Selecting Names for Multiples

The rules for selecting baby names for multiples are generally no different than when naming just one baby. Remember the old saying—if it ain't broke, don't fix it. There's no reason to change the naming process when there's more than one new being to dub.

Regardless of whether you're having several children at once or just one, there is one basic rule that should always apply to the naming process: Choose names that you like and that you feel will serve your children well as they mature.

Most parents understand this basic ground rule perfectly well, but for some reason they forget that it also applies to naming more than one child at a time. Or, they think there are new rules governing their special situation that they should now follow, and they spend a lot of time trying to figure out just what these new rules are.

What these new parents end up realizing, however, is that the tried-and-true way is generally the best approach in all situations. There's no need to rewrite the rules if you're going to be the proud parents of twins, triplets, quadruplets, or even higher order multiples.

Also, keep in mind that the rules for testing names apply when you're choosing names for multiples. It's just as important to make sure that the names you select work in all possible combinations—perhaps more so in situations like this, as there are more combinations to consider!

In the Family Way (More Than Just a Little!)

Parents who are anticipating multiple births have enough on their minds as it is, but they also often find themselves coping with a substantially higher level of family interest and involvement in their lives, both before and after the babies are born.

This heightened interest can be most welcome, especially if you're in a situation where you really need some help, such as being confined to bed. However, it can also be a burden, as it can translate into the desire for more input on what your babies' names should be.

The fact that you're having more than one child at once really shouldn't affect how you go about naming them, but families often see the advent of multiple births as their chance to make their feelings known about honoring relatives or carrying on family names.

Even families that may have stayed at arm's length if just one baby was anticipated can get very excited when multiples are on the way, and that natural excitement can elevate their desire for involvement far beyond what would be expected and normal for them.

It's up to you, the parents of the multiples, to keep a balanced perspective on the entire situation, which may be difficult as you're probably not be feeling very balanced yourselves! Just keep in mind that the arguments for and against the use of family or ancestral names remain the same, no matter how hard anyone might try to convince you of the contrary. If you were going to consider such names for one child, it makes sense to do the same for multiple children. If you weren't, then there's no reason why you should feel an increased need to do so now.

The Name Game Times Two

Children born as multiples have a special bond. They may or may not bear a strong physical resemblance to each other, but there's a unique psychological and emotional connection that stays in place throughout their lives, regardless of the situations and experiences that come their way.

Studies of twins who have been raised apart show remarkable similarities in their behavior and their personalities, even down to such minute details as how they hold their dining utensils. It's not uncommon for twins who are separated at birth to have the same occupations, dress in the same fashion, and even give their children the same names.

When it comes to naming multiples, parents often celebrate this special bond by giving these children names that are similar or related in some way. However, not all do. Many parents today believe in giving their multiples names that will help them establish separate identities from their siblings.

While we often expect multiples to have names in common, nowhere is it written that you have to. There will be plenty of other ways in which your children will be identified as members of a special group, so you can embrace or ignore this naming rule as you wish. As when naming single children, let your head—and your heart—be your guide.

Multiple Fashions

As can be expected, there are some naming fashions that pertain to naming twins, triplets, quadruplets, and beyond:

• Alliterative combinations or names that begin with the same letter
• Names that relate to each other in some way besides alliteration, such as in form or meaning
• Dissimilar names

These fashions have been in place for a long time and they really don't change much, although, like other naming fashions, some will always be more popular than others at any given time.

Which fashion is right for you? It's a good idea to give some consideration to each one, even if you have a strong preference for one form over another. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, and the only way to fully determine what will work best in your situation is to try them all.

Alliteration Angles

This is considered a classic naming fashion for multiples, and it's certainly one of the easiest to work with, as the combinations are virtually limitless. All you have to do is come up with a first initial that you both like—parents often choose one from their own names, but this isn't necessary either—and you're off and running!

This was the naming fashion used by NBC newswoman Jane Pauley and husband Garry Trudeau (of Doonesbury comic strip fame), who named their twins Rachel and Ross. While their children weren't multiples, entertainer Bill Cosby and wife Camille also used it for all of their children. Building on the letter E, the Cosbys named their kids Erika Ranee, Erinn Charlene, Ennis William, Ensa Camille, and Evin Harrah.

Other alliteration combinations include:

Amanda and Adam	Felice and Fiona
Brianna and Bryce	Grace and Gregg
Colin and Caitlyn	Haley and Hanna
Denise and Daniel	Iris and Isabel
Ethan and Evan	Justin and Jack
Kayley and Kyle	Sabrina and Samuel
Lindsey and Lily	Taylor and Tyler
Michael and Mallory	Ursula and Uma
Noah and Nicolas	Virginia and Vincent
Ophelia and Olivia	Wynona and Wyatt
Paige and Patrick	Xavier and Ximena
Quentin and Quinn	Yvonne and Yvette
Roseann and Russell	Zachary and Zoey

See, I told you the list is endless!

It's All Relative

Another strong multiples naming fashion is to choose names that are similar in other ways. They may be spelled nearly identically or be different versions of the same name, but they all share certain qualities (alliteration, etc.) that link them as names for multiples.

Letter Switches

These take the form of names that are identical with the exception of the first letter, as in:

• Cara and Sara
• May and Bay
• Marla and Carla
• Nora and Dora
• Joel and Noel
• Nan and Dan
• Roy and Joy
• Merry and Jerry
• Tami and Sami
• Seth and Beth
• Ida and Ada

Or, names can be combined that are the same except for a change of letter in another position:

• Britt and Brett
• Clark and Clara
• Kyle and Kyla
• Cary and Carl
• Ross and Rose

The advantage to these names is their very close linkages—if you see any of them appearing on a form of any sort, there's little question of them being anything other than names of multiples. However, this characteristic can also be a drawback, especially if the names selected are very close in pronunciation. They also can seem a little too cutesy as time goes on, and they generally don't yield a good number of pet names or nicknames since many of them are actually forms of given names.

Boy, Girl, Boy, Girl: Masculine/Feminine Combinations

These combinations are generally formed by adding a feminine suffix to a masculine name, as in:

• Paul/Paula
• Daniel/Danielle
• Albert/Alberta/Albertina
• Alan/Alana
• Michael/Michaela/Michaeline

Or, they can combine a male and a female name that were derived from the same name but are no longer entirely similar in form, like:

• Alexander/Alexis
• Charles/Charlotte
• Dennis/Denise
• John/Joanna
• Samuel/Samantha
• Nicholas/Nicole

These names also carry a strong connection factor, but they're often more versatile than letter-switch pairs. Still, many of them are very close in pronunciation, which can lead to misunderstandings and mix-ups, especially if you're shouting for one of your kids and the other shows up.

Anagrams

If you really like playing with names, you can try rearranging the letters in one name to form another. Amy can turn into May, Reva into Vera, Jonah into Johan, and Mary into Myra. Personally, I think this approach takes up more time than it's worth, but if you have a lot of time on your hands, then why not give it a shot!

Form Combinations

There's nothing that says you can't use the full form of a given name and a derivative of it to name multiples. This can be a great approach if you have more than two multiples to name. Possible combinations include:

• Alex, Lexi, and Lexa
• Elizabeth, Liza, and Elissa
• Alex and Sandy
• Anne and Nina
• Mary, Molly, and Marie

Like Means Like

Another popular approach to naming multiples is to pair names with similar meanings. This can be a more difficult fashion to work with as it takes some knowledge of the meanings of names, or the willingness to dig a little more than usual to find names with similar roots.

It also probably works best with twins, as it may be difficult to find combinations greater than two. But the results can really be worth the time and energy that go into coming up with combinations like these:

• Laura and Daphne: Both names mean “laurel”; Laura is Latin and Daphne is Greek.
• Elijah and Joel: These Hebrew names both combine elements that mean “God,” but in different order.
• Zoe and Eve: These names translate as “life” in Greek (Zoe) and Hebrew (Eve).
• Diana and Selene: Diana is the Roman goddess of the moon; Selene is her Greek counterpart.
• Nell and Elaine: Both names derive from the same root name of Helene, the Greek goddess of beauty. Elaine is a more modern variation of the name Helen; Nell is a pet form of Eleanor, another name derived from Helene.
• Jonathan and Matthew: Both names come from the Hebrew words yehu, “of God,” and matis, “gift.”
• Karen and Katherine: Karen is the Danish form of Katherine, which comes from the Greek word for “pure.”
• Kieran and Melanie: Both mean “dark-haired” or “dark” in complexion.
• Amy and David: These two names both translate into “beloved.” Amy, however, derives from Latin and David from Hebrew.

Virtuous Combinations

Another pairing approach to try is combining virtue names. One obvious combination, and a good one for triplets, is Hope, Faith, and Charity, but these are just the tip of the iceberg.

A nice aspect of this naming style is that you can give your multiples a hidden bond by selecting names that appear quite different but that share similar virtuous meanings that only you know about (obviously, you'll share them with your offspring at a later date).

Pairing Prefixes

This approach doesn't pair names that are similar in any other way besides the fact that they share prefixes, but they fall into this category because of that common bond. It works particularly well with African-American names, like Lakisha and Ladonna, Tanisha and Tamika, or Daquon and Danell.

Like other pairings, these combinations can cause confusion if the selected names sound too much alike. A way to keep some distance between them is to choose names that are sufficiently different aside from their prefixes. Laquonda and Latrell is a good combination. Talitha and Tanisha, as they both end in “a” could be a little too close for comfort.

Just Good Names

Coming up with names that relate to one another is a popular approach to naming multiples, but it is by no means the only way to go. There are just as many parents who choose names that have little in common at all. They're just good names, as least as far as the parents who select them are concerned.

This seems to be a far stronger trend in naming multiples these days, at least when it comes to the multiples who have gained some notoriety for one reason or another, such as:

• Stephen and Amanda Mays, the first test-tube twins.
• John and William Reiff, who have won a record 22 titles in “most identical” contests.
• The four little Dursts—Calli Kristine, Kendra Nicole, Megan Marie, and Sarah Elizabeth—of Buffalo, Minnesota, a delightful quartet who earned more than their 15 minutes of fame as they were conceived without fertility drugs. I spent an afternoon with these girls as toddlers when I worked as a reporter in Minnesota, which convinced me that all parents of multiples are saints!
• Leanna, Joy, and Monica Creel, the identical triplets who starred in The Parent Trap III and Parent Trap Hawaiian Honeymoon.
• Gwyneth, Barbara, and Pilar Thomas, the daughters of actor Richard Thomas.
• Eliza and Katya, the twin daughters of Charles, Viscount Althorp (Princess Diana's brother).
• Henry and Angus, the twin sons of actors Corbin Bernsen and Amanda Pays.
• Dane Luke and Trey Kully, the twin sons of actor Lee Majors.
• Malcom and Olivia, the boy/girl combo born to actor Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta.
• And, of course, Kenneth Robert, Alexis May, Natalie Sue, Kelsey Ann, Brandon James, Nathan Roy, and Joel Steven, the “seven from heaven” septuplets born to Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey in 1997.

There's not much commonality between any of the names these parents chose for their multiples besides the fact that they were carefully selected and bestowed with lots of love. And this, quite frankly, should be the bottom line when it comes to naming any baby, whether he or she is a singular sensation or part of a new chorus line!

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Names © 1999 by Sonia Weiss. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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