So we finally have the green light to TTC again. My kids are [name]Paul[/name], [name]Clare[/name], [name]Mark[/name], [name]Katharine[/name], and [name]James[/name]. If we have a boy we’ll name him [name]Andrew[/name]. For girls we both really like [name]Caroline[/name] but are a bit concerned that it’s too close to [name]Clare[/name]. Obviously it’s a bit nice that no one shares initials now. If we eliminate [name]Caroline[/name] we really don’t have another mutual favorite. Dh typically favors shorter names like [name]Tess[/name], [name]Nell[/name], and [name]Lucy[/name]; he generally isn’t enthusiastic about the longer forms of those names. (We ended up with a [name]Katharine[/name] because it’s my mom’s name). Of the names I favor dh is willing to go along with [name]Grace[/name] or [name]Sarah[/name] but isn’t enthusiastic. I love that [name]Caroline[/name] is longer and balances out [name]Katharine[/name]'s name.
I don’t think it’s too close. [name]Clare[/name] and [name]Katharine[/name] already share the [k] sound and [name]Caroline[/name] doesn’t rhyme with any of them, which I think would be the main problem with sibling names. [name]Caroline[/name] is lovely, it works great with your sibsets and has plenty of nickname potential to avoid any confusions.
I too prefer sibsets where initials are balanced but I dont think it’s a deal-breaker.
More ideas:
[name]Mary[/name]
[name]Cecily[/name]
[name]Clementine[/name]
[name]Emmeline[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name]
[name]Seraphina[/name] ([name]Sera[/name])
[name]Genevieve[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Margaret[/name]
[name]Sophia[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name]
[name]Rose[/name]
[name]Agnes[/name]
[name]Constance[/name]
[name]Bridget[/name]
[name]Joan[/name]
[name]Audrey[/name]
[name]Frances[/name]
[name]Emily[/name]
[name]Magdalen[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name]
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Maud[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Susanna[/name]
[name]Honor[/name]
Longer forms of [name]Nell[/name] that work in your sibset - [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Helena[/name], [name]Helen[/name], [name]Penelope[/name], [name]Annabel[/name].
[name]Tess[/name] —*[name]Theresa[/name], [name]Therese[/name]
[name]Lucy[/name] — [name]Lucretia[/name], [name]Lucienne[/name]… I don’t think any of the long forms work in your classic, English, non-frilly sibset.
Thanks for your reply. I’d absolutely love to use [name]Mary[/name] but for me visually it’s too close to [name]Mark[/name]. Once [name]Mark[/name]'s name was even put in the school concert brochure as [name]Mary[/name]. Hubby doesn’t really like it anyway. [name]Theresa[/name] is another long time favorite and dh has ruled it out because of the alliteration with our last name but I’m thinking he just doesn’t love it like I do. We have thrown around [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Alice[/name], and [name]Emily[/name] before.
EDA: I just emailed my hubby a bunch of these and got all no votes…ugh
What about using [name]Mary[/name] as a double name? You solve the initial problem & the similarity to [name]Mark[/name].
[name]Mary[/name]-[name]Caroline[/name] would be gorgeous.
Hey!
If you love it-use it. Nothing worse than name regret.
Other suggestions that are similar in style:
[name]Anna[/name]
[name]Louise[/name]
[name]Lauren[/name]
[name]Natalie[/name]
[name]Gemma[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name]
[name]Eliza[/name]
[name]Fiona[/name]
[name]Elise[/name]
I don’t think [name]Caroline[/name] is too close to [name]Clare[/name]. I have a daughter named [name]Claire[/name] and considered [name]Caroline[/name], but my husband didn’t love it. [name]Clare[/name] sounds different in the beginning due to the consonant cluster and is only one syllable compared to [name]Caroline[/name]'s three. I’d say go for it!
I think it fits great with [name]Katherine[/name] and [name]Claire[/name] but it is a bit close. Other names you may like are
[name]Savannah[/name]
[name]Evelyn[/name]
[name]Julia[/name] / [name]Juliana[/name]/ [name]Julianna[/name]
[name]Stella[/name]
[name]Mallory[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]/ [name]Laurel[/name]
[name]Elise[/name]
[name]Annabelle[/name]
[name]Madeline[/name] / [name]Madelyn[/name]/ [name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Bethany[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name]
I think it fits great with [name]Katherine[/name] and [name]Claire[/name] but it is a bit close. Other names you may like are
[name]Savannah[/name]
[name]Evelyn[/name]
[name]Julia[/name] / [name]Juliana[/name]/ [name]Julianna[/name]
[name]Stella[/name]
[name]Mallory[/name]
[name]Laura[/name]/ [name]Laurel[/name]
[name]Audrey[/name]
[name]Bridget[/name]
[name]Annabelle[/name]
[name]Madeline[/name] / [name]Madelyn[/name]/ [name]Madeleine[/name]
[name]Bethany[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name]
[name]Emily[/name]
Are you pronouncing [name]Caroline[/name] rhyming with mine or fine? If so, I think it’s close in a sweet way, but not problematic. If you’re pronouncing it more like [name]Carolyn[/name], then it feels a little too close to [name]Katharine[/name].
Also, have you thought about nicknames? Does [name]Katharine[/name] have a nickname?
With sisters named [name]Clare[/name], [name]Katharine[/name], and [name]Caroline[/name], I’d be inclined to stick with Cs and Ks in the future because it feels so tidily cohesive.
Oooh, I’m afraid I’m going to be that dissenting voice that says they’re too close, esp. [name]Caroline[/name] and [name]Clare[/name]. I feel like they run into Claroline… [name]Andrew[/name] is fabulous for another boy–new initial, new sound, same classic vibe. [name]Caroline[/name] is pretty, but I would look for another staring sound, partially to not feel obliged to stick with other hard C/K sounds later.
Shame about [name]Theresa[/name]. I remember your love for that name in previous posts. If he could call her [name]Tess[/name] all the time, would he like [name]Theresa[/name] better? I maintain that its alliteration with your last name (as far as I remember it anyway) sounds just fine to me…
I would second suggestions of [name]Anna[/name], [name]Julia[/name], [name]Laura[/name], [name]Eliza[/name], [name]Elise[/name], [name]Evelyn[/name], and [name]Alice[/name]. I also think using a double name, like [name]Anne[/name] [name]Caroline[/name], would be a great way to use [name]Caroline[/name] without getting too close, but that might seem overly complicated to someone who prefers short, easy names. Here are some more classic ideas. Sorry for repeats (I tried to keep them in the seconded pile, but might have missed some)!
[name]Eva[/name]
[name]Ruth[/name]
[name]Margaret[/name] or [name]Margot[/name] (nn [name]Meg[/name], [name]Margo[/name], [name]Greta[/name], [name]Etta[/name], [name]Maggie[/name], [name]Daisy[/name] or anything shorter to tempt him)
[name]Anne[/name]
[name]Hazel[/name]
[name]Nora[/name] or [name]Cora[/name] (while [name]Cora[/name] shares the starting sound, I think it is distinctive from [name]Clare[/name] and [name]Katherine[/name])
[name]Helen[/name] or [name]Ellen[/name]
[name]Sarah[/name]
[name]Lydia[/name]
[name]Louisa[/name]
[name]Ada/name
[name]Celia[/name]
[name]Judith[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Amy[/name] (I love this classic!)
[name]Georgia[/name]
[name]Virginia[/name]
[name]Felicity[/name]
[name]Blythe[/name]
[name]Nina[/name]
[name]Nancy[/name]
[name]Rachel[/name]
[name]Rebecca[/name] (love with your crew!)
It’s the Claroline thing that has me scared. I know it would happen. For a while there I was calling [name]Clare[/name] Clatharine. [name]Theresa[/name] isn’t off the table. It’s one of those names that while not his favorite he likes well enough for us to use. I’m not sure I love it quite as much as I once did and I’d have to be okay with him calling her [name]Tess[/name]. I’m just not loving [name]Tess[/name] with my last name.
We could both get on board with [name]Anna[/name] but that would ruin [name]Andrew[/name] and I really don’t want to do that in case we end up with 2 more. Funny that you suggested [name]Laura[/name] (my name) and [name]Rebecca[/name] (my only sister’s name).
EDA: My Clare is nearly 10 now so by the time (if ever) we have another girl she would be quite a bit younger than her. I think that makes the Claroline problem less likely.
We pronounce it to rhyme with “fine”. [name]Katharine[/name] goes by her full name or [name]Kat[/name] or whatever silly [name]Kat[/name] related nickname ([name]Kitty[/name], Kitten, etc) that my husband can come up with. I agree that a 4th daughter would seem to need another C/K name and that makes me nervous as I don’t want to be boxed in.