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Baby names

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

Siblings too close??

41 replies

twizzlesticka · 21/10/2022 00:26

Expecting a baby girl, and in love with one particular girls name... but I'm a bit concerned it's too close to my DS's name?

I don't want to give the exact names for fear of being outing, but let's say my DS is named... Brel. (Thankfully he isn't!) The equivalent name I'm considering for DD would be Ella.

So something like, Brel and Ella? i.e. the names share one strong syllable sound, as siblings?

Please tell me if I'm overthinking this or if it's just too close!!

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cuminpotato · 22/10/2022 18:29

The names are quite clearly Bret(t) and Etta

And yes, I think they're too close

BiscuitLover3678 · 22/10/2022 18:26

the thing is Brel and Ella sound like very different names because I’ve never heard of Brel. So no they don’t sound too similar.

Ada and Aidan would be too similar. But I said that. Does it really matter? People might go “oh that’s similar!” And then forget forever. They’ll be their own humans with their own lives.

ScruffMuffin · 22/10/2022 16:45

So say Anna and Stan instead.

SnowyPetals · 22/10/2022 16:07

"Stan&Anna" when said together giving the names of your children sounds like the chorus of "Is this the way to Amarillo?". Combinations like that are too close and hard to run together.

ScruffMuffin · 22/10/2022 16:05

OverTHINKING! For some reason my phone didn't like it!

ScruffMuffin · 22/10/2022 16:04

No problem whatsoever. Possibly overthrowing? Nobody will bat an eyelid. Not close at all.

ChagSameachDoreen · 22/10/2022 15:59

WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL NAMES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD??

sageandbasil · 22/10/2022 14:48

I really don't get why stan and Anna would be a problem?

Fivebeanchilli · 21/10/2022 09:26

Stan and Anna would be totally fine.
I think any name with one matching syllable would work.
Trying to think of others (Joseph and Sephora, Jacob and Coby, Dominic and Nicola, Suzanne and Anthony) and I think they all sounds completely fine.

Bananarama21 · 21/10/2022 09:22

I have a Joshua and a Joseph works fine.

RhubarbFairy · 21/10/2022 09:20

In a world where every other child seems to have an 'ie' ending, I think you're okay with the same syllable. I know loads of families that have an ee sound at the end of all their children's names, so I wouldn't worry too much about one syllable!

Spikeyball · 21/10/2022 08:01

I don't think 'matching' is an issue unless they fully rhyme eg Molly and Polly. I would avoid if they hard to say together.

Poppins2016 · 21/10/2022 01:16

I think it's potentially OK.

For example, a friend has children who both have two syllable names with the same ending (along the same lines as Annie and Nellie) and I think it"s fine.

FistFullOfRegrets · 21/10/2022 01:15

Try saying them tigether as if you were calling for them to come downstairs or in the pstk

brel. Ella. Brella. So NO

Stan Anna. Stannana. So NO

Oliver. Victoria (ok) Ollie Vic (still ok)

AmandaMirandaPanda · 21/10/2022 01:12

If it helps any, I know real-life siblings Amy and James and (different family) Hugh and Lucy; never thought twice about either or heard anyone comment. Stan and Anna are borderline for me, but I'd probably be assuming Stan is short for Stanley even if it's not so less odd. Stanislaus and Annabel (just for example) are fine, like Oliver and Veronica - I think the longer the name the less difference one syllable makes.

There are a few that are probably a bit too close for my tastes, though - for example Brett and Etta or Jem and Emma or Liam and Mia, I think because the shared part is such a strong/main part of the name. I'd probably put Brel and Ella in that group.

(You could always post on "30 Days Only" so the thread's deleted automatically.)

twizzlesticka · 21/10/2022 01:11

@TheSausageKingofChicago Yeah that makes sense!

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twizzlesticka · 21/10/2022 01:10

@OhHeyBabe Unsure why you're now giving judgements on example names when you've made clear (twice) that you think it's a pointless exercise? Thanks though 😘

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TheSausageKingofChicago · 21/10/2022 01:10

I think the fact that the rhyming syllable is in a different part of the name helps. So the entire name doesn’t actually rhyme IYSWIM.

Olly and Molly would be too close, for example.

CallieQ · 21/10/2022 01:09

You should say the names

thaegumathteth · 21/10/2022 01:09

As others have said it's hard to say because

Brel & Ella = too close I'd say
Stan & Anna = I reckon probably ok
Oliver & Veronica = obviously ok don't see issue at all

OhHeyBabe · 21/10/2022 01:08

twizzlesticka · 21/10/2022 01:06

@MarmiteCoriander I'm just asking how close is too close really, for close sounding sibling names - particularly names that use the same SOUND for one of the syllables?

I used Brel and Ella (br-EL and EL-la) as an example, but @TheSausageKingofChicago came up with a much better one of Stan and Anna (St-AN and AN-na).

So would Brel and Ella, (or Stan and Anna,) be weird sibling names, because they share a syllable? Or is it fine?

Yes both examples would sound silly.

Noodledesk · 21/10/2022 01:08

I think both the Brel/Ella and Stan/Anna pairs sound fine so I reckon the real names will probably sound different enough too.

twizzlesticka · 21/10/2022 01:06

@MarmiteCoriander I'm just asking how close is too close really, for close sounding sibling names - particularly names that use the same SOUND for one of the syllables?

I used Brel and Ella (br-EL and EL-la) as an example, but @TheSausageKingofChicago came up with a much better one of Stan and Anna (St-AN and AN-na).

So would Brel and Ella, (or Stan and Anna,) be weird sibling names, because they share a syllable? Or is it fine?

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OhHeyBabe · 21/10/2022 01:03

I don't think anyone can judge without actual names. Some names work and some don't x

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 21/10/2022 01:02

Oliver and Veronica sound nothing alike so I think you're worrying about nothing.

I also like Stan and Anna.

My ex's mum used to shorten his little sisters name so it sounded a lot like his. More than a few times he answered his mum shouting up the stairs for her.

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