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Helpsibset cohesion vs individual preference
DH and I are thinking about names for our third child. Our first two kids have names that are pretty disparate in style. But, they are both five letters long, and so is our "on the shelf" girl name we picked with kid #2 but didn't use. So we're tossing around the idea of sticking with 5 letter names for our kids, to tie them together a little more even though they're stylistically very different. I definitely have more 5 letter boy names I'd be willing to give a child. But it would mean taking my very favorite boy name off the table. Still, if we ended up having four kids, say, and three of them had a 5 letter name but the fourth didn't, it would feel a little out of place to me.
So what do you guys think? Is it better to think about each name in isolation, and pick whatever names you like the most, or is it worth using Top-10-but-not-number-one names to produce a more satisfying set?
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https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/120652
So what do you guys think? Is it better to think about each name in isolation, and pick whatever names you like the most, or is it worth using Top-10-but-not-number-one names to produce a more satisfying set?
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https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/120652
Replies
I believe that you should only use names that are meaningful to you. Do they really have a meaning if they are only picked because they match an appearance? It's not even really a theme if they are all different in sound and style but span five letters.
I don't think the number of letters matter. They won't look the same anyway because different letters have different widths, and some of them might go by their middle names or by a nickname that isn't 5 letters. I'd go for something to tie the styles together, not the lengths.
Just pick your favorite. The kids are individuals, not a litter of puppies and you won’t always shout all the names together. I didn’t use my favorite (and I was the only one making the decision). He’s 5 now and I still regret his name. Don’t paint yourself into a corner by limiting yourself to 5 letters, a special theme or whatever.
I highly doubt that many people will even notice the 5-letter connection.
I would choose a name somewhere between the two styles, regardless of length.
I would choose a name somewhere between the two styles, regardless of length.
If you can find a 5 letter name, I choose that. But choose the name you like
If I imagine this from a personal perspective, I would much rather have a name chosen by my parents because they really loved it, rather than learning they went with something that wasn't as beloved but fit their theme.
I had a group of cousins whose parents had four kids and stuck with a 5-letter theme, changing the spelling of one name so it would "fit". Nobody noticed the "theme", not even the kids themselves! If each name is quite stylistically very different anyway, then letter length probably won't matter or be noticeable. It'll be fine, I'm sure nobody will feel left out as long as you pick a name you truly love.
The theme can be that each name is very different from the rest!
I had a group of cousins whose parents had four kids and stuck with a 5-letter theme, changing the spelling of one name so it would "fit". Nobody noticed the "theme", not even the kids themselves! If each name is quite stylistically very different anyway, then letter length probably won't matter or be noticeable. It'll be fine, I'm sure nobody will feel left out as long as you pick a name you truly love.
The theme can be that each name is very different from the rest!
This message was edited 1/31/2024, 9:38 PM
To me, number of letters isn't what makes a sibset feel cohesive; not really even number of syllables. Anne, Jane and Elizabeth would feel cohesive to me, while Ann, Jane and Mila wouldn't.
So to me, your sibset is not cohesive, so I'd say just use whichever name you happen to like most.
So to me, your sibset is not cohesive, so I'd say just use whichever name you happen to like most.
I think it's better to do whatever you want. I personally would think about each name in isolation and pick whatever names I like the most, but it's really entirely up to you. There are a lot of great 5-letter names to choose from, if you need ideas. You can also use your favorite boy name as the middle name, if you feel like a 5-letter name is necessary.