Help With Names For Twins!

General Name Discussion
1

Hello everyone, we’re three days past my due date and still haven’t decided on names for our B/G twins (talk about leaving it until the last possible moment)! We’re in desperate need of some feedback DH and and I cannot, for the life of us, decide on names. To give you some background, we’re both college professors (he teaches American Lit, I teach British Lit) and huge readers, so we’d love for the names to have some kind of literary background if possible.

For DS we originally loved [name_u]Noah[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] and were keeping it under wraps, but then DH’s best friend ended up using that name for their son born a few months ago, and we’re all very close so that was shot down. Currently on our list we have [name_m]Samuel[/name_m], [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u], and [name_m]Holden[/name_m] (which we love, but we feel is so overused). At the moment our favorite would probably be [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] but we’re not sure. For middle names, we’d probably use either [name_u]Austen[/name_u] or [name_u]Alcott[/name_u]. I’m not sure what it is, but nothing sounds perfect, even though they’re all great names.

Our DD is where we’re really struggling. We want a name that is gorgeous but not common. We loved [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] nn [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], but after hearing that the name was too masculine, we were disheartened. Other names that have been on the list are [name_u]Avery[/name_u] (which doesn’t seem to have a meaningful literary reference), [name_u]Harper[/name_u], [name_f]Scarlett[/name_f] (two more over used literary references), [name_f]Willow[/name_f], etc., but once again, nothing is perfect. For her middle name we’ve definitively decided on [name_f]Jade[/name_f] (a play on J.D. [name_m]Salinger[/name_m]).

[name_m]Just[/name_m] some more information, we live in the United States ([name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] region) and our last name is [name_m]Fitz[/name_m]. Sorry that the post is so long, and thank you in advance for reading it and suggesting names! At this point, we really are at a loss and time is running out! If we could help anyone out, we’d love to return the favor. Once again, thank you so much. - [name_f]Lia[/name_f] & [name_u]Michael[/name_u] [name_m]Fitz[/name_m]

2

I love Samuel Alcott for you. Would you consider Willa as a first name? I think it is wonderful with your chosen middle name.

W!lla J@de
Ed!th J@de
S@r@h J@de (after Sarah Orne Jewett)
Em!ly J@de (Bronte & Dickinson)
Ch@rlotte J@de (Bronte & Perkins Gilman)
Chopin J@de (after K@te, definitely unisex if not masculine)
Zeld@ J@de
D@phne J@de
Scottie J@de
Be@trice J@de (or Be@trix)
Anna J@de (Karenina)
Emma J@de (Bovary & Austen)
Oct@via J@de (Butler)
M@rgaret J@de (Atwood)
Is@bel J@de (Allende)
M@deleine J@de (L’Engle)
Esme J@de (too Salinger?)
Ph0ebe J@de (ditto?)
Gwend0lyn J@de (Brooks)
Virgini@ J@de (Woolf)
D0r0thy J@de (Parker)

3

[name_m]Hi[/name_m],
I also live in [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] and love books (I’m a librarian actually). [name_m]How[/name_m] wretched that your favorite boy combo was taken! They are nice names, and I wouldn’t hesitate to use at least one of them in some capacity. Also, I’ll say go with names that you love, regardless of what other people think of it right off the bat (unless they immediately come up with an awfully embarrassing nickname that every other child will latch onto). Your child will grow into the name and vice versa. It’s important that you love it and it feels right to you. One caution if I may, if they’re both too recognizably “literary” it might be a bit strange (not that people use middle names very often so it might not matter). Here are some suggestions, which I’ve put into combinations that I think could sound nice:

If you like the Brontës, you could use [name_m]Acton[/name_m], [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], or Currer in some capacity (pen names for [name_f]Anne[/name_f], [name_f]Emily[/name_f] and [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]) [name_u]Ellis[/name_u] might not go quite as well with your last name, so maybe [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] or similar?

Either:
[name_u]Auden[/name_u]
[name_f]Bronte[/name_f]

[name_m]Son[/name_m]:
[name_m]Samuel[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] – I like [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] best, myself but either is nice
[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]/[name_u]Sydney[/name_u] [name_m]Holden[/name_m]
[name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] – [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] [name_m]Hammett[/name_m] (note: this name may become hot soon w/ [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m] “[name_u]Dash[/name_u]” in the Incredibles movies – but probably still not that hot, it’s never been used much which in my opinion makes it a great choice)
[name_m]Acton[/name_m] [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u]
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u] [name_u]Noah[/name_u] - [name_m]Ralph[/name_m] [name_m]Waldo[/name_m] [name_u]Emerson[/name_u]
[name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_u]Austen[/name_u] - [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] [name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m]
[name_m]Ethan[/name_m] – [name_m]Ethan[/name_m] Frome
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m] – My first thought is [name_m]Alexandre[/name_m] [name_m]Dumas[/name_m] but there are others including the library of [name_f]Alexandria[/name_f]! (see below under daughter :wink: )
[name_u]Elliott[/name_u]/[name_u]Eliot[/name_u], [name_u]Ellis[/name_u], [name_u]Ellery[/name_u]– you could just switch the “[name_f]El[/name_f]” name to your son if you think it’s too masculine for your daughter
[name_m]Henry[/name_m] - [name_m]Henry[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u] (but don’t use that :wink: ) and other Henrys
[name_m]Lucan[/name_m]/[name_u]Luca[/name_u] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u] – [name_m]Lucan[/name_m] was a poet
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u] – [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] [name_m]Thomas[/name_m]
[name_m]Nolan[/name_m] – [name_m]Just[/name_m] thought you might like it as an alternate to [name_u]Noah[/name_u]

Daughter:
[name_u]Ellery[/name_u] – I think it’s lovely, and I don’t think that [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] is too masculine for a girl, esp. using [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] as a nickname. (And it’s better than [name_u]Flannery[/name_u].)
[name_f]Esme[/name_f] - If you like [name_m]Salinger[/name_m], you could doublie it up with [name_f]Esme[/name_f] [name_f]Jade[/name_f]
[name_f]Elinor[/name_f]/[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_f]Ellen[/name_f]/[name_f]Elanor[/name_f]/[name_f]Eleanora[/name_f]/[name_f]Nell[/name_f], etc. – These have several literary connections: Sense and Sensibility/ Gone with the Wind, [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] & [name_m]Park[/name_m]/Northanger [name_u]Abbey[/name_u] and [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m]/Tolkien/A Series of Unfortunate Events/Wuthering Heights, respectively – and you can use [name_f]Ella[/name_f]/[name_f]Ellie[/name_f]/[name_f]Nora[/name_f]/[name_f]Lea[/name_f], [name_m]Leo[/name_m], etc etc etc. Lots of options.
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f], [name_f]Leonora[/name_f]– [name_u]Poe[/name_u], also can be nickname for the above
[name_u]Avery[/name_u] – Also lovely option if you don’t want to use [name_u]Ellery[/name_u], and if you don’t have to think of it literarily (not a word)
[name_f]Stella[/name_f] /[name_f]Estella[/name_f]/[name_f]Estelle[/name_f] - yeah, people will yell “Stellaaaa”. It’s still a great name. And you can still use [name_f]Ella[/name_f]/[name_f]Ellie[/name_f]! [name_f]Estella[/name_f]/[name_f]Estelle[/name_f] references Dickens
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] - I’m thinking of [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] Waugh, but there’s also the novel [name_f]Evelina[/name_f] and I’m sure other Eves and Evas I’m not thinking about
[name_f]Elora[/name_f] – if you love the movie [name_f]Willow[/name_f], then why not?
[name_f]Marcella[/name_f] –[name_m]Marcel[/name_m] [name_m]Proust[/name_m]
[name_f]Agatha[/name_f] - [name_f]Agatha[/name_f] [name_u]Christie[/name_u]
[name_f]Tessa[/name_f] - For [name_f]Tess[/name_f] of the D’Urbervilles
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] – [name_f]Bronte[/name_f] & [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]’s [name_m]Web[/name_m]. Is it overused right now? probably. Still classic, though! And you can go with [name_u]Charlie[/name_u], [name_f]Lottie[/name_f]/[name_f]Lotte[/name_f], etc. depending on your style for nicknames
[name_u]Shelley[/name_u] – [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_u]Shelley[/name_u]
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] – Pride & Prejudice
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] – the Dahl character, has a lot of nickname options
[name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] – for [name_m]Roald[/name_m] Dahl
[name_f]Madeline[/name_f]/[name_f]Madeleine[/name_f] – the book title/character, L’Engle
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f] – [name_f]Louisa[/name_f] [name_f]May[/name_f] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u] and also [name_f]Louisa[/name_f] the character in [name_u]JoJo[/name_u] Moyes’ books
[name_f]Alexandria[/name_f]
[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]/[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] – Plath

4

[name_m]Samuel[/name_m] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u] and [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_f]Jade[/name_f] are gorgeous!

5

[name_u]Ellery[/name_u] is great for a girl!
I met a [name_f]Bronte[/name_f] and that was kind of cool for a girl.

I also don’t think [name_m]Holden[/name_m] is overused at all!

Go with [name_m]Holden[/name_m] and [name_u]Ellery[/name_u]. Those are seriously really great.

6

I know an [name_u]Ellery[/name_u], and her name fits her absolutely wonderfully! I would never consider it to be too masculine, and the nn [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] is adorable. I also think that [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] [name_f]Jade[/name_f] looks and sounds so sophisticated…I say go for it!:slight_smile: However, if you’re looking for other options, I like [name_f]Willow[/name_f] from your list (particularly with a brother [name_m]Holden[/name_m] or [name_m]Samuel[/name_m]). From previous posters, I really like [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]/a and [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]. [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] and [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] would sound particularly adorable! Other ideas…

[name_f]Aurora[/name_f] - Terms of Endearment
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] - [name_m]Willy[/name_m] Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
[name_f]Esmeralda[/name_f] - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] - [name_m]Little[/name_m] Women
[name_f]Bianca[/name_f], [name_f]Juliet[/name_f], Ophelia, [name_f]Rosalind[/name_f], [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] - Shakespearan names…there are countless more!
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_u]Darcy[/name_u] - from [name_f]Jane[/name_f] [name_u]Austen[/name_u]'s novels
[name_f]Laila[/name_f] - A Thousand Splendid Suns
[name_f]Daisy[/name_f] - The Great [name_m]Gatsby[/name_m]
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] - after [name_f]Maya[/name_f] [name_f]Angelou[/name_f]
[name_f]Zora[/name_f] - after [name_f]Zora[/name_f] [name_u]Neale[/name_u] Hurston
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]/[name_f]Annelise[/name_f] - after [name_f]Anne[/name_f] [name_m]Frank[/name_m]; you could also do a different variation of [name_f]Anne[/name_f] such as [name_f]Annika[/name_f] or [name_f]Anya[/name_f]. [name_f]Anne[/name_f] itself would also work as a nod to [name_f]Anne[/name_f] of [name_u]Green[/name_u] Gables
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] - [name_f]Alice[/name_f] in Wonderland, as well as after [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_u]Walker[/name_u]

For boys, I like all three of your choices, especially paired with [name_u]Alcott[/name_u]. Some other options…

[name_u]Auden[/name_u] - after W.H [name_u]Auden[/name_u]
[name_m]Huxley[/name_m] - after [name_m]Aldous[/name_m] [name_m]Huxley[/name_m]
[name_m]Beckett[/name_m] - after [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] [name_m]Beckett[/name_m]
[name_u]Gray[/name_u] - The Picture of [name_u]Dorian[/name_u] [name_u]Gray[/name_u] by [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] Wilde; [name_m]Grayson[/name_m] could also work
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]/[name_m]Wilder[/name_m] - after [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] Wilde
[name_u]Finn[/name_u] - The Adventures of [name_m]Huckleberry[/name_m] [name_u]Finn[/name_u] by [name_m]Mark[/name_m] [name_m]Twain[/name_m]
[name_m]Rhett[/name_m] - from Gone With the Wind

Overall, my favorite for you would be [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] [name_f]Jade[/name_f] & [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] Alcott, followed by [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] [name_f]Jade[/name_f] & [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u]. I also love [name_f]Alice[/name_f] [name_f]Jade[/name_f], and I think it would sound great with either [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u], [name_m]Holden[/name_m] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u], [name_m]Oscar[/name_m] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u], or [name_u]Auden[/name_u] [name_u]Alcott[/name_u] (if you like alliteration). [name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps!:slight_smile:

7

A lot of great suggestions here! I love [name_u]Ellery[/name_u] and don’t find it masculine personally. (I don’t think a little gender neutrality ever hurt anyone anyway.) I also love the sound of [name_u]Alcott[/name_u] and [name_m]Al[/name_m] is a cute nn.

A few more I think are nice are: [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] ([name_m]Stein[/name_m]) or [name_f]Alice[/name_f] for a less obvious reference, [name_f]Willa[/name_f] (Cather), [name_m]Herman[/name_m] ([name_m]Melville[/name_m]) and also [name_m]Melvin[/name_m] as a play on [name_m]Melville[/name_m], [name_u]Blake[/name_u] ([name_m]William[/name_m]), [name_m]Bernard[/name_m] ([name_m]George[/name_m]/[name_u]Shaw[/name_u]) and [name_u]Eliot[/name_u] (T.S.).

My partner and I are kicking around [name_m]Montague[/name_m] nn [name_m]Monty[/name_m] which is another nice one, and sticking with [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] for a moment, I’ve always loved [name_f]Viola[/name_f]. I saw someone on here with [name_u]Marlowe[/name_u] as a first name for a girl, which I think is lovely.

Since no one has done contemporary literature, I try some:

[name_f]Lydia[/name_f] ([name_m]Davis[/name_m], Yuknavich, [name_u]Millet[/name_u])
[name_m]Zade[/name_m] (play on [name_f]Zadie[/name_f])
[name_m]Sanders[/name_m] or [name_m]Anders[/name_m] (play on [name_m]Saunders[/name_m])
[name_m]Mitchell[/name_m] (as in [name_m]David[/name_m])
[name_f]Louise[/name_f] (Erdrich)
[name_m]Ward[/name_m] ([name_f]Jessamyn[/name_f])
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] ([name_u]Garcia[/name_u] [name_m]Marquez[/name_m])
[name_m]Morrison[/name_m] or [name_m]Morris[/name_m] ([name_f]Toni[/name_f])
[name_f]Joy[/name_f] ([name_m]Williams[/name_m])
[name_u]Carson[/name_u] ([name_f]Anne[/name_f])

You have a lot of great picks and they go great together. I know it’s a big decision but I feel like you can’t go wrong here. All the best of luck to you!