A reader named Abbie has four children: Leo Sebastian, Henry Edward, Jasper Alaric, and Eliza Vivienne. She recently learned that she is expecting twins (congrats!) and would like some help coming up with baby names–especially boy names. She writes:
Lucy Matilda and Nora Penelope will be the twins’ names if they are both girls.
We like shorter (two to three syllables) names that are classy and old-fashioned but have a hint of eccentricity and quirkiness to them; we want them to be familiar and accepted but still be unusual enough that they’ll be the only one in their classes.
If it helps, our last name starts with Gold and is two syllables.
The very first name to pop into my head? Amory, which I know from This Side of Paradise. This made me think that other names from Fitzgerald books and stories (written during the 1920s and ’30s) might be names Abbie would like. So I flipped through the Fitzgerald books that I own, then flipped through others that I don’t own (thanks to the magnificent Project Gutenberg), and found:
| Abe (Abraham) Albert Charlie Chester Dexter Duncan Nelson Percy Roscoe Warren | Daisy Edith Honoria Lorraine Lucille Marion Marjorie Rosemary Stella Violet |
I included girl names, but I don’t think Abbie needs any. (I’m guessing that if only one twin is a girl, she’ll be named either Lucy Matilda or Nora Penelope.)
So let’s concentrate on boy names now. Here are some others that seem both old-fashioned and a bit quirky to me:
| Alfred Arthur Avery Bernard Bertram | Cedric Dexter Ernest Felix Frederick | Lewis Milo Nolan Owen Philip | Roland Rupert Simon Stuart Walter |
Out of these, I think my favorites (for the sib set Leo, Henry, Jasper and Eliza) would be Owen, Philip, Simon and Stuart.
Which of the names above do you like best? What other names (firsts, middles, or combinations) would you suggest?
Update – The babies have arrived! To see what their genders/names are, either scroll down through the comments or just click here.
Felix, Dexter, and Simon are my favorites. Gideon and Calvin also come to mind. If you want similar but not matchy names, I think Felix Milo and Dexter Stuart sound wonderful together. The Xs make them sound a bit matchy, but not at the same time. Call me boring, but I love Thomas as a middle name for a twin boy, since it means ‘twin’.
Lucy Matilda and Simon Thomas
Lucy Matilda and Gideon Thomas
Nora Penelope and Walter Thomas
Nora Penelope and Rupert Thomas
These are really wonderful names…so elegant and romantic.
My favourites for twin boys from that list are:
Simon Walter
Philip Bertram
(Philip would have been my name if I was a boy!)
The middle names are slightly more old-fashioned than the first names, while I think the first names still evoke that old-fashioned elegance.
I also like:
Ernest Charles
Alexander John
I really like these sorts of names!
My favourites are probably would probably be:
Frederick John
Dexter Nelson
Other suggestions would be Laurence, Benedict and Lucas
dennis-james
del-joseph
charlie-jack
william-blue
samuel-john
Boys:
Davis Barnaby (especially if the Dad’s a David)
Phineas Nathaniel (Finn, Nat, Nate, Nathan, Niel, or Pinky in the family!)
or reversed:
Nathaniel Phineas
Hector Stephen
Evan Michael
James Elliot
Brewster Delaney
William Hamnet (the 2nd was Shakespeare’s son)
Seamus Alexander (maybe a bad fit – SAG! – add a 2nd middle like David or Duncan– before the Alexander)
Hamish Burnett
Kjell Matthias or Matthias Kjell (Kjell – pronounced Shell)
Girls:
Zoë Penelope
Jemima Araminta (nick for Araminta = Minty)
Sidonie Arabella
Cora Esmé (Something like ‘beloved maiden’)
Cecily Ann
Emily Louise or Emily Jane
Sophia Charlotte (or reversed; alternate: Sophie Charlotte)
Camille Isabella (Nicks: Cammie, Millie, Izzy, Bella, Belle)
Good luck! Bonne chance & buena suerte! (3XGood luck).
Just heard from Abbie! She had one girl and one boy, and their names are Phoebe Matilda and Dexter Benjamin. Here’s what she says:
Very nice choices! I think Phoebe and Dexter sound great with Leo, Henry, Jasper and Eliza. Congrats, Abbie!
Alan-Alex
Brendan-Bryan
Cody-Caleb
Danny-David
Ethan-Edward