I have tentatively decided on [name]SYLVIE[/name] and [name]NATALIA[/name] for my twins. (Possible alternate spelling [name]NATALYA[/name] – anyone care to comment on the spelling? I like the fact that both [name]Sylvie[/name] and [name]Natalya[/name] have Ys.) So now I am working on middle names.
[name]Rose[/name] is a very popular as a middle name, and kind of a cop-out, but it sounds good! Right?
Should I use it because it sounds good or try to use something I love (my belief is that middle names are a chance to use something you wouldn’t use as a first name)? Or is [name]Cecile[/name] better anyway?
And do you like the Y in [name]Natalya[/name] or the -ia ending?
Since it’s twins, I kinda like [name]Natalya[/name], but the ie doesn’t bother me.
As for middle names, I prefer [name]Sylvie[/name] [name]Annabelle[/name]. I [name]LOVE[/name] both of these names, and they sound so ridiculously cute together!
For [name]Natalya[/name], I like both [name]Cecile[/name] and [name]Rose[/name]. I prefer [name]Cecile[/name], just because I like that aname better, but [name]Rose[/name] does indeed sound beautiful with the name, and if it is what you prefer, go for it!
I completely understand your [name]Rose[/name] issues. [name]Rose[/name] has been one of my favorite names since childhood, and it’s annoying to see a gorgeous name so overused as a middle name. I personally won’t be using [name]Rose[/name] as a middle name anymore, but still love it as a first name. Have you considered using [name]Rosalind[/name], [name]Rosamond[/name], or [name]Rosalie[/name] instead?
I think it sounds great with the name you’ve chosen, but if its popularity as a middle name bothers you, I think you could definitely find an equally gorgeous, and less popular, name for the middle. I think you should go with a name you love (and sounds good), as opposed to a random name that simply sounds good.
[name]SYLVIE[/name] [name]JOSEPHINE[/name]: I think [name]Sylvie[/name] [name]Josephine[/name] is fantastic! For me, [name]Josephine[/name] matches [name]Sylvie[/name]'s antique feel.
[name]SYLVIE[/name] [name]ANNABELLE[/name]: As much as I love [name]Annabelle[/name] (it’s one of my favorites), something just seems “off” about this combo for me. Because [name]Sylvie[/name] is a more antique-sounding name to me, [name]Annabelle[/name]'s perkiness seems at odds with it. Hmm…
I definitely prefer [name]Natalia[/name] spelled this way, but that’s just my personal preference. When I see [name]Natalya[/name] spelled with the y, in addition to reminding me of “yooneek” names that substitute y’s for vowels (even though I know that’s not the case with [name]Natalya[/name]), [name]Natalia[/name]'s Russian heritage jumps forward, making it seem an odd pairing with the French [name]Sylvie[/name].
To be honest, I think it’s ok in this instance, since [name]Natalya[/name] is relatively rare. If you are worried about [name]Rose[/name]'s megapopularity (which is a shame - [name]Rose[/name] is my middle name and it’s lovely, I just hate having to share it with everyone else my age and younger), how about using another floral in the middle spot, or an embelishment of rose? You could try
[name]Natalya[/name] [name]Violet[/name]
[name]Natalya[/name] [name]Poppy[/name]
[name]Natalya[/name] [name]Daisy[/name]
[name]Natalya[/name] [name]Rosemary[/name]
[name]Natalya[/name] [name]Rosalie[/name]
and so on, so forth.
For [name]Sylvie[/name], I think I prefer [name]Josephine[/name] as a mn. It just sounds better.
[name]Lovely[/name] names, and good luck!
Thanks everybody. I think what I like about [name]Natalia[/name]/[name]Natalya[/name] [name]Rose[/name] is the one syllable aspect. Or maybe just the sound of the word. (I am not into [name]Grace[/name], [name]Mae[/name], [name]Rae[/name] or [name]Anne[/name].)
I just asked my husband whether he prefers the -ia or the -ya and he said the -ya.
The Russian-ness is cool I think. It’s true that [name]Sylvie[/name] is very French and [name]Natalya[/name] is very Russian, and those are two different things, and we’re not French or Russian heritage (I have some Russian actually but we’re not totally Russian) – anyway they used to speak French in the Russian court… the 2 countries were allies in the past… I am grasping at straws! Ha. Ultimately I think it’s ok.
Some of the middle name suggestions were really nice but I can’t use: [name]Delphine[/name] (my sister in law’s sister’s name) and [name]Simone[/name] (my daughter’s middle name).
Anyway thanks and I am still interested in hearing comments if anyone wants to comment.
I love both [name]Sylvie[/name] and [name]Natalya[/name] and think they make a wonderful pair. Plus, I’m so jealous that you’re having girl-girl twins – the best!! While i do take your point about a short middle name with [name]Natalya[/name], I really do just think [name]Rose[/name] has been so overdone it kind of fades into the background, the way [name]Ann[/name] or [name]Lee[/name] did in an earlier era. I just wrote a blog on this that will run in the next few weeks, but I think Americans would do well to take a tip from the British, who pair two or three names that don’t necessarily “flow” in any conventional way but that they just love or that have family meaning, and it makes for really beautiful and original sounding names. So why not [name]Natalya[/name] [name]Annabelle[/name], if you go with [name]Josephine[/name] as [name]Sylvie[/name]'s middle name, or vice versa? I think that is a FAR better solution than [name]Rose[/name].
I have been looking at the [name]London[/name] Times birth announcements for ideas and I know what you mean about three names that are different. I think I might go with [name]Cecile[/name] though and keep it to one, American style, because 1) I love [name]Cecile[/name] (my husband does not but for a middle name I think he will be ok with it) 2) It goes with the other middle names, [name]Simone[/name] and [name]Josephine[/name].
It is fun to name girls, and I am glad they are girls!
