Marlene and Lily?

Name Advice
1

What are your thoughts on twin girl names [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] (nn [name_u]Marley[/name_u]) and [name_f]Lily[/name_f]?
I would also like some similar name suggestions :slight_smile:

2

Their cute! I like the nn [name_u]Marley[/name_u]! I think [name_u]Marley[/name_u] and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] would work as a stand-alone but [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] is also darling, maybe [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Lilia[/name_f]? or [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Lillian[/name_f]? I also love [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] as a set and I like that [name_f]Mabel[/name_f] is just as sweet as [name_f]Lily[/name_f] :blush:

2 Likes
3

Congrats on your twins!!

If I had to pick at it, I think I’m picking up on something similar to the poster above me. Id say it feels a little lopsided – one has a fuller and way more adult sounding name that offers some great NN options (Marlene), and one has a very juvenile sounding name that is short enough to be a NN itself (Lily).

E.g. Marlene at first glance makes me think of a mature older woman (in her 40s minimum). It’s a solid and absolutely fine name, and I can’t think of any negative connotations or associations at all. It’s a bit serious/sturdy- sounding such that I’d hire for any profession (and not doubt the professionism of) a Marlene. Another nice thing about Marlene is that is has NN potential (Marley, Lena, Lenny, Maren, etc).

Lily, on the other hand… Is a bit of the opposite, I mean, it’s not Summer or Eternity or anything like that, but noun-names tend to sound less serious and more playful / young / frilly / flighty. E.g. Its is much harder to imagine a CEO named Lily than a Marlene, or a brilliant scientist Lily, vs a Marlene.

Suggestions:

  • I’m struggling to think of good, slightly longer versions of Lily (I don’t care for Liliana, personally, nor do I think it goes well with Marlene). For a NN of Lily… Delilah? Lillian? Lilleth?

  • Slightly more mature sounding L names: Lilah, Leslie, Lesley, Laurel, Lenora, Liora, Lynn, Lauren, Lacey, etc. My favorite with Marlene might be Laurel.

  • For some more young-sounding names like Lily (but still somewhat similar to Marlene), I could see: Marcy, Maisy, Maren, etc.

Again, congrats!

4

I like [name_f]Marlene[/name_f] nn [name_f]Marly[/name_f]! Maybe lengthen [name_f]Lily[/name_f] to [name_f]Lillian[/name_f] nn [name_f]Lily[/name_f] so they both have nickname options. Or I guess you could just have [name_f]Lil[/name_f] be the nickname. I like the two together overall!!

5

I like the combo. Sounds coastal and breezy to me. I don’t see any mismatch in the adult-worthiness of these names. To me [name_f]Lily[/name_f] is just as worth of a grown up lady!

A couple other similar ideas…
[name_f]Marlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
[name_f]Marlene[/name_f] and [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Lily[/name_f] and [name_f]Marilyn[/name_f]
[name_f]Maya[/name_f] and [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]

6

I don’t see a mismatch in professionalism that some pps mentioned. But for some reason that I can’t really explain I think that [name_f]Lilly[/name_f] would work better than [name_f]Lily[/name_f] with [name_f]Marlene[/name_f].

7

Marlene and [name_f]Lily[/name_f] are adorable!