So I certainly have a type, our oldest is [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] (4) and her sister is expected in a few weeks. The only name I LOVE is [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f]/[name_f]Seraphina[/name_f]. Hah so I need to break out of my pattern, clearly. I know they’re just too similar to use it. I want them to feel like individuals. Help!! I feel like I’ve been avoiding trying to fall in love with something else, and DH is not much help, (but SO supportive of whatever I want to do! But that creates more pressure sometimes!). Thanks in advance!
Welcome to Nameberry, @Kj85!
Josephine is an utterly gorgeous name and a difficult one to match! It’s classic but not overused, feminine but strong. [name_m]Just[/name_m] lovely 
Seraphine certainly fits the bill but you’re right, it does feel a bit too similar.
Here are some other ideas which I think complement [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] without coming too close…
Celeste
[name_f]Cecily[/name_f]/[name_f]Cecilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalind[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Annora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isolde[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Marguerite[/name_f]
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]
[name_f]Ariadne[/name_f]
[name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Guinevere[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]
[name_f]Ferelith[/name_f]
[name_f]Saskia[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
[name_f]Lilias[/name_f]
[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f]
[name_u]Romilly[/name_u]
[name_f]Primrose[/name_f]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Philomena[/name_f]
[name_f]Wilhelmina[/name_f]
[name_f]Magnolia[/name_f]
[name_f]Anais[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgiana[/name_f]
[name_f]Hermione[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsinore[/name_f]
Best of luck!
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Lovely names and understandable reasoning!
Suggestions for [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] and _____ that aren’t too matchy:
Cordelia
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f] - seconded
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Guinevere[/name_f] - seconded
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] - seconded and possibly fav pairing, I just love the nn [name_f]Bea[/name_f] (pronounced bay-ah, not bee)
[name_f]Samara[/name_f]
[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f] - seconded
[name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Phillipa[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Pippa[/name_f])
[name_f]Noemi[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilde[/name_f] / [name_f]Mathilde[/name_f] - prefer over [name_f]Matilda[/name_f]
[name_f]Georgia[/name_f]
[name_f]Apolline[/name_f] (nn [name_f]Polly[/name_f])
[name_u]Dominique[/name_u]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Frances[/name_f]
[name_f]Francine[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorena[/name_f]
[name_f]Milicent[/name_f]
[name_f]Odilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Ottilie[/name_f]
[name_f]Ottoline[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f] / [name_f]Pennelope[/name_f]
[name_u]Sasha[/name_u]
[name_f]Sidonie[/name_f] (nn Sido)
[name_f]Yvette[/name_f]
[name_f]Yvonne[/name_f]
What about [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] and …
[name_f]Anjelica[/name_f]
[name_f]Astoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Caprice[/name_f]
[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanora[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Isadora[/name_f]
[name_f]Isobel[/name_f]
[name_f]Kathleen[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorelei[/name_f]
[name_f]Michaela[/name_f]
[name_f]Odessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Olympia[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosetta[/name_f]
[name_f]Sonja[/name_f]
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
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You may be able to use [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] as a middle name!
First name suggestions (please consider repeats as agreements): [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] and…
Repeats:
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]
[name_f]Anneliese[/name_f]
[name_f]Primrose[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Cecily[/name_f]
Names that are similar in style:
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Margaret[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
(I’m sorry, a lot of these are typical and you could easily have thought of them yourself. But my favorite is [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], followed by [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]!)
Names that just flow well:
Avocet
[name_f]Astrid[/name_f]
[name_m]Basil[/name_m]
[name_f]Annelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosalie[/name_f] (I pronounce this with a long o, like in rose)
[name_f]Aurelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Arwen[/name_f]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Odette[/name_f]
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]
I’ll let you know if I think of any more! Good luck!
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Augusta
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f]
[name_f]Golda[/name_f]
[name_f]Junia[/name_f]
[name_f]Opal[/name_f]
[name_f]Annabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Helena[/name_f]
[name_f]Tillie[/name_f]
[name_f]Ariadne[/name_f]
Clarabell
[name_f]Gianna[/name_f]
[name_f]Florence[/name_f]
[name_f]Winifred[/name_f]
[name_f]Audrey[/name_f]
[name_f]Audra[/name_f]
[name_f]Calliope[/name_f]
[name_f]Mirielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatriz[/name_f]
[name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]
[name_f]Ivalo[/name_f]
[name_f]Simona[/name_f]
[name_f]Rhiannon[/name_f]
[name_f]Evette[/name_f]
[name_f]Evaline[/name_f]
[name_f]Constance[/name_f]
[name_f]Priscilla[/name_f]
[name_f]Cornelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Mavis[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Margo[/name_f]
[name_f]Marisol[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosetta[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Clementine[/name_f]/a
[name_f]Leora[/name_f]
[name_f]Stella[/name_f]
[name_f]Winona[/name_f]
[name_f]Freya[/name_f]
[name_f]Frida[/name_f]
[name_f]Saphira[/name_f]
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Congrats!!
Sapphire?
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You have some great suggestions already
Perhaps [name_f]Sapphira[/name_f] instead??
Other ideas
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] & _______:
Tallulah “[name_f]Lula[/name_f]”
[name_f]Thalia[/name_f]
[name_f]Leona[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Lorelei[/name_f]
[name_f]Siena[/name_f]
[name_f]Calista[/name_f]
[name_f]Francesca[/name_f]
[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] “[name_f]Anya[/name_f]”
[name_f]Colette[/name_f]/[name_f]Odette[/name_f] “[name_f]Etta[/name_f]”
[name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_f]Delia[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_f]Isadora[/name_f]
[name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_f]Amalia[/name_f] “[name_f]Molly[/name_f]”
[name_f]Corinne[/name_f]
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f]
[name_f]Farrah[/name_f]
[name_f]Marnie[/name_f]
[name_f]Selah[/name_f]
[name_f]Gemma[/name_f]
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Thank you so much! Everyone is so nice here I’m very glad to have found this space! I really appreciate your suggestions, I am especially liking [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] and [name_f]Leonora[/name_f]!
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Thank you so much! [name_f]Margot[/name_f] is very sweet. Our last name starts with a hard G, (think a harsh [name_m]German[/name_m] sound starting with “Git” do you think that would sound odd together?
Daphne is so sweet and [name_f]Lorelei[/name_f] is growing on me too the more I see it, thank you!
Thanks so much I am liking some of those different suggestions!! [name_f]Cecily[/name_f] stands out I am liking that and also [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] - so many cute nicknames with that!
Not at all. I’ve met a [name_f]Margot[/name_f] Gaultier (kid at a summer camp I worked at ages ago), and the go-go repetition wasn’t difficult to say or awkward in any way. It was memorable if anything. The repetition almost screams pen name to me, that is, I could see it on the cover of a book haha.
Hope that helps!
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Thank you! I like [name_f]Tillie[/name_f] and my brain went to Tilia for some reason. And [name_f]Saphira[/name_f] is gorgeous!! Feisty. I like it a lot.
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Thank you so much for the suggestion! If it wasn’t associated with the name of a nearby “Gentleman’s” club I think I’d love it (such a waste of a great name). Someone above mentioned [name_f]Saphira[/name_f] which is a nice play, thank you again!
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Thank you for the suggestions! I really like [name_f]Sapphira[/name_f]! [name_f]Lorelei[/name_f] and [name_f]Delia[/name_f] is a name I’ve never heard! I like that a lot too.
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oops sorry! yeah, [name_f]Saphira[/name_f] is beautiful!
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Josephine and [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f] would sound perfect together!! I don’t think they’re too similar for siblings at all, specifically if they go by nicknames. But if you’re planning to have more kids, I agree that it is a great idea to avoid the pattern.
I love the suggestions of [name_f]Sapphira[/name_f] and [name_f]Sapphire[/name_f] as an alternative to [name_f]Seraphina[/name_f]!!
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[name_f]Anna[/name_f]
[name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_f]Catarina[/name_f]
[name_f]Leona[/name_f]
[name_f]Linnea[/name_f]
[name_f]Harriet[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Penelope[/name_f]
[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Victoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Laura[/name_f]
[name_f]Susannah[/name_f]
[name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]
[quote=“[name_f]Estrela[/name_f], post:18, topic:339670”]
[name_f]Josephine[/name_f] and Seraphina would sound perfect together!! I don’t think they’re too similar for siblings at all, specifically if they go by nicknames.
[/quote]
I agree! [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] and [name_f]Seraphine[/name_f] are a bit matchy/too similar, but the pretty “a” at the end just makes the “ph” sound lovely & equally light, IMO.
I also think [name_f]Josephine[/name_f] and [name_f]Lenore[/name_f]/ [name_f]Lenora[/name_f] would be beautiful.
Good luck!
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