I’m due in [name]April[/name] and we aren’t finding out the sex of the baby beforehand. This is our third child and, surprise, my husband is only interested in vetoing names and not giving alternatives. Sound familiar? We have a son named [name]Ivan[/name] and a daughter, [name]Gwendolyn[/name]. Thank you!
Here are some ideas to get you started.
[name]Camille[/name]
[name]Amelia[/name]
[name]Susannah[/name]
[name]Julia[/name]
[name]Lilah[/name]
[name]Anneliese[/name]
[name]Meredith[/name]
[name]Johanna[/name]
[name]Mallory[/name]
[name]Keturah[/name]
[name]Audrey[/name]
[name]Rhiannon[/name]
[name]Mariah[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name]
Girls:
[name]Alice[/name]
[name]Eva[/name]
[name]Clementine[/name]
[name]Carys[/name]
Boys:
[name]Owen[/name]
[name]Cullen[/name]
[name]Callum[/name]
[name]Benjamin[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Arthur[/name]
[name]Ivan[/name] really reminds me of [name]Patrick[/name]. [name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name] and [name]Patrick[/name] - I think they sound great together, and [name]Patrick[/name] is a handsome, classic choice which is easily recognisable but not epidemically popular. Another, similarly fantastic, option is [name]Alexander[/name].
I want to say [name]Leif[/name], but something’s holding me back - is it too soft compared to [name]Ivan[/name]?
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name] and [name]Max[/name] also sound great together, if [name]Max[/name] is short for something else. [name]Maximilian[/name] is so handsome, but I prefer [name]Maxwell[/name] with the set, both in terms of style ([name]Maximilian[/name] is very nice with [name]Gwendolyn[/name], in my opinion, but it feels just that bit more flamboyant than [name]Ivan[/name]) and to avoid having three names which all end in N (but I’m just being fussy). [name]Maximo[/name] is an exotic option.
As for a girl, something longer, feminine and refined, but grounded. [name]How[/name] about :
[name]Adelaide[/name]
[name]Cordelia[/name]
[name]Eloise[/name]
[name]Finola[/name]
[name]Penelope[/name]
[name]Violet[/name] (nn [name]Etta[/name], perhaps?).
I also think the nickname [name]Effie[/name] would work really well. I’ve seen it as a nickname for [name]Euphemia[/name] and [name]Elizabeth[/name], but it would also work for [name]Seraphine[/name]/a and [name]Persephone[/name] if you’re feeling exotic, or for the initials [name]FE[/name].
Good luck!
[name]Auburn[/name]
Thank you everyone! It’s so funny that you mentioned [name]Leif[/name], [name]Auburn[/name]. This was a name we were considering and then my mom and some others started referencing [name]Leif[/name] [name]Garrett[/name] and I got cold feet! We still aren’t much closer to a name. It’s so frustrating.
Hello, fellow mom-to-a-[name]Gwendolyn[/name]! I sympathize with your struggle - I’m not pregnant yet but am always preoccupied by what a future sibling to my [name]Gwendolyn[/name] will be named.
Some ideas:
[name]Linus[/name]
[name]Simon[/name] - maybe rhymes with [name]Ivan[/name] too much
[name]Oscar[/name]
[name]Leif[/name] - I like this with [name]Ivan[/name]!
[name]Duncan[/name]
[name]Adelaide[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Lorelei[/name]
[name]Annelise[/name]
[name]Margaret[/name]
[name]Laurel[/name]
[name]Lenora[/name]
[name]Phoebe[/name]
What is it that you like about [name]Ivan[/name] and [name]Gwendolyn[/name]? Maybe we can help identify other names that have similar characteritics.
Good luck!
[name]Hi[/name] Gwensmom,
[name]Gwendolyn[/name] was a name my husband and I just loved and [name]Ivan[/name] was my husband’s grandfather. [name]How[/name] did you choose [name]Gwendolyn[/name]?
[name]Hi[/name] Gwensmom,
[name]Gwendolyn[/name] was a name my husband and I just loved and [name]Ivan[/name] was my husband’s grandfather. [name]How[/name] did you choose [name]Gwendolyn[/name]?
Oh sorry I didn’t tag this on to the last reply. Aside from it being a family name [name]Ivan[/name] is just such a strong, decisive name. It’s really frustrating to me how so many boy names are rapidly becoming names given to girls. I guess I want something that isn’t too popular and isn’t ambiguous or androgynous for a boy. For girls names again I want something that isn’t too popular and is “equal” to [name]Gwendolyn[/name]. It’s ironic because when it comes to raising my kids I’m not terribly concerned with strict gender roles. However, in naming them I want clearly masculine and feminine names. Right now, or at least the past few days, I’ve been leaning toward [name]Nathaniel[/name] for a boy (nn [name]Nate[/name]) despite the popularity and [name]Veronica[/name] for a girl. I just love that song by [name]Elvis[/name] Costello. [name]Do[/name] you think that [name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] & [name]Nate[/name] works as a sibset? [name]How[/name] about [name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] & [name]Veronica[/name]? My daughter goes by both [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Gwendolyn[/name]. We’ve shortened it at preschool because she’s learning to write her name. I also like [name]Elise[/name] and [name]Annelise[/name] (sp?) and I like [name]Lucinda[/name] and [name]Nora[/name] but my husband shot those down! He likes [name]Evelyn[/name] (nn [name]Evie[/name]) but I’m not so sure. Any suggestions on these name so far would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
I think [name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Nate[/name] go well together! I also love [name]Veronica[/name] with [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Ivan[/name]! Good choices. 
We chose [name]Gwendolyn[/name] just like you - it was just a name we loved! And it’s surprisingly difficult to find another girls name to match! I was thinking of you last night and I thought of some more names: [name]Elliott[/name] and [name]Rosalie[/name]/[name]Rosemary[/name].
But after reading your favorite things about [name]Ivan[/name], I’m not sure that [name]Elliott[/name] is a good match - apparently some people are using it for girls now although I just do not see it! I have the same criteria as you that the person’s gender should be identifiable by the name. I think [name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Nate[/name] do go well together. [name]Veronica[/name] I’m not so sure about. I think you mentioned you wouldn’t want to shorten it? We call our [name]Gwen[/name] by both [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Gwendolyn[/name] too - not sure if you want the same flexibility for the next child.
[name]Rosemary[/name] is a good fit I think with cute nn [name]Rose[/name] or [name]Rosey[/name]. [name]How[/name] about [name]Annora[/name] - too similar to [name]Nora[/name] that was already nixed?
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name] and [name]Rosemary[/name]
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Rose[/name]
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name] and [name]Nathaniel[/name]
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Nate[/name]
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwendolyn[/name] and [name]Annelise[/name]
[name]Ivan[/name], [name]Gwen[/name] and [name]Annie[/name]?