Hello – We are seriously considering naming our son [name]West[/name] [name]Samuel[/name] [name]Kenneth[/name]. However, our last name sounds like “Silks” but begins with a “W”. My husband isn’t bothered at all by the alliteration of [name]West[/name] [W]ilks but I’m less sure. Grateful for your reactions, and thank you in advance.
The alliteration wouldn’t bother me if [name]West[/name] and Wilks were a different number of syllables. [name]Weston[/name] Wilks or [name]Westley[/name] Wilks sounds better. Alliteration is great at as long as the two names are different enough beyond the first letter.
I should add – and thank you, uselesskitty – unfortunately one or both of us don’t like the longer versions that could possibly get us to [name]West[/name] ([name]Weston[/name], [name]Westley[/name], [name]Wesley[/name]), though I absolutely agree a multiple syllable first name would be ideal given our last name.
I think two monosyllabic alliterative names can work for strong sounds, like [name]Clark[/name] [name]Kent[/name]. W is so soft, it doesn’t pack the same punch. [name]West[/name] [name]Wilkes[/name] has some cowboy glamor but its definitely not as strong as even [name]Joss[/name] [name]Wilkes[/name] or [name]Wright[/name] [name]Wilkes[/name] or something.
I love it!
I agree with uselesskitty, the longer forms would be ideal, but i kinda like alliteration, even with two one syllable names. The only hesitation I have is that your last name is a county name in my state and so it would make me think of a location ("west w!lkes county’), but that said I wouldn’t have considered that until I moved to this state so it probably won’t spring to mind for most people.
I agree with everything you said. The alliteration doesn’t bother me…but the flow is off. [name]Weston[/name] or [name]Westley[/name] would work better.