Having twins means double the fun, and double the pressure. Itâs a fairly known rule to name twins in a way that honors their unique bond, but that can lead to overly cutesy pairings that feel more appropriate for nursery rhyme characters than actual people. Plus, itâs equally important for the names to acknowledge each twinâs individuality. Again, these are peopleânot a matching set of dolls. Finding the twin baby name balance is easier said than done, for sure.
Luckily, there are several ways to do this. Names can be linked by style, sound or meaning, according to the baby name website Nameberry. For example, two names that share a classic style would be Elizabeth and Edward, whereas Ione and Lionel share a similar rhythm. And Frederica and Milo seem to share nothing in common, but both mean âpeaceful.â
Over on the /NameNerds subreddit, one person asked folks to share their favorite twin name pairings, and the answers did not disappoint.
One person wrote âHonestly, for me itâs hard to beat the Rugrats combo of Phillip and Lillian (Phil and Lil) đâ
A few parents who gave their twinâs names that didnât inherently rhyme until nicknames got involved:
"It's the perfect way! Christmas cards can be signed cutely with matching names, but when they act out you can still use their full name without getting tripped up.đ"
"The parents of a good friend of mine did this: her name is Allison and her sister is Callie. Their names donât match on the surface, but they were Alli and Callie at home."
âAlice and Celia, because theyâre anagrams! Sound super different but have a not-so-obvious implicit connection.â
This incited an avalanche of other anagram ideas: Aidan and Nadia, Lucas and Claus, Liam and Mila, Noel and Leon, Ira and Ria, Amy and May, Ira and Ari, Cole and CleoâŠeven Alice, Celia, and Lacie for triplets.
Others remembered name pairs that managed to sound lovely together without going into cutesy territory.
These matching bunny ears though. Photo credit: Canva
âI know twin toddler boys named Charlie and Archie and they go so well together,â one person commented.
Another wrote, âTamia and Aziza. I love how they follow the same sound pattern with the syllable endings (-uh, -ee, -uh) without being obnoxiously matchy matchy.â
Still another said, âLucy and Logan, fraternal girl/boy twins. I think the names sound so nice together, and definitely have the same 'vibe' and even though they have the same first letter they aren't too matchy-matchy.â
Other honorable mentions included: Colton and Calista, Caitlin and Carson, Amaya and Ameera, Alora and Luella, River and Rosie, and Eleanor and Elias.
One person cast a vote for shared style names, saying, âIf I had twins, I would honestly just pick two different names that I like separately. I tend to like classic names, so Iâd probably pick Daniel and Benjamin for boys. For girls my two favorites right now are Valerie and Tessa. I think Val and Tess would be cute together!â
Overall though, it seems that most folks were fans of names that focused on shared meaning over shared sound. Even better if thereâs a literary or movie reference thrown in there.
Many adult twins regret that their names are so closely linked together. Photo credit: Canva
âMy mom works in insurance, so I asked her. Sheâs seen a lot of unique ones, but the only twins she remembers are Gwenivere [sic] and Lancelot... bonus points... little brother was Merlin,â one person recalled.
Another shared, âIf I had twin girls, I would name them Ada and Hedy for Ada Lovelace and Hedy Lamarr, both very early computer/tech pioneers. Not that Iâm that into tech, I just thought it was a brilliant combination.â
Other great ones: Susan and Sharon (think the original âParent Trapâ), Clementine and Cara (types of oranges), Esme and Etienne (French descent), Luna and Stella (moon and stars), Dawn and Eve, plus various plant pairings like Lily and Fern, Heather and Holly, and Juniper and Laurel.
Perhaps the cleverest name pairing goes to âAubrey and Zoe,â sinceâŠwait for it⊠âtheyâre A to Z.â
Itâs easy to see how naming twins really is a cool opportunity for parents to get creative and intentional with their baby naming. It might be a challenge, sure, but the potential reward is having the most iconic set of twins ever. Totally worth it!