Alliteration Issues?

[name_m]How[/name_m] much of an turn off is having a first name that starts with the same letter as the last name? I’ve been thinking about this a lot, because there are a lot of M names that I love ([name_u]Marian[/name_u], [name_f]Miriam[/name_f], [name_u]Marlow[/name_u], [name_m]Malcolm[/name_m], a few others), but my last name is also an M name (common Mc____ name).
I can see where it would be a definite no (for example, using a Mc name like [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] with my last name), but other times it’s ok? Also, my brother-in-law’s name starts with an M, and it has never really seemed odd to me.
I also think part of it depends on the emphasis in the name. The second syllable of my last name is emphasized, and all the names that I feel like sound ok have emphasis on the first syllable. So [name_u]MAL[/name_u]-colm MC-____ or [name_f]MAR[/name_f]-ian Mc___ would be fine, but Mi-[name_f]SHELLE[/name_f] Mc-____ sounds odd to me.

Anyway, just wondering about other people’s thoughts? Specifically from people who actually have alliterated names?

I don’t have an alliterative name, but I do think it’s ok for the first and last name to start with the same letter as long as the sounds aren’t almost identical. Like you said, [name_f]McKenna[/name_f] Mc___ wouldn’t work, but [name_u]Marian[/name_u] Mc___ would.

[name_f]Marilyn[/name_f] [name_u]Monroe[/name_u]
[name_u]Michael[/name_u] [name_m]Moore[/name_m]
[name_m]Mads[/name_m] Mikkelson
[name_m]Robert[/name_m] [name_m]Redford[/name_m]
[name_u]Danny[/name_u] Devito
[name_f]Susan[/name_f] Sarandon
[name_u]Ryan[/name_u] [name_m]Reynolds[/name_m]
I really, really love alliterative names. To me they sound absolutely lovely & enjoyable. I don’t accept the rule of thumb that says ‘no alliteration’ - what a rigid way to block the flow. Go ahead, it will probably sound poetic and pleasant, and possibly more memorable.

Funny that you mentioned [name_f]McKenna[/name_f], because my BFF named her daughter that with an M-surname (but it’s not a Mc/[name_m]Mac[/name_m]) and I didn’t even blink. It sounds great actually. [name_f]My[/name_f] DH has an alliterated name, an SS and again, I never even realized / recognized it until well into our relationship.

It’s all about flow. [name_f]Non[/name_f]-alliterated names can be super awkward with the wrong flow and alliterated names can be pretty awesome. I think it helps to give the fn a different syllable length so that the alliteration is less obvious. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t throw out those M names quite yet :wink:

[name_f]Do[/name_f] you like [name_u]Marlow[/name_u] for a boy or for a girl? I absolutely adore it on a little girl, and I think it works beautifull with a Mc- name. [name_u]Marlow[/name_u] [name_f]McKenna[/name_f], [name_u]Marlow[/name_u] [name_m]McDonald[/name_m]…I think it’s beautiful!
Most of your names seem they would work fine. With [name_f]Miriam[/name_f], I think the fact that it ends with M is more problematic than it starting with M.

I think alliteration can be great, as long as it’s the right balance/flow. I wouldn’t let it limit you.

Oh good. I just saw four or five different posts about how people absolutely WOULD NOT consider a name that had the name starting letter as their last name, so I was concerned! Thanks everyone who replied.

I love [name_u]Marlow[/name_u] for a girl, but my husband didn’t seem to love it when I pitched it to him. We’re not actually trying to name anyone right now though, so maybe when it comes to that he’ll come around?

I just recently started liking [name_f]Miriam[/name_f], and I agree that it is a little too much M. I just like the sound of it a lot, which is why I was also thinking about [name_u]Marian[/name_u]. I don’t know that I would every actually use either of them, it’s just been a thought lately.

[name_f]My[/name_f] first and maiden names both started with “L” and I thought it was pretty cool. What I think is a bigger issue is names that rhyme or otherwise sound similar, like [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] [name_u]Harper[/name_u] or [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] [name_m]Arlington[/name_m]–those start to sound a little comic-book character-ish.