[name]Hayley[/name] and anything but Zailee… that is horrible… [name]Hayley[/name] is nms but it is an acceptable name…Zailee doesn’t even look like a “real” name. of all the names in the world -----------------even something else that rhymes with [name]Hayley[/name] would be better. [name]Hayley[/name] and [name]Bailey[/name]; [name]Hayley[/name] and [name]Kayley[/name] - still nms but better than Zailee…
It’s pretty bad, but as a pregnant woman, I hate it when people say nasty stuff about the names we’re considering. She does have some months left, so it’s a pretty big chance she’ll change her mind.
what she said:-) definitely!!!
I think it’s a bit silly, but chances are she’ll change her mind. If she brings up names again and asks, tell her that you don’t think it’s a good idea for twins to have names that rhyme and only have one letter difference.
Ugh. Hopefully she’ll change her mind… perhaps you could gently suggest some alternatives?
Is she just pulling your leg? That just sounds ridiculous like [name]Brenda[/name] and [name]Linda[/name]. You don’t want to hurt her feelings if she is serious, but you might mention that you have read that twins don’t like having matching names. Perhaps matching middle names would work?
I’d suggest bringing up a twin conversation. Mention how they often strive for individuality and that it’s good when multiples have their own clothing, friends, toys, and non-matchy names so they don’t feel like a combo.
Yikes! That is pretty bad, not only is [name]Hayley[/name] spelt in an odd way( at least to me it’s not my favorite spelling), but Zailee I don’t think is even a name. I would suggest that you please for the sake of the girls at least try to help your friend come up with other names.
I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier, if you were to suggest something you might want to go with Zélie, It’s pretty similar sounding, I know one and a few people who have this on their list. I think it’s a good alternative!
Ugh I hate matchy matchy twin names! Give the poor kids some individuality! It’s ok to have a theme [name]IMO[/name] on the names but at least don’t let them sound the sale or start w/ the same letter so they can have their own initials! I would give my honest advice to your friend. I’d tell her to pick her fave among the two and give the second baby a different name… Maybe [name]Hailee[/name] and [name]Zara[/name] or something. When picking our baby names I prefer to hear people’s honest opinions! It doesn’t mean I’ll change my mind but it helps give me perspective. Not everyone loves our name choices but they know that first and foremost they are OUR choices and regardless of what we choose everyone will get used to the name anyways… maybe I just have really understanding family and friends haha.
Zailee is straight-up terrible in this context. I wonder if she’d be up for putting Zailee as a middle name and nixing the rhyming first names. What about rhyming one girl’s first with the other’s middle and vice versa? I wouldn’t do that, but it could be a better compromise. [name]Hailee[/name] [name]Zen[/name] and [name]Wren[/name] Zailee for example? ([name]Just[/name] to pull a random set of rhyming names, not necessarily because I think [name]Wren[/name] and [name]Hailee[/name] are a good pair.) Good luck figuring out if/how to talk to her about this! I really don’t know what I would do if I were you.
I grew up with twins [name]Candace[/name] and [name]Amanda[/name] “[name]Candy[/name] and [name]Mandy[/name]” a year behind me in school. Very trendy/rhyming names for the time, but at least they had full names to fall back on if they felt like it.
I also do not like the names together, they sound too much a like! But not sure how one would go about to talk with her about it, if she would ask I would but if not, I would probably keep my mouth shut. People hated my oldest son’s name when we told them, which is why we never told with the others what we were considering (well, there are exceptions, like nameberry for this baby, and a few people I know who share my love of different names irl etc) because it does hurt a pregnant mama’s feelings when she is carrying that baby inside and has what she considers a wonderful name chosen to have it bashed. It’s like a person is bashing her child! [name]Just[/name] from my perspective of having that happen before, but I do agree the names sound exactly a like and I am not of fan of that for twins.
To each their own, but I don’t think the girls will like it when they get old enough to know better. Approaching it from that angle rather than telling her you don’t like her name choices might be better than saying anything negative about either name or spelling.
[name]Say[/name] something like, ‘I like the names you have chosen, but at the same time, I’d personally not want to have a name so similar to one of my siblings. [name]Hailee[/name] and Zaelyn could be a cute option.’ And leave it at that.
Maybe putting a bug in her ear is enough to get her thinking in a different light. Beyond that though, it is her choice and nothing good comes out of being opinionated about someone else’s kids names. good luck!
You could always go with the diplomatic, appears-supportive-but-is-actually-thought-provoking approach. “Oh how cute! Zailee is a nickname for [name]Azalea[/name], right? [name]Azalea[/name] and [name]Hailee[/name] (I actually have only ever seen it spelled this way and [name]Hailey[/name] and was confused by [name]Hayley[/name] when I first encountered it) is so clever, because that way their names go together as a sibset, but they retain their individuality, which is SO important when you’re having twins. And you have the matching nicknames for the cuteness factor. Really, however did you think of it?” 
I definitely would not recommend the direct approach, unless she is genuinely asking for your totally honest opinion. Verbalizing criticism of name choices when not invited to do so typically only creates hurt feelings and further stubbornness. Kudos to you for venting in a safe place!
Good luck! You and those dear twins definitely have my sympathies!
I agree with the others. I remember people putting forth their opinion on my son’s name when I was pregnant and how some of it was very harsh. It pissed me off, probably with all my hormones, and I actually never wanted to ask the person’s opinion ever again.
Also you have to remember that she most likely loves these names and thinks that everyone else will love them as much as her so by telling her that they stink, that can really put a damper on your relationship.
Recommend names that are similar or can have the nn’s of Zailee or Hailee. If she likes Zailee and Hailee and doesn’t want to change it, it is her naming right.
Umm, yes, I agree the names are a bit much. But I wanted to point out that if you direct her to Nameberry, she’s going to find this thread. Something to think about.
As a twin myself, I would HATE having a name that was created for the sole purpose of rhyming with my sister’s name. Being that Zailee is such a unique name, she is likely to be questioned frequently during her life about the origins of her name. Instead of having some meaningful story to tell, she’ll have to explain that her name is half of a rhyming set. The twins’ mother would do well to contemplate how Zailee is going to feel about that and consider whether the twins might want names that will make them feel like individuals in their own right.
[name]Hailee[/name] is cute but Zailee just sounds made up. And people will constantly be confusing their names because they sound too much alike.
That is awful. Doesn’t she realize that when she calls for one they both will reply (and eventually neither)?! [name]Just[/name] smack her in the back of her head and tell her “no.”
This is exactly what I was thinking!