Too similar sibling names

[MyBluntSloth]

My daughter is Charlotte and i am expecting my second, another girl, due in October. Charlotte's middle name is Pearl and the new baby's would be Opal. I really like the name Colette and I think it goes really well with Charlotte with the similar structure but different soundings. I also like the names Chloe and Nicole but I would still strongly prefer Colette over them. Is it too similar?

Oh I didn't realise it was 'common' to shout dinner's ready. I must run it by my elderly parents to ask why on earth they thought it ok to call me for dinner, for example, instead of walking around the house looking for me.
I'll also ask why they had the nerve to 'shout' for me when I was down the end of our big garden as a child.
I mean, they should've had the decency to walk outside and go look for me, and then and only then tell me what they wanted.

Here's me thinking my Parents were kind, caring, and respectful. Now, after your post, I feel as if I've been dragged up, and not raised in a loving, happy household. 🙄

Charlotte Pearl and Chloe Opal- perfect

Chloe Opal flows especially well.

I think that written down they look too similar but when spoken they sound different enough to be ok iyswim.
The guess the only time they will be written together is Christmas and birthday cards etc so who ever you are sending them too will know who they are.
It’s not very likely they will both be written next to each other on a form. 🙂

Everyone should have a gong in their house to notify everyone when it's dinner time. Have you not got one? (sarcasm as I know it can be hard to tell for some people in the written word)

I know sisters with similar sounding names and every time I see their mum I have to check in my head which one we are talking about. Does that make sense? It sort of confuses matters a little but I doubt it matters to the girls in every day life as in different classes etc

It depends on accent, if you’re French they’ll sound totally different for example. In my accent the last syllable is almost the same:
Sharlet
Collet

mind you the only Colette I know is pronounced more or less “C’let” by her family. Sounds like you’re set (or sette) on it anyway so best of luck with the pregnancy, I’m sure she’ll love her name 😊

I'd let the child in and tell them to go up to my kid's room. Or I would take things off the hob and come get them. I find it unbelievable that so many people normalise shouting inside the house (or anywhere) out of convenience. Your poor neighbours...

I used to put a portable doorbell in my sons’ rooms and ring those 😁

Cute! I might take that idea

Hahaha love the gong idea. Tbh dinner isn’t so much of a problem as both kids will be eating it’s when it’s “x your friend is here to pick you up” or “y you’ve left your painting stuff all over the table can you clear up please”

I'd let the child in and tell them to go up to my kid's room. Or I would take things off the hob and come get them. I find it unbelievable that so many people normalise shouting inside the house (or anywhere) out of convenience. Your poor neighbours...

Oh yes the poor neighbours, it must be so harrowing hearing a name called occasionally.. imagine living next door to such dreadful types!

Meanwhile, in the real world.... it's normal family noise.

Yeah as long as the kids name isn't something like "Fuck off" no normal neighbour would get annoyed by this

There's a HUGE difference between shouting/calling your kids down for dinner etc, and shouting in an abusive way!
I find it unbelievable that you don't get that.

I think they are too similar

We are English speaking and we live in Singapore

How about Crystal? C name, gemstone and different from Charlotte all in one!

Calypso? Calista? Juliette/Georgette/Josette?

I like the Nicolette suggestion. And agree Chloe Opal flows better than Colette Opal.

Hahaha! If my sister was Charlotte and I got lumbered with Colette, I’d be really miffed!

I dont think they are similar at all? One is an ette sound and the other an otte. The only similarity is that they both start with C but even the C sound is pronounced differently. Seems fine to me.

I am thinking Claire Opal and potentially Cara Rose but the latter seems too different to me. Colette is still on my list but maybe I will give that to our family dog instead!

As you've set the tone by being extremely offensive to all Coleens and parents of Coleens, I would like to say, if you want classy and elegant you have already shot yourself in the foot by calling your daughter Charlotte Pearl, which is neither classy nor elegant. Likewise Colette Opal which also sounds a bit ugly as a pairing. It's certainly not pretty. But as your responses on here show, you are not interested in anyone's opinion unless they agree with you so Charlotte Pearl and Colette Opal it is, I guess. Your kids, your choice.

It doesn't matter if they're similar nor does it matter what other people think. My grown up children have similar names. They have the names that we loved, we wouldn’t have been happy with any other names for them. No regrets, they’re their own people. A (horrid) relative said it’d cause confusion with mail, it never has!

Sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone! What I meant was Coleen is more of a modern name while Colette is more traditional.

We obviously don't live in a mansion like yourself. We have open plan downstairs and only three bedrooms on the first floor which is 12 steps up from the ground floor. It's not a hardship or "more work" to go up some steps. And if we did live in a bigger house, then nobody would be able to hear me shouting across multiple floors anyway, except for my neighbours. Especially if my kid is in her room with headphones in.
Ultimately, I was brought up to think it is impolite and lazy to shout indoors and that one should have respect for the neighbours and their own household members and not treat them like dogs trained to recall. Do you shout across the office to your colleagues or do you get up and walk to their desk?

Did you mean to come across as so snotty?
I don’t really have any neighbours - I can’t believe you’ve normalised living in such a built up area. Sounds awful! Do better.

Good idea, but don't you think a gong would be too common, and 'classy' people wouldn't use it?
The expected thing, it seems, is to go wandering around the house (whilst you've probably still got food on the hob being left unattended) to personally face to face tell your family member to come down for dinner.