Do you like matchy-matchy names for twins?

Have you ever read the newspaper column “Hints From Heloise”? I recently learned a few facts about the original Heloise that reminded me of the Lydia/Sylvia debate from a few days ago.

Heloise was born with the name Eloise. (The H was added for the sake of the column.) Eloise had a twin sister with a very similar name: Louise. And it doesn’t stop there. Eloise’s mother Amelia also had a female twin. The twin’s name? Ophelia.

Giving twins matchy-matchy names continues to be popular, if the SSA’s list of popular twin names is any indication. The top names for twin girls last year included Gabriella/Isabella, Madison/Morgan, Ella/Emma and Makayla/Makenzie.

Do you like it when twins (or siblings that are close in age) have similar names? Why or why not?

3 thoughts on “Do you like matchy-matchy names for twins?

  1. I always think its realy sweet when twins or siblings have similar names but I would never do it myself, I think its confusing, if only initials or used and a bit mean on the children, particularly if the names rhyme

    I think connected names are a good compromise, such as flower names or the names of famous singers or sports people.

    I once knew some twins called Charlie and Rachel, which are anagrams (except the S) I always thought that was a nice idea as it wasn’t so obvious.

  2. My preference is to give siblings names that are similar in style but not rhyming or with an obvious theme. That way, they sound harmonious, but not so much like a matching set.

    My two oldest sons are Nicholas and Alexander. When I found out the 3rd was a boy, too, I joked about naming him Ivan the Terrible. It turns out Nicholas and Alexander must be some sort of matching pair, because I know several brothers with those names.

    My sister’s name rhymes with mine, I did not care for it growing up. I already had to share everything with her, couldn’t the -acy be all mine? Now, it doesn’t matter and perhaps if we’d been more similar I would have liked it.

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