Abel? Or Suggestions for twin names

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We are having boy/girl twins and really struggling with boys names.

I’ve posted before as we had chosen Jasper but we’ve both gone off of it now.

Current top runner for girls name is Effie. I dislike ‘matchy’ twin names so don’t want anything that begins in E or ends in the ‘ie/y’ sound.

We already have 3 DD’s and tend to go for slightly uncommon but not unheard of names.

So, thoughts on Abel? Or any other suggestions please? (We can’t have anything beginning or ending in S or X as it clashes with our surname)

@Ecclesiastes Noah, Moses, Adam and Eve yes.. but not Cain and Abel, maybe I didn’t pay enough attention. Either way, the connections don’t put me off the name.

Anyway, Abel is just a thought at the moment. Any other suggestions?

Abel was the good guy in the biblical reference (though murdered by his jealous brother). I don't understand why anyone would name their kid Cain.

I think it's nice but. Not sure with Effie stylistically. To me it's a v traditional biblical name. How about Priscilla? Or Mabel (joke!)'

@Ecclesiastes is there really any need to be so rude?

Not having an interest in the bible does not make a person uneducated. Judging people based on their knowledge of religion however, does make them stupid.

Jude
Otis

I thought Cain and Abel straight away too

How about Noah, then ?
Or Jonah?

Lucas is nice, although doesn't work with your no-S rule. Peter?

Cain and Abel is my first thought, I know it's not a problem for you.. But I bet most people would be wanting to ask about Cain.
Abraham with Abe or Bram for short?.

It's not about the Bible, OP. It's about a cultural frame of reference.

You would think I asked for opinions on the name Judas

Not keen on Abraham, Noah etc.

I really don't like Abel for lots of reasons that pp have mentioned.

Other suggestions to go with Effie:
Jonah
Theo
Rafe
Ivor
Jacob
Leo
Hector

How about Bram? It's got a nicknamey sound (imo), like Effie does, without being too cutesy along with Effie.

I also love Jonah and Josiah if you like biblical names. Isaiah and Ishmael are lovely too I think (though pesky DH disagrees, otherwise I'd use one of them myself)!

Honestly? Cain and Abel was my first thought, I think most people would think that.
My DP is not Christian and I asked him and he said the same ! There’s a lot of reference to them in films etc. Personally I wouldn’t but I say that as a twin, people REALLY judge twin names and I’d stay away from anything like that.

If our well-meant advice on this thread is annoying you this much, OP, then you're really not going to cope with the Cain and Abel comments if you call your baby Abel, are you? Just saying.

I do love Effie though, but agree the two don't go together.

Yes, I like Abel/Abe, go with it !

Ooh Effie and Rafe is lovely.

@IHeartKingThistle well meant advice is not an issue at all, other wise I wouldn’t of posted

However rudeness and trying to insult my intelligence is a step too far.

Benjamin?

It's a lovely name and can be shortened to Ben.

I do like Rafe! Thank you.

My first thought was the son of the main character in Sons of Anarchy, for Abel.

I know of Cain and Abel but honestly didn't relate it. Maybe an age thing? Not sure. Don't want to presume anything of PPs!

My first though was Cain too. I know you say it doesn’t bother you because you haven’t heard of it but I’m sure after years of hearing it whenever you introduce them, or for your son when he is older it will eventually get tiring. I’d say a large proportion of people will think of Cain and Abel. Just a thought.
Lots of other good ideas though!

I’ve taught an Abel. He was fab!! I like it, very uncommon but still known. Yes, obviously they got the name from the Bible but once the child is born, the name just becomes who they are. After the first ‘oh that’s from Cain and Abel’ moment, Abel was just Abel.

Not sure why others think that it’s not okay to use that biblical name but it is okay to use others. Lilith for example is a she devil type person in the Bible but there are quite a few of those around! At least it’s a proper name, unlike Tyranny for example (yes, I have taught her and I have to say, it was more than just a ‘moment’ I had with her name!).

I’d never heard of Cain and Abel

But most people have. In fact the only "famous" Abel I can think of, is the murdered one. If you want opinions on names, surely you want to know what other people think of them when they hear them?

It’s not that it doesn’t bother me because I hadn’t heard of it, it’s that it doesn’t bother me he was murdered, he was the ‘good’ brother.

Cain, yes I can see the issue but not Abel. Maybe it’s because it’s not commonly used the connections are stronger.

Fwiw the bible reference wouldn't bother me either. As you say, he was the good brother! I just don't really like Abel very much. Think there are nicer biblical names if that's what you like.

I wouldn't choose Abel because of the connection to the Cain and Abel story. Then the fact that people have pointed out the teasing opportunities, if he's clumsy or bad at sports people will call him "Dis-Abel"

Abe or Abraham maybe?