See the results of this poll: Which combinations do you like?
Respondents: 56 (This poll is closed)
- Greta Beatrice: 11 (20%)
- Greta Juliet: 13 (23%)
- Greta Viola: 3 (5%)
- Hugo Lysander: 8 (14%)
- Hugo Sebastian: 18 (32%)
- Hugo Balthazar: 3 (5%)
I can safely say that I adore your list.
[name]Greta[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] make wonderful names for twins. As for the middles …
I love both [name]Viola[/name] and [name]Juliet[/name]. I think that [name]Juliet[/name]'s tragic ending is more or less outweighed by her sheer fame and the ultra-romantic image that the name supplies, so I don’t think it would be a problem that she is the only name from a tragedy. I also don’t think that popularity would be an issue, as in my experience [name]Greta[/name] is unusual and [name]Juliet[/name] is in fairly good use, but not a trendy or fad name.
However, my vote goes to [name]Beatrice[/name]. The flow of all of the names is good, but in my opinion [name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] is the best. Aside from that, I think the fact that you actually played [name]Beatrice[/name] is just such a brilliant connection, and one your daughter would really treasure.
For the boys, again I love all of the names.
[name]Hugo[/name] [name]Lysander[/name] has the best flow for me.
Having [name]Viola[/name] and [name]Sebastian[/name] as twins’ middles is alright, in my opinion, but I wouldn’t personally do it. I think slightly matching middles for twins can be sweet, both are great names, and while they are unusual they are not totally out of use, so they don’t seem ridiculously matchy. Also, it’s not over the top as a romanticly linked pair would be, such as [name]Juliet[/name] and [name]Romeo[/name]. That said, for me the matching somewhow detracts from the literary reference in this case.
[name]Balthazar[/name] is also great. If you use [name]Beatrice[/name], then I think it would be great to use [name]Balthazar[/name] - your old role, and her favourite [name]Shakespeare[/name] play. A sweet and meaningful connection for both of you!
So, my vote goes to [name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Balthazar[/name]. Also, this is the kind of subtle matching I think makes twins’ names congruent without being tacky - the middles are each 3 syllable B names.
[name]Auburn[/name]
Thanks [name]Auburn[/name], you’re right [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Balthazar[/name] sound very good together.
Oh [name]Hugo[/name] and [name]Greta[/name] are a great twin combo. All of your choices are wonderful so it was hard for me to choose my fav but in the end I chose [name]Greta[/name] [name]Juliet[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Lysander[/name]. Second choice was [name]Greta[/name] [name]Viola[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Sebastian[/name] and third was [name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Balthazar[/name]. [name]Shakespeare[/name] is certainly inspiring when it comes to name choices. [name]Cordelia[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Hermione[/name], [name]Imogen[/name],[name]Ophelia[/name] and [name]Rosalind[/name] would also have worked well with [name]Greta[/name] and likewise [name]Cornelius[/name], [name]Demetrius[/name], [name]Edmund[/name], [name]Frederick[/name], [name]Laurence[/name], [name]Oliver[/name] and [name]Orlando[/name] would have paired well for [name]Hugo[/name]. Good luck with your new babies!
I chose [name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Lysander[/name], but here’s my prioritized list:
[name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] - I like this FAR AND AWAY better than your other combos, the names are just perfectly suited for one another!
[name]Greta[/name] [name]Juliet[/name] - lovely, but can’t hold a candle to [name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Greta[/name] [name]Viola[/name] - I dislike matched ending sounds (GretA ViolA), though I think [name]Viola[/name] is beautiful.
[name]Hugo[/name] [name]Sebastian[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Lysander[/name] are tied, they’re both fabulous!
[name]Hugo[/name] [name]Balthazar[/name] - comes a bit over-the-top to my ear
I also chose [name]Greta[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Lysander[/name] because I think the flow is best on those two.
I think the next best would be [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Sebastian[/name] and [name]Greta[/name] [name]Juliet[/name], and [name]Greta[/name] [name]Viola[/name] and [name]Hugo[/name] [name]Balthazar[/name] in third for me. However I think the flow on all of them is perfectly useable. I think [name]Greta[/name] [name]Viola[/name] is fine, and I love [name]Viola[/name]. [name]Juliet[/name] and [name]Beatrice[/name] just compliment [name]Greta[/name] better I think. Also I’m just not crazy about [name]Balthazar[/name], it’s a little too odd for me, plus I have to stop and think about it to say it.
However I would like to mention that all the names don’t have the same level of Shakespearian connotation to them:
[name]Lysander[/name] and [name]Viola[/name] scream [name]Shakespeare[/name] to me. [name]Juliet[/name] and [name]Balthazar[/name] strongly suggest it. However [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Sebastian[/name] don’t come off that [name]Shakespeare[/name] related to me. Probably because you see [name]Sebastian[/name] and [name]Beatrice[/name] in a lot of different places, while [name]Lysander[/name] and [name]Viola[/name] are rarely used outside of Twelfth [name]Night[/name] and Midsummer [name]Night[/name]'s [name]Dream[/name]. I don’t think they need to necessarily match up in that way, but it’s something for you to think about.
Whatever you decide you have an outstanding list of middles, and your first name choices are adorable!
I have been trying to work in Shakespearian middle names myself. The Juliets and the Ophelias are my favorites, but so obvious and have such horrible outcomes as characters. I love the strong female characters and have always been drawn to [name]Beatrice[/name], [name]Katarina[/name] and [name]Rosalind[/name] as characters, but the names don’t grab me like [name]Ophelia[/name] and [name]Juliet[/name] do. I was trying to work in some family names and on my husbands side, I have [name]Ardith[/name], [name]Arlene[/name] and [name]Denise[/name] to work with…eckk! My side wasn’t any better, [name]Harriet[/name] and [name]Charity[/name]; was almost leaning towards [name]Hermione[/name] (kinda sounds like [name]Harriet[/name]) for it’s greek mythology, shakespeare and harry potter reference (three of my favorite things), but my husband wasn’t feeling it. I came across the name [name]Arden[/name] and realized that it is the name of the magical forrest from As You Like It, but what is more is that I can nail three birds with one stone, "Ar"dith, "Ar"lene and "[name]Den[/name]"ise. A kinda of modernization of all three names. The first name has always been set, I love the two kids, [name]Miles[/name] and Maizy, from Uncle [name]Buck[/name]. I have known that since the first time I saw it as a kid. I love the way Maizy [name]Arden[/name] sounds with my 2 syllable last name. The only issue that may deter me from this choice is the fact that everyone names their puddles Maizy or [name]Maisie[/name] ([name]Macy[/name]). Google image it. [name]Will[/name] my kid kill me if I name her after Aunt [name]Bee[/name]'s prized pink poodle? My girlfriend said she has never heard of that name on a dog though, so I still have some hope. And I hate the nicknames for Maizy, lazy, crazy. But you can’t base your choice too much on the possibility of being teased, everyone has that issue, I don’t care what your name is, kids are cruel and will think of anything when determined. Heck, they got jockstrap and jockitch from [name]Joslyn[/name]…go figure! What’s in a name anyway!
Thanks for the input everyone!