We are 100% set on [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] nn [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] for twin A. Middle names are still in talks for both babies. We are having some trouble because the only other name I love and can’t get out of my head is [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f].
I had vehemently vowed not to use same initials for twins but it seems like I’m breaking my own rule. DH and I were able to reach a compromise. His favorite name between [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Theodosia[/name_f] ended up being the former (I knew he would end up changing his mind on [name_f]Theodosia[/name_f]!) with [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] as the only possible nickname for it on the face of the [name_f]Earth[/name_f]. Since he had the upperhand on that one it’s up to me to have final say on twin B’s name.
Berries, I’m conflicted and have been racking my brains for days now, I can barely sleep! (I couldn’t anyway with a belly this huge but it’s all I think about)
Would it maybe be ok to use [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] if I plan on calling her Opa, Opie and maybe [name_f]Opal[/name_f] ([name_f]Ama[/name_f] and [name_u]Rudy[/name_u]'s suggestion, they love [name_m]Steven[/name_m] Universe) for short?
Honestly, I’m not a fan of matchy names on twins either (especially shared initials!), but I think you are okay here. [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] “[name_f]Cleo[/name_f]” and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] are definitely different enough…not like [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_f]Siena[/name_f] or something like that. I don’t think you’d even have to use a nickname to distance yourself from the shared initial.
I actually do like shared initials on twins so long as they’re not rhyme-y or too match-y, like Tyler and Tyson, or Jayden and Jason. An old pairing of mine for potential twin boys was actually Hugo and Harry, and a set of twins in my book are Remiel and Rivalen! I think Clementine and Cassiopeia “Cleo & Opa” are amazing for twins; both names are beautiful and their nicknames are cute, and they also allow for individuality!
I don’t understand the issue with same initial names for twins unless it’s too close like the examples @books_and_tea gave with [name_u]Tyler[/name_u] and [name_u]Tyson[/name_u] or [name_u]Jayden[/name_u] and [name_m]Jason[/name_m]. I wouldn’t throw out a name I like just because the initials match with a sibling, even a twin. I’d actually consider using same initial names for twins in the future (I know, shoot me). I think [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] “[name_f]Cleo[/name_f]” and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] “[name_f]Opal[/name_f]” are PERFECT together! Both have long, elaborate, [name_m]OTT[/name_m] full names with simple, classy, and spunky nicknames.
I think [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] sound good. I just dislike the nn Opa, sorry, as it means grandfather in several languages. The shared initial itself is a non issue, imo.
I don’t like matchy twin names. But I don’t think the initial is that big a deal. My daughter is named [name_f]Lucille[/name_f], had she been a boy she would have been [name_u]Lennon[/name_u]. When we named her [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] I resigned myself to believing we’d never have a [name_u]Lennon[/name_u] because I didn’t want to be that family with all the matching initials. From the time I had [name_f]Lucille[/name_f] until 16 months later when I had our son I was on a quest to find a name that fit into our family better. I didn’t. We have a [name_u]Lennon[/name_u]. And I’m so glad I let go of my rule because, well, it’s perfect for him. Follow your heart. Good luck.
I actually think [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] are super gorgeous together! I don’t normally go for same initials either, unless they “fit” really well, and I think these do. Especially with the nicknames [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] (which you didn’t suggest, but I like it better than your other options, though I also like [name_f]Opal[/name_f]). They’re both super different but match stylistically. Well done!
If they are identical I wouldn’t do it. I have identical twin girls who are fourteen years old now and they hate, hate, hate having to share everything in their lives. At least they’ve always had their own very unique names/initials! That was literally all I could give them that was unique to them from birth, and a family member who is a NICU nurse also told me I should not give them the same initials. So I would say no. (I also have older kids and my twins used to cry and sort of give up, socially, when people couldn’t tell who they were or wouldn’t bother to…primarily because that never happened with any of their other siblings and they honestly couldn’t understand, for many years, why people couldn’t be bothered to ‘know’ them as individuals). My advice is to use that as her middle name. Pick another name you like as the first name. It’s not worth the added confusion if they are identical - to them or anyone else. If you know they are fraternal that is different - often fraternal twins look nothing alike and then I think their innate identities are not so interwoven with their twin. This is all just my opinion, of course, and I don’t generally frown on moms who do give twins matching names. But for me personally I am glad I fought that urge, for my daughters’ sake.
I agree with the majority view. Matching twin initials are fine if the names are different enough, especially since they’re your two favourite names individually and you haven’t just picked them to make a neat “set”. [name_m]Don[/name_m]’t overthink it! [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] sound stunning together; I’m especially excited to see someone considering the latter! Good luck
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] with nn [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] is adorable, I love, love, love it!
When I first joined nameberry I wasn’t a fan of matching initials either but I’ve done a complete 180 and genuinely like them now (as long as it’s not a whole clan of kids like the Kardashians!). And if there’s ever a time to do it, twins is it! I think it’s more important that the names feel distinctly individual and [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] sound different in every other way besides the letter C. They also work beautifully together and I’m loving the nicknames Opa, Opie and [name_f]Opal[/name_f]!
I think [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] and [name_f]Opal[/name_f] would make the cutest twins
I don’t mind matching initials as long as the names themselves aren’t particularly “matchy.” For you, I have more of a family management concern, though: labeling. You have a large family already, and all of your kids have unique initials. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you use initials for labeling things at all? [name_m]Even[/name_m] if you don’t, you’re going to have twins now. Can you see yourself needing to label things (pacifiers, bottles, shoes) with their initials? That would be the holdup for me. If that’s not your style, then I think that [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] are distinct enough to work on twins.
Thank you all so very much. Honestly, I think I was just freaking out over something silly. [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] are the names we love and the more we say, write and think about our baby girls as [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f], the more they feel right. And yeah, they share an initial, so what? All the other sounds in each name are different and there’s no way to confuse them.
Responding a berry who was concerned with labeling, I think an easy route would be to mark one as O (Opa/[name_f]Opal[/name_f]) and the other C ([name_f]Cleo[/name_f]) or with first and middle name initials (Eg: C.A & C.B)… which are still undecided and will definitely be different. Here at home rather than initials though we color code most things. Each kid has a color, this is especially important for the baby and toddler phase, afterwards we haven’t really found a need. Twin A’s color will be yellow and Twin B’s color will be pink.
We have less than two weeks until the scheduled c-section and it feels really, really great to have made progress (although waaaaay last minute) with their names. The more kids we have the more difficult a task naming becomes!
[name_u]Baby[/name_u] girls are very much fraternal and the thing you asked about labeling and such I responded in the reply above this one. I can truly imagine how tricky it would be with especially identical twins. My eldest son and daughter go to swimming class and there are identical brothers there named Eth@n and Elij@h. They are both adorably ginger and the names, I agree, are quite similar but it helps that one wears glasses and has shorter hair and the other doesn’t wear glasses and has longer hair. No one confuses them anymore!
I think it’s just fine as long as they don’t rhyme or overly match. My only issue is loving [name_f]Clementine[/name_f] and disliking [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f].
I am 90% sure I would use the same first name initial if I had twins. Probably been influenced by my mom ([name_f]Karen[/name_f]) and her twin brother ([name_m]Kenneth[/name_m]). I don’t understand why some people think they won’t have their own identity just because their name starts with the same letter. [name_m]Just[/name_m] don’t rhyme them. Went to school with a [name_f]Stacie[/name_f] who had a sister [name_u]Tracey[/name_u]…and to make it worse they weren’t even twins, they were a year apart. I think its normal to have multiple favorite names with the same letter… you’re usually drawn to certain ones. I like many names that start with A, E, and L.
No one confuses them anymore!