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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Too matchy for twins?

56 replies

moggle · 27/12/2017 15:33

Mulling over names for our boy-boy twins due soon. We are as sure as we can be pre-birth that they are non identical if that matters.
So question is, are Rufus and Rowan too matchy for twins? I am aware they have very similar meanings too, I’m not so fussed about that. I’m also not too fussed about having more than one person in the family with the same initial (also my name starts with R too...)

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OrlandaFuriosa · 11/01/2018 19:06

Congratulations and classic names that will last them well.

Rylanmakesmyheartsmile · 11/01/2018 16:37

Well I guess that settles it then! Congratulations again - twins are great fun. Hard work for sure, but then so are all babies.

BunloafAndCrumpets · 11/01/2018 16:36

Congratulations moggle! What lovely names.

NerrSnerr · 11/01/2018 16:25

Oh, didn’t RTFT. I will push Alvin and Calvin on the next twin thread.

NerrSnerr · 11/01/2018 16:24

There are some retired sprinters from America who are twins who are called Alvin and Calvin. Is that any good? en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Harrison

Original poster
moggle · 11/01/2018 16:21

Rylan no they didn’t take blood, they look pretty different and if that wasn’t enough one of them has a number of extra digits!!

OP posts:
heateallthebuns · 11/01/2018 15:55

It could be a bit confusing when letters addressed to Mr R Surname arrive in years to come, also at school with registers, grades, etc.

Rylanmakesmyheartsmile · 11/01/2018 15:07

Congratulations! Just a quick note to ask if they had cord blood taken to determine whether they are identical or not? My ID girls were DCDA and we were told it was most likely they weren't ID but DNA testing showed they are. They certainly look very alike (they are 7 now and people still often get them mixed up), but as babies we couldn't have guessed because all four of our DC looked so alike at birth that they just looked like one of ours rather than specifically like each other iyswim!

MammieBear · 11/01/2018 14:57

I think they sound fine together.

AnyaMoondial · 11/01/2018 14:17

Many congratulations! Both beautiful names.

Littlechocola · 11/01/2018 14:05

Congratulations! Beautiful names!
Welcome to the world Matthew and Henry.

BabloHoney · 11/01/2018 14:05

Lovely names - many congrats

Original poster
moggle · 11/01/2018 13:58

Just wanted to update, as our twins arrived this morning.
We thought we had decided on Rufus and either Matthew or Edward but once they were here we admitted neither of us was totally 100% sold on Rufus in the end, or quite brave enough...(I know it’s not exactly out there, we are pretty mainstream I guess!!) so we have Matthew and Henry. I have loved Henry for ever but discounted it as very popular where we are, but in the end decided popularity didn’t matter after all. V happy with our choice and hopefully they won’t get mixed up at all!

OP posts:
UsernameInvalid66 · 28/12/2017 12:47

They are both nice names, but personally I would not name any two siblings (not just twins) with the same first initial. I'd be more inclined to use those two as middle names with more "different" first names.

thehairyhog · 28/12/2017 07:36

Love them!

MrsDilber · 28/12/2017 03:43

Got to say, we have two similar named cousins in our family and they get mixed up dreadfully, it's like a tongue twister.

sycamore54321 · 28/12/2017 03:21

I think for twins they are too matchy. It would be ok for regular siblings but the identity issue is so much more sensitive for twins. They not only have the same first initial but are both two syllable and have the same vowel-consonant pattern - for example Rufus Smith and Ricardo Smith sound to me much less similar than Rufus Smith and Rowan Smith.

mammmamia · 28/12/2017 01:09

Honestly I don't think the initial thing is an issue.
If I want to jot their names down or make a note of something etc I just use their middle initial as well e g. ABC and AGC for example. It's not a problem at all.

MrsEricBana · 28/12/2017 00:20

Ooh yes to Hector or Milo with Rufus.

MrsEricBana · 28/12/2017 00:19

I agree Rufus & X. I'd say both R names could lead to issues as others have said. Afraid not keen on Rowan - sounds far too soft next to Rufus. I do think they need to be equal weight names. Rufus & Henry, Rufus & Edward etc

MikeUniformMike · 28/12/2017 00:08

The matching initials done deliberately is a personal choice - not mine, but I think that you often tend to like names starting with the same initials. The if I like this name what other names will I like? will sometimes several similar names with the same initial.

OrlandaFuriosa · 28/12/2017 00:07

I think Rufus is lovely but not a fan of Rowan, in part because it’s quite often used as a female name and I think people might assume he was a girl if they hadn’t met him.

I don’t have a problem with the two Rs..name tapes will be easier...

Robert
Rollo
Ralph/Rafe
Reginald
Rory/Ruaridh
Roderick
Roddy
Richard

If you want the Norman name theme from Rufus, then Rollo, William, Geoffrey, Jocelyn, Hugo, Stephen all good Norman names.

If you want the Latin connection, Miles, Milo, Julius/Julian, Adrian/Hadrian, Augustus/Augustine,

Other Classical unusual names

Hector
Alexander
Ambrose
Alban

BackforGood · 28/12/2017 00:00

I don't really like either name, but that is personal taste rather than any particularly good reason.
I don't think the 2 names sound too much the same, but I really think it is a mistake to give them the same initial. It's not so much the 'formal' things like post, medical appointments, but it is the 1001 informal times you just want to jot their initial, or you are labeling things, etc. I just think you are asking for confusion.

mammmamia · 27/12/2017 23:45

I love Rowan but not keen on Rufus.
I have twins with the same initial but they are boy girl, I would probably have avoided it with same sex twins. It has not been an issue for them at all though.
I also have the same initial as them. I wouldn't worry about the post. Hardly anyone sends letters these days!

FlawlessFuckup · 27/12/2017 23:37

Rufus and Henry is lovely