Rhyming Names - What works and what doesn’t?

[ClarityPlease]

I have a first child on the way - daughter! After searching through all the girls names under the sun, my partner and I settled on a shortlist of 10. Out of these, I have a preferred name in mind, but it rhymes with part of my baby’s surname.

After getting married, we both kept our names, and our baby will take both of our surnames in a double-barrel. We settled on the order of those surnames, so it’s not an option the switch them either.

After reading through forums I’ve seen an example where people have talked through this issue, but when the rhyme is with the second part of the surname. For my part, it will be the other way round.

In the other topic, people seemed okay with Delilah Bank-Tyler, whereas Delilah Tyler on its own was a no-no!

But how would people feel about Delilah Tyler-Bank?

Or how about Hayley Bailey-Neman
Or Doris Norris-Clarke
Or Layla Taylor-Harris
Or Edith Smith-Johnson

And to broaden it for others, do the same rules apply for boys? Does Finn Quinn-Murphy work better than Shelley Kelly-Weeks?

Interested to know people’s thoughts. No pressure, but your advice could decide a child’s name for life haha!

I know a few examples where it’s ended up rhyming through marriage and nobody bats an eyelid.
E.g. Jane Frain, Jenny Kennedy, Tracy Mason…

Typed long post and lost it!!
No to all rhymes from me - sorry

I wouldn't use any of your examples except Edith Smith-Johnson. That doesn't really rhyme.

Edith and Smith rhyme but don’t share the same number of syllables, so maybe that’s the key there?

Would Michaela Taylor-Harris be better than Layla Taylor-Harris for example? And does it matter what the second part is, so would Layla Taylor-Johnson or Layla Taylor-Weeks be better than Harris, or is it just the rhyming part that matters?

@TheRosariojewels

I wouldn't use any of your examples except Edith Smith-Johnson. That doesn't really rhyme.

I agree. The others made me laugh.

@ClarityPlease The other examples are perfect rhymes and Edith Smith isn’t a perfect rhyme. I think that makes the difference. I don’t think the second surname makes much difference in the examples you’ve given.

It's so hard to say without knowing the specific names in question. For me, several of your examples are perfectly fine as in my accent Delilah and Tyler don't rhyme at all - one is an -ah ending and one is firmly -er. But after 15 years living in the UK I know that many will think, and say, otherwise!

Number of syllables definitely comes into it. How similar are the names in question? Which of your examples would it be closest to?

@ClarityPlease

Edith and Smith rhyme but don’t share the same number of syllables, so maybe that’s the key there?

Would Michaela Taylor-Harris be better than Layla Taylor-Harris for example? And does it matter what the second part is, so would Layla Taylor-Johnson or Layla Taylor-Weeks be better than Harris, or is it just the rhyming part that matters?

They have assonance, but they don't rhyme

All your examples make laugh a little. Except Edith Smith
Your dd could possibly still carry it off but I wouldn't choose to do this.

The last syllables of Edith and Smith do rhyme - say Edith Blacksmith

The closest to the name we’d want is Layla Taylor-Weeks, although neither surname is right.

I think the reason Edith Smith-Johnson is ok is because the emphasis is on the first syllable in Edith, so the rhyme is a bit swallowed and less obvious. Whereas for the other names the emphasis is the same in both rhyming words, so the rhyme is really obvious, and I think should definitely be avoided.

Is there a particular reason why you can't just swap surname order? Even if you initially agreed on that order, surely it doesnt matter that much that you can't change your mind? It doesn't sound like you or your dh have already taken on the double barrelled surname yourselves. Layla Weeks-Taylor sounds less comical than Layla Taylor-Weeks, imo.

Steer clear of any rhymes.

We have settled on the surname more firmly than the first and like the first name less as a full name when we invert the surnames. Such a pickle!

No.
Really don't.
Can't you hear the sing-song voices in the primary school playground?

@Evidencebased

No. Really don't. Can't you hear the sing-song voices in the primary school playground?

I don’t hear voices, no.

But in all seriousness, my partner and I like the name because of the flow it has to it, which in part is down to the rhyming. Double-Barrelled surnames can be a mouthful at the best of times, so having the rhyme in their helped with getting the name out.

I can see the advice leans towards no though, but I just wonder whether it’s something that people will quickly get over, after the first couple of times of hearing it, for those who find it amusing anyway. How often do people’s full names get read out anyway?

Honestly- as a teacher- I've known some great combinations that nobody has ever batted an eyelid over that have been pulled to pieces on here. Just call them the name you like- it will just become them!

I would say it’s a big no-no and to stay clear of rhyming names. Although just to point out Edith Smith is not a rhyme!