Middle names for twin girls!

My wife and I settled on [name_f]Mara[/name_f] and [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] for the names of our twin girls, and now we just need to pick middle names for them both. Any suggestions as welcome! We prefer to keep away from names that are too common/popular, as well as names that are too wildly unusual or have nontraditional spellings. We also both tend to like classic boys’ names (i.e. [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_u]Dylan[/name_u]) as girls’ middle names.

[name_f]Mara[/name_f] is an honor name on my side, and my wife likes the idea of middle name [name_f]Beth[/name_f] to honor her sister who died not too long ago. I also think this is a lovely idea, but is it unusual for both first and middle names to be honor names? Does [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] sound right? I’m not sure how I feel about [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f], I think they don’t pair as well.

Older sister of the twins is [name_u]Simone[/name_u] [name_f]Josette[/name_f], parents are [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] and [name_f]Claudia[/name_f], and our last name is [name_m]Brannon[/name_m].

I personally really like [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f]. [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] & [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Claude[/name_u] would be super cute!

Other ideas with [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f]:
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_m]Branley[/name_m] (for [name_m]Brannon[/name_m])
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Grey[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] (so cute!)
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Reese[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]West[/name_u]

I think most of those would sound good with [name_f]Mara[/name_f] too, if you decide to not use [name_f]Beth[/name_f]. I don’t think it would be too weird or uncommon for her first and middle name to be honor names, though. Another option, if you don’t want to use [name_f]Beth[/name_f] exactly, [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] would be a good way to get a [name_f]Beth[/name_f] connection in there.

I think a way to avoid using two honor names could be [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. It has [name_f]Beth[/name_f] in it and sounds more stable. For [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] you could use [name_f]Iris[/name_f] or [name_f]Irene[/name_f] to pay homage to your name.

Hello, I’ve always loved the name [name_f]Ingrid[/name_f] by the way!

[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] does sound nice, but I agree with pp to use a name that has ‘beth’ already in it.
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Embeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Lisbeth[/name_f]
I love the previous suggestion for [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]West[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Emery[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Auden[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Murray[/name_u]

Since [name_f]Mara[/name_f] is already an honor name, I’d put the other honor name [name_f]Beth[/name_f] with [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]…

[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]

Congratulations! [name_u]Simone[/name_u] [name_f]Josette[/name_f] is a beautiful name and I saw your other thread and was hoping you would go with [name_f]Mara[/name_f] and [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] ! I think two honor names is totally fine, but I would give each twin at least one honor name. Since [name_f]Mara[/name_f] is an honor name. I think [name_f]Beth[/name_f] could go to [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]. I like the previous suggestion of [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f].

[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]West[/name_u] and [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] sounds fantastic together.

names.

[name_f]Mara[/name_f]is an honor name on my side, and my wife likes the idea of middle name[name_f]Beth[/name_f]to honor her sister who died not too long ago. I also think this is a lovely idea, but is it unusual for both first and middle names to be honor names? DoesMaraBethsound right? I’m not sure how I feel about[name_f]Lenore[/name_f]*[name_f]Beth[/name_f], I think they don’t pair as well.

[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Beth[/name_f] is cute. [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] could be a little twist on it? Or [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Bea[/name_f], [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Betty[/name_f] or [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Betsy[/name_f]?
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f] or [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] could work too.

Some other suggestions:
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Belle[/name_f]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Brooke[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Bryony[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Billie[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Casey[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Sybil[/name_f]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Juliet[/name_f]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Piper[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Kit[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Beck[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_u]Jules[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Bailey[/name_u]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Delyth[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Holly[/name_f]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Ivy[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Florence[/name_f]
[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Adele[/name_f]

I like the suggestion of [name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]. It pays tribute to [name_f]Beth[/name_f] while giving her a name of her own, you know? As for [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]'s name, maybe you consider an honor name as a middle so [name_f]Mara[/name_f]'s isn’t so full of family meaning and [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]'s is just names you liked. That being said, my name is all honor names and my sister’s was just something my mom liked and it never bothered us.

Thanks for all of the ideas! I like the suggestion of [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] a lot, I guess now it’s just a matter of finding a middle name for [name_f]Mara[/name_f]. It’ll likely not be an honor name, just something we like.

[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]West[/name_u] & [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f] would make an amazing twin set! They sound like 1950s movie stars.

I’d like
Sim0ne J0sette, Len0re [name_f]El[/name_f]$beth and…

M@ra [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Leonine[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Annalie[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Linnea[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Theodora[/name_f]
M@ra [name_f]Tamsin[/name_f]

[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f] is great. [name_m]How[/name_m] about

[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Blair[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Blythe[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Drew[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Elaine[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Isolde[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]James[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Jude[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Lane[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Leith[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Maxine[/name_f] (my fave!)
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Sloane[/name_u]

I agree with the others, the problem isn’t using 2 honour names, it’s giving one daughter honour names while the other doesn’t have any.
I really like the suggestion of [name_u]West[/name_u] for a middle name for [name_f]Mara[/name_f].

[name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f] and trying to find a middle that fits your taste for classically boys’ names as a middle for [name_f]Mara[/name_f]!
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Drew[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]West[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Avery[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Kit[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Riley[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Ashton[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Cameron[/name_u]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Gray[/name_u]

Personal favorites are
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Gray[/name_u] & [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f] [name_u]Ashton[/name_u] & [name_f]Lenore[/name_f] [name_f]Elsbeth[/name_f]