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

[KitKat1985]

Hello. Currently 21 weeks pregnant with DD2 and recently found out we are having another girl. DD1 is called Jessica Elizabeth.

Firstly, I wanted some suggestions for first names we might like if we like Jessica?

Secondly, I wanted to ask about middle names. 'Elizabeth' was picked for DD1 as every living memory of women in my mum's side of the family has had this in their name somewhere (it's mine and my Mum's middle name, my nan's first name, etc). The thing is each generation, by coincidence, only ever had one girl in it. So my question is would it be really weird to give DD2 the same middle name as DD1 so as not to break tradition, or is it weird for sisters to have the same middle name? I can't decide. Thoughts?

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

I know sisters Jessica and Abigail

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.

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.

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

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

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

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm going to grill DH at the weekend with some of these name ideas! At the moment I think Charlotte is probably winning for me (it was one of my favourite names for DD1 as well).

Re: The middle name, I think I'm warming to giving DD2 Elizabeth as a middle name as well as DD2. Although I do like the name Bethany as well a variant option. Your thoughts are interesting though Sycamore because I never really thought of it like that. In my head I was thinking DD2 might feel likes she's been missed out if she was the only one who hadn't had her name connected to my mum's side of the family IYSWIM. Will talk to DH about it.

I'm less inclined at the moment to give DD2 a name from DH's side of the family. They are nice enough people and we get on fine, but they literally hardly ever come and see DD1 (maybe about twice a year, and they only live about 40 mins away so not that far really), so I'm a bit reluctant to honour them in that way at the moment.

Jessica suggestions:

Stephanie
Freya
Daisy
Nancy
Elsie
Rebecca

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 Elizabeth and
Lydia Ann