Sibsets

[name_f]My[/name_f] first born is named [name_u]Arthur[/name_u] [name_u]Robert[/name_u] (my maiden name) so he has a very classic name. I had names in mind that would fit that style but ruled them out for one reason or another so now my top names for our next (and likely last) baby are a bit more “out there.”

For another boy, we’re thinking [name_m]Jethro[/name_m] [name_u]Maverick[/name_u] [name_u]Daniel[/name_u], which is classic in the sense [name_m]Jethro[/name_m] is biblical but it sounds more trendy along with names like [name_u]Cairo[/name_u] but much more uncommon. [name_u]Maverick[/name_u] is trendy as well but we chose it for the meaning “independent nonconformist” which is a value we regard highly and the M allows for the sweet and simple nickname of [name_u]Jem[/name_u].

For a girl, we like [name_f]Winona[/name_f] [name_u]Blythe[/name_u] [name_f]Renee[/name_f], which I don’t think is as obviously different styles, as [name_f]Winona[/name_f] is uncommon but it’s not that different from say [name_f]Ramona[/name_f].

So I’m just wondering if it causes problems having one child with a more common name and another with a more rare name? Jealousy or otherwise?

I don’t think it will cause a problem! [name_f]My[/name_f] own family has a very mixed set of siblings. [name_f]My[/name_f] stepsister and I have top 100 names (common), my other sister and stepbrother have top 500 names (uncommon but not unheard of), and my other sister and brother have names that have never been in the top 1000 and my sister’s has barely ever been in SSA data. It really has never been an issue or anything in our lives.

I think both [name_m]Jethro[/name_m] and [name_f]Winona[/name_f] work perfectly well with [name_u]Arthur[/name_u]!

I do personally worry about jealousy issues when the names are wildly different, but I don’t think the difference is that strong here. (I would worry if Arthur’s sibling was [name_f]Persimmon[/name_f] or Hephaestus or something similarly uncommon and dramatic, or on the other hand if it were something totally made up, because I could see them wishing they had a more ‘normal’ name like their brother). But I think [name_f]Winona[/name_f] and [name_m]Jethro[/name_m] are established enough with a long history that even if they aren’t currently super common, they don’t stand out next to [name_u]Arthur[/name_u].

It might cause a problem, sure. But the way I see it, any other name might as well. You can never know if a child will end up loving their rare name, loving their common name, wishing for a more common name, wishing for a different name for other reasons… just go for it. You chose something you love, that’s what matters.

Also, for what it’s worth, to me [name_m]Jethro[/name_m] feels more “not yet re-discovered classic” like [name_m]Otis[/name_m] or [name_m]Wilbur[/name_m] and not “modern trendy” like [name_u]Cairo[/name_u]!

I think it can go either way - one sib might envy the other for having a rarer name, the other might envy their sib with a familiar one :person_shrugging: They both might be happy with what they got! Names are so personal, it’s hard to predict!

Still, in this case, I don’t think they’re too different, and they all seem meaningful and special which is important!

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