Asher and Joshua

[Gherkin32]

Hi there

We have a DS1 called Asher and the only name we can agree on, and love, for DS2 is Joshua. I know they share similar sounds, but do you think they are ok as sibling names?

Thank you very much xx

I think they sound great together.

I think they do sound quite similar and I probably wouldn’t, but both very nice names!

I agree I think they sound great together🙂

Although if you shorten them it might not work

Thank you all for taking the the time to reply.
We don’t shorten Asher currently, but picked it so he had the option to when he’s older. Same with Joshua - we love the full name and shortened versions (Josh, Jos, Jay, Jo) should he choose to shorten.
Boys names are so hard. I never thought I would have children with similar sounding names but there really are no others we can agree on and love as much. My husband is saying that DC’s only spend a short time of their life living with siblings, and that it’s better to choose a name we love for him than a name we think sounds different to/goes better with Asher. xx

@FlashBathroom @Mrsjayy So pleased you think they go well together!
Thank you xx

I think they are lovely names🙂

They share a lot of the same sounds, but not to the extent they sound too silly together or would cause confusion imo - as it's 3 syllables vs 2 and they start with different letters.

Maybe yell Ash or Josh up the stairs at your DH (with the bedroom door closed) and see if he can differentiate which one you are calling, just to be sure? (since you'll be doing a lot of that in the teenage years!)

I think they are nice.

They are lovely names but they are very similar, especially if you have a non-rhotic accent which makes the endings sound the same.

Josiah? Jacob? Jed?

They are fine as sibling names.

I think they go well together. Both are Old Testament names as well.

They are too similar for siblings in my opinion.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to comment on this thread. Your opinions have been really helpful.

@IamnotwhouthinkIam Will give that a go. Thank you.

@ZoyaTheDestroyer Thank you for your suggestions - I love Josiah... it’s a firm NO from DH though.

Yes, they are fine together! Asher and Joshua don't sound so similar that they'll get mixed up when I say them.

I think they sound lovely together!

Nah, I think it’s fine.

Josiah, Elijah and Jonah or Noah might be alternatives though?

I like them as individual names and together.

I do like @partyatthepalace’s alternative suggestions though. I’d add in Isaac and Luke.

Thanks everyone :). So pleased to hear that the general consensus is that they sound good together. That’s a relief!!

@partyatthepalace @Ikeameatballs love Elijah and Isaac but our surname is really unusual and tricky to pronounce. It doesn’t work with Elijah and and Isaac, unfortunately. I don’t mind Jonah and Noah - DH not keen on these, but thank you so much for your suggestions. Xx

I too think they sound great together. Joshua is one of my favourite names. I couldn't have it as my sister beat me to it.
They have a similar sound, as a pp said, but I don't think it matters in this case.

Asher and Joshua sound fine together. Ash and Josh is a bit of a mouthful though, but if you don’t shorten Asher, or intend too, then there’s no problem.

Thank you @Amdone123 @BikeRunSki x

Lovely names

My husband is saying that DC’s only spend a short time of their life living with siblings, and that it’s better to choose a name we love for him than a name we think sounds different to/goes better with Asher.

If you're thinking of your son's longer term experience with his name (and I applaud you for doing so - MN is generally obsessed with the number of names in one class) perhaps consider how incredibly popular Joshua was at the turn of the 21st century, when it peaked at #2 2003-2005. There are a LOT of teenage and twenty-something Joshuas around and having personally experienced it I would not give my child a very very popular name on its way back down.

Joshua remains significantly more popular than Asher. You'll have to give the personalised items in museum gift shops a wide berth

I really love Asher and Joshua together

Joshua much less used these days too, I don't know any under 5 and that's not surprising looking at the statistics