Twins mean twice the joy -- and twice the number of names you and your mate need to settle on. But before you tear through the baby-name sites looking for the perfect monikers for your matched set, consider these strategies to help you find winning names for your two newest additions.
Don't be too "matchy." There's a temptation with twins to give them virtually identical names -- think Ann and Andy, or Jason and Mason. The top twin names include Ella and Emma, Jayda and Jayden, and Ethan and Evan, so it sure seems as if parents at least want them to start with the same first initial, or have the same number of syllables. It might be wise, though, to resist giving them virtually identical names. Your kids deserve to have names that are as unique as they are.
Keep to a theme. You don't want to pair a traditional name such as Margaret with something more unconventional, like Moxie. Stick with names that come from the same heritage or have a similar style. And don't be afraid to go with a more overt theme -- one of the most popular name sets for twin girls are the virtue names Faith and Hope.
Consider your real-world needs. Yeah, Cassandra and Callista are great names -- until you're trying to call after them when they're running away from you in the grocery store. Stick with shorter names, or plan ahead for great nicknames so you aren't constantly yelling "Twins!" out of exasperation.
Choose names that have the same level of commonness. It may sound silly, but you don't want one twin to have a common name such as Michael while the other has a creatively spelled name, such as Madisyn. If one twin can find his name on the personalized pencil rack, the other should be able to as well. Make sure that the names flow together well. Speak them out loud, and listen carefully. Do the names flow well into one another, or do you find yourself stumbling when you speak? You'll be saying the names together many times, so you should choose names that are easy to pronounce together.
Be especially careful with boy-girl pairs. Sure, Taylor and Tyler sound cute together, as do Landon and London, but if you're choosing very unisex names for your pair (especially if they're very similar names like these), you might make it more confusing for their friends and teachers to keep them straight.
Determine how you're going to assign the names. Although it's easy for a boy-girl pair, it could be a bit trickier with twins of the same sex. You can decide that the firstborn becomes Ethan, while his minutes-younger brother becomes Nathaniel, or wait until you see them to decide which one looks more like a Nate.
Choose names that have the same level of commonness. It may sound silly, but you don't want one twin to have a common name such as Michael while the other has a creatively spelled name, such as Madisyn. If one twin can find his name on the personalized pencil rack, the other should be able to as well. Make sure that the names flow together well. Speak them out loud, and listen carefully. Do the names flow well into one another, or do you find yourself stumbling when you speak? You'll be saying the names together many times, so you should choose names that are easy to pronounce together.
Determine how you're going to assign the names. Although it's easy for a boy-girl pair, it could be a bit trickier with twins of the same sex. You can decide that the firstborn becomes Ethan, while his minutes-younger brother becomes Nathaniel, or wait until you see them to decide which one looks more like a Nate.
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