A sibling for Laura

[greenishfingers]

Giving birth at some point this month and can't settle on a name. We don't even know the sex to help us narrow it down!

We have a Laura already and a convoluted surname... so I think we are looking for something simple, that people know how to spell, but isn't too popular so that the poor child isn't saddled with being (e.g.) Amelia Awfully-Longname or Amelia A-L for their whole school career.

Boys names are so hard! Finding that the really popular ones are popular for good reason, straightforward classic choices!

I like that Laura is internationally popular and so "travels well" so having another name that does that would also be a bonus.

We have had to rule out so many names for sounding wrong with our surname - here are the ones making the long list at the moment... would love to know your thoughts!

Girls

Abigail
Caroline I like but OH says no (the film Carrie)
Emma
Ellen (I love this esp with nickname Nell but OH not keen)
Heather (nice 80s vibe)
Mary (underused with so many amazing Marys in literature/history)
Megan
Natalie (is this okay for a November baby or should it really be Christmassy? Could be Tilly as a nickname?)
Rachel
Sophie (love but too popular probably)

I like Claire but it doesn't sound right. Clarissa too fussy for me.
Julia and Sarah we already have in the family

Boys

Alexander (could be Alec, or is that too smartarsy?)
Benjamin
Daniel
Graham (I like this!)
Gregory I like but think OH not keen
Henry
Jonathan
Joseph
Leonard (too similar sounding to Laura if he's a "Lenny" and also the wrong vintage to really "go" with it?)
Nicholas
Peter (I like but a bit inauspicious in our family)
Samuel
Thomas

Any of these sound good to you?

Laura and
Mary or Thomas.
I do like Alexander, but Alex not Alec.
I was also going to suggest.
Anna
Beth
Rosa
Kate.
Erin
For girls.

I’m a laura and my brother is David.

The Laura’s I know have siblings called:

David
Angela
Sarah
Rachel
Gemma
James
Natalie
Sophie
Eleanor
Hannah

Emily
Rosie
Zara
Emilia
Millie
Georgia

From your lists, I like:
Emma
Ellen
Heather (love the 80s vibe too)
Natalie (can totally work for a girl born outside December)
Rachel
Sophie

Daniel
Henry
Johnathan
Nicholas
Samuel
Thomas

Good luck

Laura and Rachel. This was the first name that came to mind, and goes very well with Laura.
Laura and Daniel.

I know a Laura with sister Chloe.

Anthony or Conrad for boys?

Ha I've never made the connection before but I've just realised my friend Laura has a brother Ashley

From your list I love Natalie for a girl and Alexander for a boy. They’re both lovely sounding and have more than one good NN option and both go nicely with Laura.

The only Laura I know had siblings called Mary, Carrie, Grace and Jack.
I agree with keeping it simple with a convoluted surname.
Ours is convoluted too.

I like Katie with Laura or Mary from your list. Am not very good at boys names though.

I like most of your names but would pick Mary and Daniel.
I’m still a bit bitter that oh didn’t let me call one of our sons Daniel.

Kate or Emma. Kate not that good internationally but she could use Kat.

I think Rachel would be lovely. I'd love to meet a baby Rachel

I also like Abigail and Natalie

From your boys i like
Alec - as a full name
Benjamin - though I know 4 under 3 so is quite common
Gregory - like the nn Greg or Rory
Henry - again quite popular currently
Samuel

My favourites are Natalie and Mary. I also really like Caroline.

I love Alexander and Samuel. Graham is also nice, and unusual on newborns, which is a good thing.

Before clicking on the thread I thought Emily.

I like Rachel and Daniel

Another vote for Rachel. A beautiful classic name.

For boys I like Daniel, Peter and Gregory from your list.

I'm a Laura and my sibling is an Amy

Emily
Hazel
Sophia
Alice

Any traditional type boys name would go with Laura I think.

Ones I like best:
Emma (love this name!)
Megan
Benjamin
Thomas

From your list, I really like Emma or Megan for a girl and Alexander or Nicholas for a boy.

I know a Laura who has Anna as her sister.

Also I never would have gotten the film Carrie from the name Caroline!

Rachel or Daniel - love those names.

The Lauras I know have siblings called

Stephen
Simon
Alice
Lucy

Natalie and Rachel go nice from your list - live Tilly as a nickname for Natalie.
From your boys I like Nicholas
I’ll throw out Scott or Stephen as boys names