ava[/name_f]
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]
[name_f]Maelys[/name_f]
[name_f]Annie[/name_f] (or maybe a longer name, like [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] nn [name_f]Annie[/name_f])

I love [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] and [name_u]Riley[/name_u] together as siblings.

I love love love the nickname [name_u]Rory[/name_u] for [name_f]Aurora[/name_f]!! [name_u]Riley[/name_u] and little [name_u]Rory[/name_u] and adorable!!!

My favs from your list with [name_u]Riley[/name_u] are:

[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
[name_u]Laney[/name_u]
[name_f]Tessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]

I also like [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] using [name_u]Rory[/name_u]. [name_u]Rory[/name_u] and [name_u]Riley[/name_u] IS adorable!

Using [name_u]Ali[/name_u] as a full name with [name_u]Riley[/name_u] is definitely too close. [name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_f]Alaina[/name_f], [name_f]Alana[/name_f], or [name_f]Aleah[/name_f] using [name_u]Ali[/name_u] as a nn…or a few sounding more unisex might be… [name_u]Albany[/name_u], [name_f]Alcie[/name_f] or [name_u]Alani[/name_u]. I personally love [name_u]Albany[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]. :slight_smile:

I love [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] in general, and I think [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] works well, and [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] and [name_u]Riley[/name_u] work well together. It’s far and away my favorite from your list.

I also like [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] / [name_u]Rory[/name_u] (though I think [name_u]Riley[/name_u] and [name_u]Rory[/name_u] might be a little too cutesy and matchy for my tastes) and [name_f]Tessa[/name_f]. A few of your names seem a little too nicknamey and insubstantial to me, especially [name_u]Ali[/name_u] and [name_u]Lexi[/name_u]. What about an [name_u]Alex[/name_u]- name? [name_f]Alexa[/name_f], [name_f]Alexia[/name_f], [name_u]Alexis[/name_u], [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f], [name_f]Alexandria[/name_f], [name_f]Alexandrine[/name_f]? There are probably a few more I’m forgetting. Then she could choose either [name_u]Ali[/name_u] or [name_u]Lexi[/name_u] depending on her own preferences.

[name_u]Cassidy[/name_u] might not be a good bet if you’re looking for something “girly” to go with [name_u]James[/name_u]. I know it’s unisex, but the only [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u] I know in real life is young and male. Same with [name_u]Reese[/name_u] - I would assume [name_u]Reese[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] was a boy if I saw that name on paper.

Suggestions:

[name_f]Dulcie[/name_f]
[name_f]Calla[/name_f]
[name_f]Tansy[/name_f]
[name_u]Neely[/name_u]
[name_f]Hattie[/name_f]
[name_f]Suvi[/name_f] (poetic word for “summer” in Finnish, most well-known from the model [name_f]Suvi[/name_f] Koponen)
[name_f]Nella[/name_f]
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]

Ali - sounds far too much like Riley.
Sadie - this is a bit too girly compared to Riley
Laney - Lane is cleaner, she could be called Laney as a nn.
Lexi - Alex is cleaner, she can be called Lexi as a nn. I really like Alex and Riley.
Tessa - not my style
Sylvie - it doesn’t flow really well with Riley. Sylvie and Sylvia are traditionally European names.
Savannah (Savi) - fits with Riley, I like it!
Cassidy - this is great, I love it with Riley! You could shorten it to Sid. Also, maybe your husband will respond to Kassidy more.
Joie - this doesn’t make sense to me.
Reese - I like it, though it’s a little cutesy.
Aurora (Rory) - Aurora seems too mysterious to go with Riley - and saying “Riley” and “Rory” aloud together is a mouthful, slightly garbled.

Favourites:

  1. Alex (nn Lexi)
  2. Cassidy/Kassidy
  3. Savannah
  4. Lane
  5. Reese

Names I think don’t work with Riley at all: Rory, Sylvie, Ali

Suggestions: Avery, Reed, Bria, Brynn, Brinley, Brielle, Skye, Skylar, Maddox, Morgan, Blake, Shea, Finley, Harper, Aspen, Sawyer, Sailor, Emery, Sasha, Payton, Hadley, Kenzie, Kinsey, Ash, Ashley (this was a boy’s name for centuries), Shannon, Juno, Duffy (I know it’s an unusual name, but I like it with Riley nn Uffie is really cute)

[name_m]Just[/name_m] thinking… What about [name_u]Jaime[/name_u] or [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] as a first name? [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] and [name_u]Riley[/name_u] would be super cute! I knew a female [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] growing up and she was great.

I love [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] with [name_u]Rory[/name_u] as the nickname. It’s the most feminine name on your list and best balances [name_u]James[/name_u].

[name_f]Savannah[/name_f] would also work.

If you are using [name_u]James[/name_u] as a middle name (and not feminising it as Jamelle, [name_f]Jemma[/name_f], [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] or or [name_f]Jama[/name_f] etc) I’d stay away from [name_u]Reese[/name_u] - despite [name_u]Reese[/name_u] Witherspoon, [name_u]Reese[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] looks like a boy’s name. Same for [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u].

And you might get a really feminine girl, or you might get a tomboy. Something like [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] and [name_f]Savannah[/name_f] gives her enough room to be either.

If you like [name_u]Ali[/name_u], maybe [name_f]Alison[/name_f]/[name_u]Allison[/name_u] - not overly girly, but definitely female.
Same with [name_f]Alize[/name_f] (which is a Eastern European variant of [name_f]Alice[/name_f], which is probably a bit soft for your tastes).

[name_u]Alexis[/name_u] is a unisex name which could give you both [name_u]Ali[/name_u] or [name_u]Lexi[/name_u] as a NN.

Good luck!

[name_u]Riley[/name_u] wants to name her [name_f]Sally[/name_f] :). I love it! Husband, not so much.

Out of your list I like [name_u]Ali[/name_u], [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u], and [name_f]Aurora[/name_f].

My suggestions are…

[name_f]Violet[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] (similar to [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u])
[name_u]Lindsay[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Camilla[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Natalia[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Callie[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_u]Courtney[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Lila[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Cora[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Abigail[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]

The first name that came to mind was [name_f]Savannah[/name_f].

Maybe also…
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Liv[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Rosalyn[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] ([name_f]Rosie[/name_f])
[name_u]Addison[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Adalynn[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Autumn[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u] (but she’d share the exact same name with [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] [name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_m]Hewitt[/name_m]'s daughter…)
[name_u]Emory[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u]

From your list I like [name_f]Tessa[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u].