A two-part name question for you ladies....

Jessica Elizabeth and
Lydia Ann

Sophie would go nicely too.

Love Jessica and feel despite popularity its still more individual in feel and prettier than (IMO) the rather plain- Catherine/Kate/Hannah type suggestions on here.

oh and please use Elisabeth again, people on here place far too much importance on middle names, only important if they have a personal/family connection as yours does.

Jessica suggestions:

Stephanie
Freya
Daisy
Nancy
Elsie
Rebecca

I have a good friend who had 2 daughters with the same middle name, so no issue with that

I think it's highly unlikely that BOTH your DD's would choose to use their MN in the future tbh. But if they did I imagine you could do what families where parent & child have the same name and use different known as names

Sophie
Georgia
Holly
Eleanor
Ruby
Leah
Gabrielle
Isabel
Olivia
Lucy

How about Mary as a middle name - a rather famous sister to a fairly famous Elizabeth?

How about Ellen?

Jessica and Ellen go well together, and it's not too disimilar to Elizabeth, both with the 'El'

Or Bethany/Bethan so it will still honor Elizabeth with the 'beth' without being too similar

Oh, and I think Frances or Marianne would go beautifully with Jessica. I wouldn't put choose overly-frilly names to go along side Jessica as you end up with a real mouthful of a combination. I'd also avoid another name ending in the -a sound, a contrast is much nicer.

As a younger child in a family, I would have hated to share a name, even a middle one, with my older sister. It's something I never understand when people on here say it's fine to use the older sibling's middle name as the younger child's first name. Or when people suggest letting an older sibling select a name for a younger child. Your scenario is probably a little less bad than those but I know I personally would have hated it. As a child, and even even a tiny bit as an adult, I would have to say I would feel quite 'second best', as if I didn't deserve the full effort and attention of my parents in getting a name just for me. I already remember feeling inadequate when I realized my elder sister had my parents' favourite names, and mine were only second choice. And I was a happy, well adjusted child with limited sibling rivalry! Younger siblings will always have at least some hand-me-down clothes, books, toys, school supplies, bikes etc. I wouldn't like something as fundamental as a name to have been used by my elder sister first.

Siblings are already linked by their parents and most often a surname too, absolutely no need for given names to be in common. The younger hold deserves her own full identity.

I feel the same way about fathers and sons sharing first names; I would absolutely hate that if I were FirstName Junior. With siblings, you have the added risk of creating or reinforcing a rivalry.

I know sisters Jessica and Abigail

I think Melissa goes well with Jessica, what about Elspeth for a middle name? It's a Scottish derivation of Elizabeth.

My DD1 has the middle name Rose. Long family tradition. I loved it so much I almost used it again for DD2.

If you want to, go for it.

I know of sisters with the same middle name. Never bothered them. They were quite proud of it.

Felicity
Charlotte

I know a family where every single child (all boys) have the same middle name (their father's name).

I think it says a bit about their father's psychology but other than that it hasn't bothered any of them a bit.

If I were you OP, I"d look for a middle name from your husband's family.

My dd1 has my mother's name as a middle name

My dd2 has my mother in law's name as a middle name

They both love the connection. They never use the actual names.

An old friend of mine & her siblings all have the same unisex middle name. It sounds a bit strange, but it works.

Another friend has two daughters who each have two middle names but one of their middle names is the same IYSWIM.

Or you could pick a middle name that is a version of Elizabeth, maybe?

Perhaps you could give dd2 two middle names? Elizabeth and something else...

Totally ok to give both DDs the same mn. I'm part of a line of variants of the same name and I really like it. It would be even nicer if my DSis shared it too. However if you're not sure, are there any other females you might like to honour, from either side or friends?

Jessica suggestions...
Catherine
Emma
Eloise
Lucy
Erin
Naomi
Isla

Did either you, your mum, your grandmother or great grandmother have a sister? If so, what was their middle name?

Personally, I wouldn't give both DCs the same middle name. Not because it's wrong - just because I'd keep it as a first born DD tradition instead (if that's what it is).

As you like Jessica, you might like:

Olivia
Lydia
Imogen
Isla
Orlaith
Ruby
Grace

Thanks Bendy - I've never heard of Alyssa Milano...

Elisabella was also very popular, mostly in 17th and 18th centuries but still in use in the early 19th century.

About time both names were in use again, I think.

My friend has a Jessica Elizabeth and her sister's called Eleanor Anne.

I'd give your second DD three names with Elizabeth being the third one, so something like Olivia Louise Elizabeth, Eleanor Beatrice Elizabeth or Chloe-Anne Elizabeth, where you hyphenate the first name or Rose-Anne Elizabeth.
Jut some ideas.

Oh I have just looked it up and got it a bit wrong - Alyssa Milano called her daughter Elizabella. I prefer Elisabelle!

Eleanor Elizabeth

How about Eliza for the middle name?
Amelie Eliza?

Bendy, which celebs have revived Elisabelle?

It is a very old Scots form of the Hebrew Elisheba and hasn't been used since about 1790!

Or use Elisabelle like those celebs did! I like that.