Talk to me about double names. Double names with a hyphen automatically drum up feelings of super southern traditional down on the farm feel for me. ([name_f]Daisy[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f],[name_f]Laura[/name_f]-[name_u]Leigh[/name_u],[name_f]Nellie[/name_f]-[name_f]Kate[/name_f]) Which, dont get me wrong I love actually. But,want a name that’s more wearable in case my child grows up to be a business executive or something of the like. I’m considering double names because,hear me out. I really want a 3-4 syllable name with a 1-2 syllable NN for my girls list. I’m not finding it. I’ve got tons of 1-2 syllable names I love, even together. [name_m]Can[/name_m] I just add a hyphen in there and get what I want? Also, hyphen vs no hyphen? Thoughts? I kinda feel no hyphen would be a tougher sell getting others to pronounce the whole double name, no? Would having more obscure names made into a double name be just too much? Thanks!
Oh, here’s some of my favorites I’m looking to possibly combine into a double name. Obviously need to find some more 1 syllable to pair with.
I can see how you think they could sound farmy as in [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f] or even like a country song (i thought of ‘goodbye [name_f]Mary[/name_f]-[name_u]Lou[/name_u]’ while I was reading your question ) and I think it really comes down to the names themselves.
Something like [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f]-[name_u]Anne[/name_u] would not sound hillbillyish to me, or [name_f]Ada[/name_f]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f]. But [name_f]Mabel[/name_f], [name_f]Etta[/name_f] and [name_f]Ruth[/name_f], if they were hyphenated with another name, could start going into that territory, just because historically they are names that have been popular in country settings.
What about ‘combined’ names as an alternative? Something like Floralba (came across this the other day and I think its so pretty)
I think most double names worl best with a hyphen but some do work well without one.
Not a double name but maybe you’d like [name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] with nickname [name_f]Tilda[/name_f] or [name_f]Hilde[/name_f]? Here are also some ideas for double names: Adaflora, [name_f]Opal[/name_f]-[name_f]Ruth[/name_f], [name_f]Edna[/name_f]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f].
To be honest yeah they look very [name_u]Southern[/name_u] to me, and I find them inconvenient. A lot of places and websites don’t accept hyphens in names. Without a hyphen, it’d look like the second name was her middle name.
That’s just my opinion though! But if you want a 3-4 syllable name with a 1-2 syllable nickname that shouldn’t be too hard to find without using hyphenated names.
You mostly have vintage names on your list, so what about:
[name_f]Arabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecily[/name_f]
[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgina[/name_f]
[name_f]Henrietta[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f]
[name_f]Magnolia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Theodora[/name_f]
[name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Amabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothy[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]
[name_f]Delilah[/name_f]
[name_u]Delaney[/name_u]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Elowen[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Ginevra[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Gwendolen[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f]
[name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Marguerite[/name_f]
[name_f]Mirabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Magdalen[/name_f]
[name_f]Ottilie[/name_f]
[name_f]Rowena[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosamund[/name_f]
[name_u]Valentine[/name_u]
[name_f]Winifred[/name_f]
I think they’re really cute! Honestly when you know someone with a double name you just think of it as their name thats it. It is definitely more common in the south but that doesn’t necessarily make it country or rural. Id be inclined to just do a first and middle for ease and call them by both names. Like [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] LN not [name_f]Mary[/name_f]-[name_f]Katherine[/name_f] [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] LN but thats just my personal preference. [name_m]Ive[/name_m] known a [name_u]Leigh[/name_u] [name_f]Cassie[/name_f], [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m], [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], and a [name_f]Hanna[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]. Im not sure if any of them used hyphens.
I knew a [name_f]Sara[/name_f]-[name_f]Claire[/name_f] which I always thought sounded rather pretty! [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]-[name_m]Maes[/name_m], [name_f]Sally[/name_f]-[name_m]Maes[/name_m] or [name_f]Elsie[/name_f]-[name_m]Maes[/name_m] should probably be avoided unless you’re looking for a [name_u]Southern[/name_u] vibe. Personally I would not use two one-syllable names, such as [name_f]Ruth[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f]. I think a two-syllable first and a one-syllable second could sound quite nice.
However, out of your names, none of them seem to really work with this. A traditional hyphenated name looks simply, well, traditional. [name_m]John[/name_m]-[name_m]Paul[/name_m], [name_f]Mary[/name_f]-[name_f]Rose[/name_f], and [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]-[name_f]Jane[/name_f] look normal. But most of your names are more uncommon— [name_f]Opal[/name_f]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f], for example, sounds strange. (But that’s just my opinion.) I would perhaps take one of your names and pair it with a more common one?
But then [name_f]Etta[/name_f]-[name_u]Jean[/name_u] [name_f]Mary[/name_f] LN is quite a mouthful. Simply [name_f]Etta[/name_f] [name_u]Jean[/name_u] LN would sound better in my opinion. Sorry for not being of much help, but I don’t think hyphenation really works with your choices. Perhaps (as I believe a few others have suggested) use a longer name with a nickname of one of your choices?
I tend to see double names as [name_u]Southern[/name_u] too, but in part it depends on the names; for example, anything ending in [name_u]Leigh[/name_u]/Lee, [name_u]Jo[/name_u], [name_u]Lynn[/name_u], [name_u]Lou[/name_u], [name_f]May[/name_f]/Mae, or [name_f]Claire[/name_f] feels [name_u]Southern[/name_u] to me, but other combos might not. (And these are not necessarily unprofessional—again, depends on the name. [name_f]Claire[/name_f] combos seem especially sophisticated to me.)
I’m definitely team no hyphen—the hyphen just looks strange to me, and I know some computer systems, form fields, etc., don’t like hyphens. The few double namees I know do not have hyphens ([name_f]Carol[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f], [name_f]Ella[/name_f] [name_f]Claire[/name_f], [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] [name_f]Claire[/name_f]), and I don’t think they’ve had any issues getting people to say their full names.
Wow, so much to consider. I feel I’ve exhausted the 3 syllable names in the style I like. I just haven’t found THE ONE that makes my heart sing, I found that in my first child’s name and I’m worried I haven’t found it yet for my second who’s due in 4 weeks. Thank you for the suggestions though @tallemaja!
The form/computer imput thing doesn’t really bother me about hyphens. People not pronouncing the whole thing would bother me more. @HonoriaGlossop I want to like Floralba, but I can’t not fumble it as I say it, it totally tongue twists me. Probably just my very pregnancy insomnia tired mind, but I am liking the idea of combined names. Maybe thats what I’m looking for but didn’t know the term! @EllieWilbury I definitely agree with 2 syllable plus 1 syllable formula. It seems to flow the best, for sure. I have a 2 syllable last name and I like it with that too. [name_f]Tilda[/name_f]-[name_f]Grace[/name_f] I’m really liking. [name_f]Grace[/name_f] was my grandma’s middle name. @Greyblue gorgeous suggestions, as always thank you! [name_f]Mabel[/name_f]-[name_u]June[/name_u] and [name_f]Hilde[/name_f]-[name_f]Pearl[/name_f], lovely! @Etymology thank you! Definitely inspiring me. Still so much to think about. Maybe once baby is here one of these names will seem more like “the one”, hopefully.
It might be worth also thinking about the far other side — double names can also seem high-brow/debutante- y or religious, depending on the name and the community ([name_f]Mary[/name_f]-[name_f]Therese[/name_f] is different from [name_u]Anne[/name_u]-[name_u]Marie[/name_u] is different from [name_f]Daisy[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f])
Flora-[name_f]Belle[/name_f]
[name_f]Agnes[/name_f]-[name_f]Lace[/name_f]
[name_f]Hilde[/name_f]-[name_u]Ray[/name_u]
[name_f]Eliza[/name_f]-[name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Ruth[/name_f]-[name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]-[name_f]Violet[/name_f]
[name_f]Ada[/name_f]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f]
[name_u]Nicola[/name_u]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]-[name_u]Louise[/name_u]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]-[name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]-[name_f]Amelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Etta[/name_f]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f]
[name_f]Etta[/name_f]-[name_u]Lynn[/name_u] (okay it sounds like [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] but I like it)
[name_f]Tilda[/name_f]-[name_f]May[/name_f]
[name_f]Hilde[/name_f]-[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Tilda[/name_f]-[name_u]Jaye[/name_u]
[name_f]Hannah[/name_f]-[name_f]Ruth[/name_f]
Double names are fairly common where I live, I don’t mind them but all of the ones I’ve come across are very basic in the sense it seems to be the same names. I’d love to come across a [name_f]Tilda[/name_f]-[name_f]Fern[/name_f] rather than an [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]-[name_f]Rose[/name_f] for example!
I prefer them with a hyphen, but I don’t think it helps people to say the full name any more than the ones without a hyphen. Everyone I know with a double-barrelled name just goes by the first name (e.g. [name_f]Gracie[/name_f]-[name_f]Mae[/name_f] becomes just [name_f]Gracie[/name_f]). They’re still lovely though, and if you like them you should go for it!
Some 1 syllables I think work well being double-barrelled:
[name_u]Blue[/name_u]
[name_u]Lou[/name_u]
[name_f]Mae[/name_f] / [name_f]May[/name_f]
[name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Kate[/name_f]
[name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_u]Jean[/name_u]
[name_u]June[/name_u]
[name_f]Ann[/name_f] / [name_u]Anne[/name_u]
[name_u]Kit[/name_u]
[name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_u]Rue[/name_u]
[name_u]Ray[/name_u] / [name_u]Rae[/name_u]
[name_u]Sky[/name_u] / [name_u]Skye[/name_u]
[name_u]Jo[/name_u]
[name_f]Liv[/name_f]
[name_f]Tess[/name_f]
[name_f]Nell[/name_f]
[name_f]Bee[/name_f] / [name_f]Bea[/name_f]
[name_u]Grey[/name_u] / [name_u]Gray[/name_u]
They can work! The good thing about it is that if you daughter decided that its too southern farm she can easily just use one first name professionally. I relaly like [name_f]Jane[/name_f], [name_u]Marie[/name_u], and [name_u]Jo[/name_u] for double names.
) and I think it really comes down to the names themselves.
Thank you for the suggestions though