Do sibling names have to 'go together'?

[LowryLake]

I've posted a few times here and elsewhere about various names which we've been considering and the comments, both good and bad, have always been really helpful.
At the moment, there are two which we can agree on -

Imogen
Fern

Feedback seems to be that Imogen is a nicer name, but Fern goes better with my daughter's name, Nia (Nee-ah). I get that you obviously can't have rhyming names, names which sound too similar etc., but you're naming individuals, so how important is it really that sibling names 'match'? Is it something which you would give a lot of weight to? Or would you just pick the name you like best?

Just pick the name you like best my 2 children's names dont go together they are just the names I liked I didn't even know people considered if sidings names went together til recently

I don't see why Fern goes with Nia better than Imogen.

It makes no odds at all. It's not as if Nia is another plant.

I don’t understand this new trend for having names that ‘go together’.
Just name your kids what you like, they grow into individual people.

I think those are fine together, I thought you would be meaning the type of name as I knew a large family with children who had very middle class names except one of the boys who was called Bradley. Nothing wrong with the name, but to me just didn’t go with the others.

It's not a new trend. I think names should go together. But in this instance none of the names 'go' so it's much of a muchness.

No, I don't think it matters.

I don't understand what it means for names to go together. Just make sure they are not really similar sounding and don't start with the same letter (especially if same sex).

Yours don't, so whatever :)

Pick what you like

I actually think sometimes you want to avoid theming? DD has a plant/nature name and we’ve ruled out anything plant /nature for DC2 in case we look like mad horticulturalists

Nia isn’t hugely to my taste but I love Imogen and Fern. If you announced DD2 as either of those I think I’d have a momentary ‘oh, that’s quite different to Nia’ thought of mild surprise and then would never give it a second’s thought again. So just go with whichever you prefer!

No it doesnt matter. They are individuals and spend their whole adult life not living with each other.

Both of your options are perfectly good with Nia, they're all pretty and not the types of names that go in and out of fashion.

I think there does need to be some cohesion. I knew a sibling set called Allegra, Flavia and Brian. It's like their parents lost the baby name book before their last one came along.

Only issues I would consider is if the sibling names together make a famous couple so looks like you are fan of them

Like Liam and Noel
Ronnie and Reggie
Meghan and Harry

Or if you name your DS John then it looks a bit odd to call your DD Sunshine. Usually that doesn't happen as parents have the same preferences when naming each child, I.e prefer traditional, like something unique , family names

Many, many years ago when my mum told a family member the name she had chosen for me she was asked "why? That name doesn't go together at all with your elder child's name". My mums response apparently was to give that person a withering look and the reply "Why not? I'm choosing names, not a bloody outfit!"

No, not at all. I never heard of people asking about names for siblings until I joined mumsnet. Basically, as long as the names are not too similar (Mark and Marco as example), anything goes.

It really does not matter one bit:

• the two will only be together during childhood - they will grow up to be individuals with their own lives.
• opinions about what goes and what does not are purely subjective.

I would put the whole concept out of your mind if I were you and just choose a name you like.

This isn't a children's reader - it is real life!!!

Aside from not picking two names that were silly together (eg Marge and Homer, Fred and Barney), I don’t really think it matters. The only time I’ve ever thought about it was a family of 3 kids I knew growing up which was two very traditional names and one insanely modern one. We always had a little chuckle but it wasn’t a big deal. You should just pick the best name for the individual.

I don't think it matters. I might be surprised if the style was wildly different, but wouldn't care.

Good good - these are basically my thoughts too. It's just that some of the comments had me second guessing myself!

Stick to your guns!

Both names are fine with Nia so don’t worry about it

Even if they weren’t, they won’t forever be linked to other people. More people will know them separately in their lives than will know them as siblings.

Very different naming styles might sound a bit odd (Alfie and Agamemnon for example) but it doesn’t actually matter. I would rather avoid super matchy names like Tilly and Milly than try to find names that match

Our names don't match.
As long as they can be distinguished when you call out the name you are all good imo.

My dd is Imogen so I’m biased, but my dcs names don’t match. DS has a very American name that’s also a surname.

I think some names just sound a bit clunky together, too many of the same sounds, too many syllables to say comfortably if all reeled off together ,rhyming . It might also be unusual to have a traditional name for one and an off the wall one for another but it really doesn't matter . Don't see either of your names as being a better match than the other. Just go with what you like.

Siblings names ought to somewhat "go" together purely for "fairness" imo - so for example it might be slightly odd to meet a Cassiopeia, Persephone and their brother John.

Or in your case if you had several children with strongly Welsh names - say Emrys, Angharad, Taliesin and Nia and then called your fifth Imogen or Fern she might feel the odd one out. But just Nia and Imogen or Nia and Fern is fine imo - Nia is well known/easy to pronounce outside Wales, so I think an "English" sibling name sounds okay.

I can only think people say Fern works better with Nia since they are both short and simple, but Imogen works well too imo (personally I prefer Imogen!).

Actually isn't Imogen technically a variation/Shakespearean misprint of Innogen? Innogen is a name from Celtic legend, the same as Nia - so really Imogen and Nia go together very well!