(I have been diagnosed with OCD, so please don’t think I’m making light of it)
Some of you have probably seen my posts over the last few days, trying to come up with my list of perfect baby names.
I’ve decided my top 2 boys names are [name_u]Henry[/name_u] & [name_u]Jack[/name_u], with [name_f]Isla[/name_f] being my top girl name. However I like having even amounts, so I’ve been obsessing over finding a 2nd top girls name.
[name_f]My[/name_f] latest obsession is over consonants vs vowels. Because I’ve chosen [name_f]Isla[/name_f], I feel like it’s only “right” to choose another girls name that starts with a vowel, otherwise she’d be the odd one out if I were to use [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Jack[/name_u], [name_f]Isla[/name_f] and a girls name starting with a consonant.
I’m definitely overthinking it, right? There’s no issue in having one child with a vowel, and the others with consonants is there?
I don’t have OCD, but I’m clearly fixated on names so I get the way it both soothes and never satiates the need for order. I don’t think there needs to be another vowel to be balanced. For me, just so long as the starting letters are different (especially where only a few kids and don’t you dare leave one kid on their own whole everyone else has the same letter!) and ideally there’s a variation in ending sounds/letters, then we’re good! I think your trio is well balanced with [name_u]Henry[/name_u] the halfway name between the others but the others have the same letter count and A letter.
In your case, I wouldn’t want two boys with consonants and two girls with (softer, milder) vowels. I would want then a mix, and where H almost acts as a vowel, I would bring in a consonant for the next girl. But this is all just for fun! In real life, fave names and honouring loved ones are more important than “perfect” sibsets.
Yeah, I think I need to remember this! [name_f]My[/name_f] kids aren’t going to care what their initials are. Like you said, I also like the idea of each child having a different initial - but in reality, I share an initial with my brother, while my sister has a different one, and none of us have ever cared.
I quite like the names [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Maddison[/name_f], [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], [name_f]Saoirse[/name_f] & [name_f]Elena[/name_f]. [name_f]Elena[/name_f] would be the other vowel, but I’m not in love with the name like I am with [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Jack[/name_u] & [name_f]Isla[/name_f].
[name_f]Edit[/name_f] to add: I also keep coming back to [name_f]Zara[/name_f], which was never on my list until recently. Neither was [name_f]Isla[/name_f], actually, but something just clicked with it.
I don’t think you’re being too obsessive. I fixate on a minor issue as soon as I notice it, and I can’t seem to let it go.
If it matter at all, your children (or any non name-nerds) are unlikely to notice it. [name_f]Zara[/name_f] would be a great option since, like [name_f]Isla[/name_f], it has two consonants and two vowels each.
I’m one if eight and five of us share a starting letter with at least one person.
FWIW, I like [name_f]Caroline[/name_f] or possibly [name_f]Maeve[/name_f], with the set of [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Jack[/name_u] & [name_f]Isla[/name_f]. Maybe even (and this is where my mind goes) [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], [name_u]Zoe[/name_u], [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], [name_f]Daphne[/name_f], [name_f]Polly[/name_f], [name_u]Ruby[/name_u], [name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_u]Rose[/name_u], Margot/Peggy, [name_f]Sophie[/name_f] or [name_f]Lucy[/name_f].
I don’t think there’s any issue! If they all have their own initial, I don’t think anyone will feel like an odd one out! Still, it’s about what makes you feel happy and comfortable, and if that’s finding a name that starts with a vowel, then you could do that
Hello I have OCD too so I can completely understand how you a feeling towards names. I just want to assure you that nothing has to match at all. It’s ok to have names that are completely different styles.
Plus you don’t need the same amount of names for both genders at all. Don’t let your OCD ruin your naming styles just pick names you love. (I know it’s hard but coming from 10+ years of experience with OCD giving it what it wants isn’t helpful) 🩷
If choosing a name to continue a pattern brings you joy then go ahead. If all it does is make you feel frustrated or limited then theres no need to do it. A lot of people on here like to make cute patterns but it’s definitely not necessary.
Coming at it from a completely different angle, there are three times as many consonants as vowels in the alphabet, so I don’t think half consonant-starting and half vowel-starting is necessary.
Also, I love [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Jack[/name_u], and [name_f]Isla[/name_f] together!
I’m very into patterns and certain letters with my kids names. I accidentally made 3 of my kids have 5 letter middle names so I continued it for my 4th baby. [name_f]My[/name_f] boys both have the same sounds in the [name_u]William[/name_u] and [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], my girls [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f] and [name_f]Giselle[/name_f].
I feel like my next baby cannot have a double letter name.
I also love nicknames
I say go with a girl name you love as much as [name_f]Isla[/name_f]! I can think of so many beautiful girl names that go with your names. I don’t think it needs to be a vowel unless you love it or want it to
I’m one of three and two of us have consonant initials and one has a vowel, and right now is the first time that has ever occurred to me, so for real-life use I don’t think it would make anyone feel like the odd one out. I do like to think about alphabetizing whenever possible, and we’re actually in reverse alphabetical order (meaning: the youngest is first in the alphabet and the eldest is last), but vowels vs. consonants didn’t occur to me.
Things that did make various of my siblings feel like the odd one out were: one of us got two middle names and the others got one; one boy, two girls; one contemporary name and two out-of-style ones.
I have 4 kids, and it never occurred to me until reading your post that 3 (2 girls and one boy) start with consonants, and one (another girl) starts with a vowel. It’s absolutely not an issue in my mind!
However, I did rule out using an F name (Felicity) for one of my twins, because my vowel girl starts with an E. I thought it would be weird to have E & F together. And I regret it now because I wish I had used [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] rather than the name she has. And it would have been a non-issue to have an E name and an F name together, but it’s just one of those things!
I don’t think you’re being too obsessive . I don’t have OCD, but I get fixated on little things like that too. Go with whatever name makes you happy, whether it starts with a vowel or consonant, don’t force it either way! I don’t think many people would notice small differences like that, though. (I love [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Jack[/name_u] and [name_f]Isla[/name_f], by the way!)
err I mean a lot of people wouldn’t care but it’s the kind of pattern overthinking that I would do so i would say no not overthinking, completely logical…but don’t let it ruin your life.
I have OCD too so I can completely understand how you a feeling towards names. I just want to assure you that nothing has to match at all. It’s ok to have names that are completely different styles.
. I don’t have OCD, but I get fixated on little things like that too. Go with whatever name makes you happy, whether it starts with a vowel or consonant, don’t force it either way! I don’t think many people would notice small differences like that, though. (I love [name_u]Henry[/name_u], [name_u]Jack[/name_u] and [name_f]Isla[/name_f], by the way!)