Lindsay writes:
I have seen some friends use your site, and I always love your suggestions so I thought I would try. We are pregnant with our second child, a girl, and we are due mid August. My little girl’s name is Hayden Claire. My husband and I both like names that are “different”, and by different I think I mean names that aren’t used all the time. We are having a hard time finalizing a name for this little girl. We absolutely LOVE the name Anderson, and we would use the middle name Kate. We just LOVE it, and I know of 2 little girls that are named Anderson (neither of which I know personally.) However I also know of boys named Anderson, and I’m starting to second guess this choice wondering if it’s too boy-ish. I also am big on no nicknames. Meaning if I wanted a little girl named Emmy I would name her that and not something that could be shortened to that. If I named my little girl Anderson I would NOT want her to be called Andy. Other names we are considering: Emerson Kate, Harper Kate, Merritt. I also like the name Madison Kate, but Madison is very popular! We liked the name Carrington, but I don’t think I want a name that long. We also liked the name Ainsley, but I think it might be too “girly” to go with Hayden. I like the name Channing, but my husband isn’t a huge fan. I would LOVE any and all name suggestions that you might have and your thoughts on the names that we have liked. Our little girls will be almost exactly 2 years apart so I really want their names to “flow” together. Thanks so much in advance for you help and advice!!!
I love the name Anderson, too, and I will mourn it if it goes girl. If baby names were stored in silos, the boy name silo would be about 1/4th full, and the girl name silo would need several supplementary silos and STILL be overflowing, so it makes me cringe to see buckets being carried from the boy name silo to the girl name silo. The girl name silo does not need this name; the boy name silo is desperate for it.
For that reason, I throw my support behind the name Emerson, which I think is very, very similar to Anderson, but which in my opinion has already moved fully to the girl silo. (The Baby Name Wizard disagrees with me and has it only in the boy name section.) Emerson Kate is adorable. Hayden and Emerson. YES.
A similar name is Emerin, or Emryn. Emryn Kate, Hayden and Emryn.
If you like Madison but find it too common, you could use Madigan. Madigan Kate, Hayden and Madigan.
Another suggestion: Kirby. Not with Kate, probably, but maybe with Jane. Kirby Jane, Hayden and Kirby. I am leaning toward this option because I think it is so cute.
Let’s have a poll over to the right. [Poll closed; see results below.]
Poll results (261 votes total):
Anderson: 12 votes, roughly 5%
Emerson: 124 votes, roughly 48%
Harper: 59 votes, roughly 23%
Merritt: 26 votes, roughly 10%
Emryn: 12 votes, roughly 5%
Madigan: 20 votes, roughly 8%
Kirby: 8 votes, roughly 3%
Name update from the comment section: “Just wanted to update … She had the baby on Friday and named her AINSLEY KATE!!!”
I agree that I think you have a winner with Emerson Kate! What a great name and it sounds perfect with Hayden Claire. I must admit to loving ALL of your choices though. Harper, YES! Carrington, a very cool name! Ainsley, a FAVORITE of mine, but agree, possibly to girly with Hayden. So, Emerson Kate is a great pick! But, here’s a couple of other suggestions that I think compliment Hayden too:
Arden
Avery
Bryn (not with Kate)
Sloane (not with Kate)
And I like Swistle’s suggestion of Madigan, too. I love your taste in names, so please send in a name update! GOOD LUCK!
I am not liking Kirby so much, as it reminds me of Miss Piggy shouting for Kermit the frog (Kermey). I like Ainsley, though. I don’t think it’s too girly, and it has a last-name feel like Hayden does.
I don’t think Anderson is too boyish in this day and age. If you love it, go for it. I like the idea of having a similar style name that doesn’t end in an n – so I like your choice of Harper. Also, Taylor, Parker, or Piper could be options.
Ainsley is a great match for Hayden, I think. It’s definitely a girls’ name, but it’s not fussy like Annalise or other names that seem to be popular these days. The other name that came to mind was Cameron/Camryn, which I think has moved to the girl silo.
Ainsley is a great match for Hayden, I think. It’s definitely a girls’ name, but it’s not fussy like Annalise or other names that seem to be popular these days. The other name that came to mind was Cameron/Camryn, which I think has moved to the girl silo.
I like Ainsley Kate best for this sibling pair.
I want to vote for both Emerson AND Ainsley! Great choices!
I love the name Emerson and I think Ainsley works with Hayden, I don’t find it too girly.
The only Anderson I know is a boy, so I think boy-ish still for that name…although I can see it working with Hayden.
Harper is cute, but then are you stuck in an H for future children? Double H for the kids?
I thought I would throw out my girls names, I think they fit with the style…
Morgan (her mn is Kate)
Reagan
Camryn
The only issue is the same “N” ending sound as Hayden…but as you see, we liked it.
Can’t wait to hear what you pick.
I would avoid strong A names w/ Hayden-so not Avery or Reagan. I love Ainsley, I would add Sterling to the choices, I also like Emerson but prepared that it will be shortened to Emma by others or even your daughter. Best wishes!
I think Anderson is all boy. Honestly, I don’t think it would be a good choice for a daughter at all. I love Emerson Kate. Carrington does seem long to me, so I wanted to throw out Kerrigan or Carrigan. Not sure about Kerrigan Kate, though. Best of luck!
As a mom of 3 boys, I have to agree with the “boy names appropriated for girls” trend needing to stop. I know girls named Hayden, Logan and Aidan — all VERY masculine, in my opinion. I am not a fan of unisex names and wish the trend would stop (although I am done naming people LOL). I think Anderson is too masculine as well, but I love Ainsley and especially Madigan. You don’t hear them too often, at least where I live, and I think they fit well with Hayden.
I’m with Jennifer. I have one son, and it’s so hard to find a name that hasn’t already been ganked for girls. I think Anderson needs to stay boy. Harper, Ainsley, and Madigan are adorable for girls, though. I think Madigan is my favorite, as it has the same rhythm and feel as Madison, but is fresher and much more unusual. Madigan and Hayden sound very nice together too.
madigan and emerson are my two faves! both have been sitting at the top of my baby name list, but i don’t think either one will become prey of fitting into the “too popular” group.
I don’t think you need to second guess yourself quite so much. Ainsley is great with Hayden. Carrington is long but it doesn’t sound long (3 syllables – same as Emily). People have become more respectful of names and I doubt Anderson will become Andy without your consent or hers once she’s old enough. Also, if you both love Anderson, go for it. There may be more girls’ names but there are still thousands of boys’ names. It’s not your problem if other people don’t like the trend. Obviously, having a unisex name for Hayden hasn’t bothered you, so no one needs to “scare” you out of a second unisex or boyish name.
A couple more ideas:
Harlow Kate. Hayden and Harlow. (if twinniness is okay with you)
Chelsea Kate. Hayden and Chelsea. (place names would be nice with Hayden)
Presley Kate. Hayden and Presley. (I like it!)
Paisley Kate. Hayden and Paisley. (reminds me of Ainsley)
Delaney Kate. Hayden and Delaney. (also like Ainsley)
Or if Kate isn’t set in stone for the mn:
Scout. Hayden and Scout.
Kelsey. Hayden and Kelsey.
Quincy. Hayden and Quicey.
Campbell. Hayden and Campbell.
Maybe Scout Ainsley, Kelsey Harper, Quincy Harper, or Campbell Merritt?
I’d vote for Ainsley if it were in the poll. I like Ainsley Kate and think it goes well with Hayden Claire:
Hayden and Ainsley. Both names were originally surnames that were used first as boys’ names. I like them together for sisters, and especially with Claire and Kate as the middle names.
I love Ainsley and it sounds great with Hayden (the long “A” sound makes them fit nicely together.)I wish it were in the poll! I’m not a big fan of Anderson for a girl.
What about Everett(e)? Or Piper?
I like both Emerson and Ainsley – they sound good with Hayden. I’m fine with unisex names, but I’ve never met a girl named Anderson and it sounds very masculine to me.
I do have to second the comment (by Anonymous) that in a lot of cases, the name you choose will probably get a nickname at school or by your child, herself, at some point (Emerson to Em, Emma, or Emmy for example). It may just have to be something you come to terms with – choose a name with nicknames that are at least tolerable to you. You can call her by her full name, but it’s her name. If she wants her friends to call her by a nickname, she’s entitled to.
Also, I’m not a fan of Kirby. Kirby’s a round, pink Nintendo cartoon character!
I love the name Emerson. It was top on our list for a little girl until my sister let me have her little girl’s name – Emery – since her husband didn’t like it.
I love Emerson, with Ainsley as my second choice with Anderson as my third.
I think someone already mentioned this, but I want to second the notion that Kirby is not a good choice, since he is a major Nintendo character. He may not be a character that you’re familiar with, but your child’s generation will definitely know who he is!
I voted for Harper but I like Ainsley and Madigan, too.
I’m looking at local birth announcements, and I want to add Ellysin. It might get shortened to Ella or Ellie, though.
Emery- pick Emery!!
Go for Anderson! If you both love it, go for it! I don’t think it is too boy-ish at all.
Aside from the fact that I associate Kirby with one fo my favorite childhood Nintendo games, it sounds like a guys name to me still, not a unisex name. My other reference is Kirby Puckett. I like the following for you (some are new, some were discussed above):
These are good but not with Kate as a mn:
Teagan
Taylor
Kerrigan
August
Koren
Parker
Peyton
With the mn Kate, I like:
Emerson Kate
Devin Kate
Morgan Kate
Logan Kate
London Kate
Riley Kate
Whitney Kate
What about
Imogen Kate? Not unisex, but sounds masculine.
I think Emerson Kate is great. Anderson is not bad, but its honestly not my favorite either. Less because of the boy silo girl silo issue, and more because it just hasn’t crossed over from being a surname for me yet. Good luck!
I like Harper best of the choices. However I’d like to suggest Flannery which I think is adorable with Hayden.
Just wanted to update … She had the baby on Friday and named her AINSLEY KATE!!!