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HelpHow would you choose twin names?
How would you decide the order, or which baby got what name? Would you base it on which was born first? And if so is that based on which name you like better, or something else? Would you base it on how they look or which name 'fit' which twins personality best?
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For identical twins, I would name them according to how I wanted the names to flow. Oldest gets the name I think should go first in the flow of the names. Make sense?
Like, if I wanted to name my twins Charles and Thomas and I thought they flowed better as Thomas and Charles, then Thomas would be the oldest and Charles the youngest based strictly off the flow of the names together.
If they were fraternal twins, I would name them based on appearance. My twin cousins are named Lily and Laila. Lily has dark brown hair and Laila has red. From the day they were born, I have thought the names should be reversed because I think the dark haired one should be "Laila" because it has a dark meaning ("night").
Like, if I wanted to name my twins Charles and Thomas and I thought they flowed better as Thomas and Charles, then Thomas would be the oldest and Charles the youngest based strictly off the flow of the names together.
If they were fraternal twins, I would name them based on appearance. My twin cousins are named Lily and Laila. Lily has dark brown hair and Laila has red. From the day they were born, I have thought the names should be reversed because I think the dark haired one should be "Laila" because it has a dark meaning ("night").
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I would pick names that would make each child distinct from the other. I would choose names that go together as a sibling set, but would not have them start with the same letter nor do I want the names to sound/ look similar. I would use a theme as long as it was not too obvious.
As of this moment I would name twins:
B/B: Hendrik & Johannes
B/G: Leif & Freja
G/G: Vilhelmine & Sybilla
As of this moment I would name twins:
B/B: Hendrik & Johannes
B/G: Leif & Freja
G/G: Vilhelmine & Sybilla
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Did you read the rest of my post? I'm chiefly concerned with how you decide which twin gets which name
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I did read it and once the twins were born I would choose the name that fist best for each twin. I don't think the order of birth would dictate how I would name them.
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Ok sorry. That wasn't evident to me by your first post. I was afraid you may have just replied to the title
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I would choose two names I loved equally.
I would choose two names that sounded decent together.
I would choose two names that could be said well in either order.
I would probably flip a coin to assign a name to the first name. I can't say that a newborn has ever looked like one name or the other to me.
I would choose two names that sounded decent together.
I would choose two names that could be said well in either order.
I would probably flip a coin to assign a name to the first name. I can't say that a newborn has ever looked like one name or the other to me.
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Do you flip a coin to discover a gut feeling? Or do you flip it and stick with the answer? ;)
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Maybe flip is and see if there is any emotional reaction to it. If not, just do what the coin says. :)
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Well, the most important thing would be that I'd use names I liked the same amount, and which didn't differ a lot in unusualness or style. That would be easy for boys, less easy for girls.
As for which twin got which name ... there is virtually no personality or even a good estimation of appearance, at birth. There's only an ineffable feeling, IME, about the "fit" of a name. I would rely on that to decide which name belonged on which baby. Nothing else makes sense. If I really truly couldn't tell them apart I'd probably use alphabet order = birth order. Because I could be pretty sure I'd always be able to remember that!
I would not care in the least about how the names sounded when said together.
As for which twin got which name ... there is virtually no personality or even a good estimation of appearance, at birth. There's only an ineffable feeling, IME, about the "fit" of a name. I would rely on that to decide which name belonged on which baby. Nothing else makes sense. If I really truly couldn't tell them apart I'd probably use alphabet order = birth order. Because I could be pretty sure I'd always be able to remember that!
I would not care in the least about how the names sounded when said together.
This message was edited 10/15/2014, 9:54 AM
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I think I'd go to the hospital with a list of 2-6 beloved names and choose the ones that feel right. I don't care about birth order vs alphabetical order unless I chose names that start with the same letter; I love multiple B, G, I, and M names, and if I ended up with two same-letter names, it just feels natural to keep them in order.
The order in which they sound best wouldn't figure in my decision because, as a parent, I'd want to vary the order when calling them. It would aggravate me to be the twin whose name always comes second.
The order in which they sound best wouldn't figure in my decision because, as a parent, I'd want to vary the order when calling them. It would aggravate me to be the twin whose name always comes second.
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Hmm. I'll have to ask my sister if coming second ever bothered her.
In our case, my father used to call us girls all at once by saying "hi ho Felicia!"
(heidi, holly, felicia).
The order was always Heidi, Holly and Felicia, even though Fel is two years older than us. I never really thought about it.
In our case, my father used to call us girls all at once by saying "hi ho Felicia!"
(heidi, holly, felicia).
The order was always Heidi, Holly and Felicia, even though Fel is two years older than us. I never really thought about it.
This message was edited 10/15/2014, 9:21 AM
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Hmmm. Interesting question. I thought this was going to be along the lines of "Would you pick matchy names, names that start with same letter", etc. I've never before even thought about it in terms of which name I liked more or which name would fit, etc.
Well, now that I think about it, if it were boy/girl twins, obviously you pick a boy name and a girl name, just like back in the days when nobody knew which gender baby they were having.
For same sex twins, (and the majority of fraternal twins are same sex) I would probably decide to name the first born twin the name I liked more. This happens in families in which there are no twins, after all. For instance, my sister gave her second son the name that was second choice to the name she gave her first son. It makes sense that this would happen fairly frequently.
My brother and his wife have fraternal twin boys. They had always wanted to name a son John Richard Jr. So they named the twin that was born first John Richard Jr. and the one that was born second Andrew Bryan, Andrew simply because they liked the name, and Bryan was the name of the twins' older half-brother through their mother, so he'd have a tie with his half-brother, whose last name was different. My husband always wanted a William James IV, so if we'd had twin boys, it would have been the same with us---the one born first would have been William James IV and the one born second would have a different name, the first chosen because we liked it and the middle would have been honoring some other family member.
My niece has fraternal twin girls named Charlotte and Aubrie. This would be an interesting question to ask her, how she decided which would have which name.
Well, now that I think about it, if it were boy/girl twins, obviously you pick a boy name and a girl name, just like back in the days when nobody knew which gender baby they were having.
For same sex twins, (and the majority of fraternal twins are same sex) I would probably decide to name the first born twin the name I liked more. This happens in families in which there are no twins, after all. For instance, my sister gave her second son the name that was second choice to the name she gave her first son. It makes sense that this would happen fairly frequently.
My brother and his wife have fraternal twin boys. They had always wanted to name a son John Richard Jr. So they named the twin that was born first John Richard Jr. and the one that was born second Andrew Bryan, Andrew simply because they liked the name, and Bryan was the name of the twins' older half-brother through their mother, so he'd have a tie with his half-brother, whose last name was different. My husband always wanted a William James IV, so if we'd had twin boys, it would have been the same with us---the one born first would have been William James IV and the one born second would have a different name, the first chosen because we liked it and the middle would have been honoring some other family member.
My niece has fraternal twin girls named Charlotte and Aubrie. This would be an interesting question to ask her, how she decided which would have which name.
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I would choose four or six names that work as siblings and then choose each child's name individually after spending time with then. Birth order would have no influence on the names or how they're said.
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This is one question I've never considered before! To begin with, I'd choose two names I liked best. There wouldn't be a theme and there probably wouldn't be matching initials unless I truly loved those names.
As for which baby gets which name, I'd probably give baby #1 the name I liked best and baby #2 the name I liked second best. This would be no slight to baby #2 since I'd like that name enough to use in the first place. I'm not adverse to the idea of looking at each child in order to determine which name fits best. I'm a believer in following one's gut instincts.
As for which baby gets which name, I'd probably give baby #1 the name I liked best and baby #2 the name I liked second best. This would be no slight to baby #2 since I'd like that name enough to use in the first place. I'm not adverse to the idea of looking at each child in order to determine which name fits best. I'm a believer in following one's gut instincts.
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For twins, I would make sure that the names were equally loved before I chose them.
I would name the eldest the name I would naturally say first. I was born first so I am Heidi, my sister is Holly. I am not Holly simply because I was born first. I grew into my name... so the question of whether the name would fit probably wouldn't affect me.
But, if the name really didn't fit... I would likely chooe a completely different name for one of the twins rather than switch the names.
I would name the eldest the name I would naturally say first. I was born first so I am Heidi, my sister is Holly. I am not Holly simply because I was born first. I grew into my name... so the question of whether the name would fit probably wouldn't affect me.
But, if the name really didn't fit... I would likely chooe a completely different name for one of the twins rather than switch the names.
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I would base my decision on their looks and personality. I would then introduce them in whatever order their names sounds best, no matter birth order.
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I would say the names to myself and figure out the order they sound best in, for example; I love Tobias and Sebastian for twins or just brothers, saying it aloud I find that Tobias and Sebastian sounds better than Sebastian and Tobias, so I would give the first born child the name Tobias and the second Sebastian, even though Sebastian comes first in the alphabet.
I don't think babies have much of a personality when they are first born, but if the twins are non-identical and Tobias doesn't suit the first-born and Sebastian doesn't suit the second-born I would switch them round for a better fit. But I'd still probably introduce them as "Tobias and Sebastian" even though Tobias wasn't born first.
I don't think babies have much of a personality when they are first born, but if the twins are non-identical and Tobias doesn't suit the first-born and Sebastian doesn't suit the second-born I would switch them round for a better fit. But I'd still probably introduce them as "Tobias and Sebastian" even though Tobias wasn't born first.
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Agreed!
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Probably alphabetically in the case of same-sex twins.
Eliana and Eliora
Elizabeth and Isabella
Lavinia and Lydia
The latter combo is my current favourite, and in the interests of syllable balance my identical girl twins would be Lavinia Charlotte and Lydia Caroline
Or perhaps, if I had second thoughts about two names starting with the same letter:
Charlotte Lavinia and Lydia Caroline
Eliana and Eliora
Elizabeth and Isabella
Lavinia and Lydia
The latter combo is my current favourite, and in the interests of syllable balance my identical girl twins would be Lavinia Charlotte and Lydia Caroline
Or perhaps, if I had second thoughts about two names starting with the same letter:
Charlotte Lavinia and Lydia Caroline
This message was edited 10/14/2014, 11:41 PM
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Definitely we'll see which name seems to fit which baby.
I like names and I'm not so keen on handing them out on a prescription, like alphabetical order or whatever. Not even on which way sounds best when you say them together cos I doubt we'll always be saying the older twin's name first.
So we'll be seeing which one seems like Tamsin and which one seems like Maeve / Luna (depending on if me or my boyfriend win this debate).
I like names and I'm not so keen on handing them out on a prescription, like alphabetical order or whatever. Not even on which way sounds best when you say them together cos I doubt we'll always be saying the older twin's name first.
So we'll be seeing which one seems like Tamsin and which one seems like Maeve / Luna (depending on if me or my boyfriend win this debate).
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I think I would compile a short list of names I loved then wait till they were born to see which matched each baby.
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I would base it on which way the names sounded best and the birth order. For example, I love Lucy and Alice for sisters, so the first would be Lucy and the second would be Alice.
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What an interesting question! I honestly don't know how I'd choose. I bet I'd do something kinda hippy-dippy like gazing at them until some magical gut feeling about which name belonged to which baby came upon me.
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I would choose based on which order rolls off the tongue more easily.
For example, Maren & Rosa sounds nicer than Rosa & Maren because the consonant ending helps to avoid blending with the and - making it sounds more like "Rosan" than Rosa.
Also, if one name were shorter & simpler, that name would go first. I.e. in John & Oliver, John would go first so that it doesn't sound like an afterthought to Oliver.
For example, Maren & Rosa sounds nicer than Rosa & Maren because the consonant ending helps to avoid blending with the and - making it sounds more like "Rosan" than Rosa.
Also, if one name were shorter & simpler, that name would go first. I.e. in John & Oliver, John would go first so that it doesn't sound like an afterthought to Oliver.
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But would you apply that order to the order in which they were born? I can understand using their names in a certain order in speech. But I'm curious if for say, second twin looked more like a Maren than a Rosa, if you would apply the names that way, or if you would stick strictly to twin A- Maren and twin B- Rosa.
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I would name them in the order that I would refer to them. Honestly, I don't get how someone can "look" more like one name than another - especially newborns, who just look like little squish-balls to me. Lol. Granted, if one were colored very dark and the other very light that *might* make a difference, depending on the names.
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Well, if it's a boy/girl set, it would be obvious. If it's boy/boy or girl/girl, the order I like better. Having to be alphabetical would be saved for high order multiples. (quints, sextuplets, octuplets)
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