Too similar sibling names

Have you considered Coleen?

But that's your opinion only. You can see just how many posters are voting and advising you against using both names.

I knew twins Anne-Marie and Marie-Anne. 😵‍💫

My older sister and I have first names that have the same first and last letters and the same number of syllables, like your choices. I hate it. I wish my parents had been a bit more imaginative and not given me a name so similar to my sister’s.

It'll be awfully confusing in future years if you are getting letters or parcels addressed to Ms C Sloth. Give the child a name with a different initial.

I think they are both too similar yet also don’t flow well either, Nicola is better but if you want to have both beginning with C then that won’t work.

Cora? Clementine is lovely. Camille?

So you all for advise, everyone tells you they are too similar, but you say you still want those names. So go for it. Why bother asking? I also think they are too matchy matchy. How about Coral ?

Even if they are "too similar" as children, it's not like they're joined at the hip as they grow up!
Two of my grandchildren have "matchy matchy" and pretty obscure names (think like Rain and Beau) but as they get older, they won't be a pair so to speak, they aren't twins.
Don't worry about it!

Why?

They are two separate people with two separate names. They will not be joined at the hip for eternity. It really makes no difference even if the names are somewhat similar. They will still have separate identities and, after the first 5-7 years for their life they will have separate friends, separate set of acquaintances, educational settings, interest groups... The chances fo them being introduced as a set are pretty slim after a while.

It is similar but I don’t think too similar to use. My vote would be Chloe (only because I much prefer the name myself which doesn’t matter!), but it sounds as though you’re quite set on Colette and I’d say it’s okay to use.

I don't think they sound too similar, but I really dislike the name Colette. I don't think there's any 'soft' about it.

They're too similar.

If the age gaps are quite close, that can often overlap them in social groups (e.g. a couple of school years apart, or same Brownie pack) and it makes it harder for them to be remembered and identified as individuals if the names are similar looking/ phonetically similar.

Years into parenting, it's easy to blurt out the wrong name anyway, either when tired or just that you've snarled at child A and that name sticks when you talk to child B. If the child has a clear identity, it's easy to shrug off, but if they already feel like they have a merged, indistinct identity, it's that little bit harder.

Colette is far too similar to Charlotte, and Chloe looks too much like a short form as it contains all the same letters in the same order.

I once had a parent on the phone who didn't know which of his 3 "A Smith" children a hospital letter was sent to as they were all under paediatrics, and he had to phone up every time to find out which child to bring. Probably not possible these days, but we ended up adding a fake initial onto the admin system to make it more distinguishable without having to phone up every time.

Nicole and the middle name is a pleasant complimentary name with enough distinction of its own.

YABU, for reasons listed previously. They'll likely be shortened to Lottie and Lettie by others, which is even more similar sounding.
Any post can be confusing, not everyone likes to use their middle name, but you'll be forcing it on them to have to use whilst they're growing up.

Why is it necessary to have the same initial? The fact that you will only consider a 'C' name says to me that you're only picking your favourite name beginning with the letter C, and not because Colette is your all time favourite along with Charlotte, and they happen to both start with that initial.

There are literally thousands of names to choose from, but if you absolutely must have a C name, then how about Catherine or Caroline for example?

Also, you have to consider how your Daughter's will feel having similar names if you go for Collette.

They're a bit similar but not too similar, they sound like they match. Personally I prefer Charlotte and Nicole

when I say both names as I usually would but end with a 'let' sound. I tend to say 'char-let/lut' rather than 'char-lot'

I also would avoid the post situation with all the 'Miss C surname'. Letters in the post are still generally important or exciting so you don't want constant confusion over who letters are actually for

Well I suppose that it would save on name tapes!

DD is towards the end of her school years. I've encountered one Colette in her mid 50's and about a dozen Charlottes (half are always 'Charlotte', otherwise "Charlie" or "Lottie"). You might end up with a "Lottie" and "Lettie"!

Using the same initials will increase the likelihood that parcels/post/records will get muddled up.

I don't recommend Nicolette; it will remind too many people of the nicotine chewing gum that people (used to) use to quit smoking.

Too similar, sorry. Nicole is better than Chloe.

Too similar for me, shouting that up the stairs they will never know who as they don't listen until the last sound of the name!