[name_m]How[/name_m] much does flow matter to you?
It usually matters quite a lot to me with combos, I have to have the right amount of syllables in the first and middle names that it’s balanced well and make sure it’s not too heavy on one particular sound or letter.
However, I have a bit of a dilemma at the moment because my favourite name for a girl is [name_f]Nola[/name_f], and I absolutely love [name_f]Annora[/name_f] as a middle name but the two 'a’s make it flow terribly. [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] doesn’t work.
So I’ve been trying to find a solution, putting another name between [name_f]Nola[/name_f] and [name_f]Annora[/name_f] to make it flow slightly better, but I can’t find a combo that sounds right. closest I’ve come has been [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Cleo[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] and [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Sybil[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f].
[name_f]Do[/name_f] you think that flow should matter so much that you scrap your favourite names just to have a combo that sounds completely perfect? Or should you just go with the names that you feel you love more?
Personally I think [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] sounds pretty!
It matters quite a bit to me, especially since my married name clashes with so many names! I don’t much care for choppy, rhyming, or sing-songy combinations. It was the same with my maiden name. My mom had to scrap her favorite name, [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], for me because I basically would’ve been named fn: [name_u]Kelly[/name_u], ln: [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]. I’ve scraped many of my favorites due to poor flow.
In your case, I think that [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] doesn’t sound too bad! It’s actually rather pretty. I also think that your potential combo of [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Sybil[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] sounds great as well and would allow you to get both names you love. The only other thing I could think of would be to save one of the names for future potential use, but then again, that is an imperfect solution as well 
Would you maybe consider swapping them around? [name_f]Annora[/name_f] [name_f]Nola[/name_f] has a better flow…
I vote: [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] Lastname!
I totally agree about flow being important, but [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] actually works for me. It’s pretty and not hard to say. Also, the most important flow issue is with your first and last name. (I know it’s been passed around here before, but in case you haven’t read this post on Middle Names… Pregnancy, Parenting, Lifestyle, Beauty: Tips & Advice | mom.com)
I think the rule about not having a middle name that starts with the last letter of the first name should not be a hard rule. [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] is beautiful and usable.
The only problem I have is if the name’s flow is off that it causes me to trip over myself when pronouncing it, or if it doesn’t roll off the tongue. Like [name_f]Rosa[/name_f] [name_f]Anna[/name_f], but then I like the sound and flow of [name_f]Anna[/name_f] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]. I am just overly picky with it.
Go with what you love. The only opinions that really matter are the opinions of the baby’s parent(s). You could try swapping them for [name_f]Annora[/name_f] [name_f]Nola[/name_f], though, so you don’t have the double a if you’re concerned about it. Good luck!
I personally believe that flow is everything. The last letter thing is very subjective depending on the combo, the main thing is making sure the names have balance and a nice ring together. To me, [name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] is very “matchy” and sounds like the name of a cartoon character.
As long as names dont rhyme, I don’t see it as so much of an issue. When it rhymes fn/ln (like in the Wedding Singer(? [name_m]Adam[/name_m] Sandler movie) where the girl is marrying and her name will be [name_f]Julia[/name_f] Gulia), it sounds strange and like a cartoon character name.
[name_f]Nola[/name_f] [name_f]Annora[/name_f] is a beautiful name, so since you love it I would go with it. Adding a second mn just to change the flow seems a bit much to me…
Everybody is different though, to each their own! 