Candace writes:
We have just passed the 33 week mark with our second baby girl, and we are having a TOUGH time with names! We are Cris and Candace, and last name sounds like blackbird. Our daughter (2 1/2 years old) is C@mpbell. When we named C@mpbell (middle name Marie), we really didn’t intend to create a family of all “C” names…we just really liked the name C@mpbell. But, now that we are having our second, we’re facing a dilema. On one hand, people keep commenting to me that we “have” to choose another “C” name because anything else will sound awkward. On the other hand, I feel like it might be a little cheesy for us to all have the same first initial – it is definitely not something I would have set out to accomplish! We’re not sure if we will try to have a third child, but it is still a possibility.
So, my first question is…should we focus only on “C” names?? And, either way, we just need help! Since C@mpbell is not an overtly feminine name, we aren’t sure which way to go for the second girl. Also, we live in the Northeast, but I’m from the deep South, so I tend to like names that sound a little southern (but this is not an absolute requirement).
Some of our current favorites…
Quinn (we both really like this name, but we’re stumped on a middle name)
Charlotte (we’re kind of 50/50 on this one)
Sara Kate (to be used as a double name…and if so, should we name her Sara Katherine and call her Sara Kate?)
Lila Kate (same comments as Sara Kate)
Claire/Clara
MarleyWe are very open to suggestions, so please help!!
Thanks so much!
I would not restrict yourselves to C names unless you decide you like the idea, especially since you might have a third child. Right now, the three C’s are noticeable—but generally parents’ names are not included in the sibling group of their children. If your next child is not a C-name, anyone who asks why you didn’t stick with C’s can be given a blank look and then told “…Oh, no, we didn’t choose a C name on purpose the first time. That was just the name we liked best.”
Quinn seems like a very good fit with C@mpbell, and the hard-C-sound beginning helps her to seem like she fits even better with all the other hard-C names in the family. We did a middle name challenge for the name Quinn awhile back; maybe some of those names will work. I like Quinn Elise or Quinn Louise or Quinn Simone.
Quincy would also work, and that would go nicely with the middle name Kate.
Marley also works well. Marley Kate would be nice.
Charlotte, Sara Kate, Lila Kate, and Claire/Clara all seem too traditional and feminine to pair with C@mpbell. I think I’d look at options more like:
Avery
Darcy
Delaney
Devan
Ellery
Evanie
Everly
Finley
Hadley
Holland
Hollis
Kennedy
Leighton
Lennox
Logan
Madigan
Padgett
Paisley
Peyton
Rory
Rowan
Sloane
Teagan
Waverly
Winslow
Yeardley
I really like Rowan Claire & Campbell Marie. I also think Sara-Kate & Campbell sounds really cute. Other names you might like are Collins and Paloma. I also really like Quinn. How about: Quinn Margaret, Quinn Elizabeth, Quinn Katherine, Quinn Eleanor, Quinn Rose, Quinn Molly, Quinn Charlotte.
I think the sound of the C name is more important than the letter itself- ie Quinn has a hard c sound at beginning, as does Campbell. In my mind, that makes Kennedy the best of Swistles suggestions. I think they sound great together, are both surname style and uni-gender names, but the girls each have their own initial. Campbell and Kennedy.
Kennedy Anne, Kennedy Rose, Kennedy Jane, Kennedy Sue- any if those styles have a southern style single syllable middle name.
McKenzie/Mackenzie also works, with similar choices for middle names (although this one lets you use Kate for Mackenzie Kate. Nice. Campbell and Mackenzie.
I like Quinn for you. Also Kennedy. How about Bailey, Jordan or Riley?
If you go the Sara Kate or Lila Kate route, I would use Katherine as the official middle name.
If I heard siblings names Campbell and Clara/Sarah-Kate/Lila/Marley, I would assume Campbell was a boy. I agree with Swistle that another androgynous name works best. From your list, I think Quinn is great. Is Campbell ever called Cami? If so, another surname with a feminine nickname is what I would suggest. Holland (Holly), Everly (Evie) and Ellery (Elle/Ellie) all work well. If Campbell is only called her full name, then I like Kennedy and Lennox best from Swistle’s list. I’ll also suggest Harper.
Campbell is a very different style to Lila Kate or Sara Kate. I just don’t think they work as sibling names. I think you should stick with stronger more unisex names for continuity. So Kennedy works well. Quinn is ok. Marley sounds to me like a different style from Campbell also, but Marley Kate sounds so lovely that I have to say, yes to Marley!
Keegan also popped into my head as fitting nicely with Campbell – C sound but different letter. You couldnt do Keegan Kate , but Keegan Sara sounds pretty. And it sounds like what you did with Campbell- put a pretty girlie name after a strong unisex name. I do like that.
I know sisters named Campbell and Harper.
From your list, I really like Quinn. Quinn Marley sounds good, if you want to use 2 from your list.
I also like the suggestion of Kennedy.
If you want to go with a C name, I would try to find another last name to go with Campbell. Carrington, with the nn Carrie. Or Carlisle, nn Carly. Or Callahan, nn Callie.
Good luck!
I love Swistle’s suggestion of Quincy. Then you get the nickname Quinn, but the ease of more middle name choices. I like Quincy Claire.
Campbell and Quincy. Love!
I like Simone and Hollis.
I really like Kennedy and Hollis. I just recently heard another unique name that might fit – Anniston.
Quinn is great. BUT DARCY! Darcy Katherine, NN Darcy Kate. I LURVE it.
Campbell and Kennedy! Campbell Marie and Kennedy Louise! Cammi and Kenni! SO CUTE
I love Rowan Kate with Campbell Marie….I have a grown daughter I named Robin Kate, so I don’t think you need to use the full Katherine in the middle slot to get to use the Kate as part of “what you’d actually call her.” Though certainly could, if you wanted to. Either way.
I think Pippa Kate or Ruby Kate could also work with Campbell, and not lead others to assume Campbell was a son.
I think you’d pretty much need to be a Democrat to use Kennedy, or comfortable with others thinking you were.
Aside from Rowan, my other favorite from Swistle’s list would be Avery, maybe Avery Quinn to soften it a bit. I don’t love Darcy, but I think Darby could be very cute and also work with Kate in the middle.
Good luck!
Darby made me think of another idea – Shelby.
I like an androgynous name for you. I do think that at this point Campbell scans more as girl, but if I saw Campbell with Sara Kate, for example, I’d assume Campbell was a boy.
I do know a girl named Sarah whose parents and sister all have C names, and she really really hates it, for what its worth.
I like Quinn or Quincy as a sibling name to Campbell!
Quinn Jolene (Jolene is deep south)
Quincy Brette
Quincy Blythe
If you decide to go with the “C” theme, here are other “C” names
Chloe
Cadence
Camille
Camella
Casslyn
Callee
Cambree
Chanton
Cicily
Channing
Carlin
Carrington
You could also do Kensington or Kenley (Kenley and Campbell sound nice together).
I think Quinn Charlotte sounds darling :)
Two things: I think with less decidedly feminine names like Campell (which I like for a girl better btw), the challenge is finding a sibling name that doesn’t make it seem too masculine in comparison.
Also, we have 3 boys and our first two end with N (not planned). When having our third I didn’t want a name ending in N because that to me is a pattern and we thought we might have more kids. I didn’t want to be too matchy. We picked a name with a different ending and decided against having anymore kids. It doesn’t bug me that his name isn’t ending the same nor does anybody notice that he is the “odd one out” so no regrets :)
Keegan, Kennedy or even Rowan (Rowan Kate). Don’t love Quincy at all (is like the fruit quince) but Quinn is okay. I think a hard C sound for this baby would keep her in family style. (it could be Qu, K or C). My aunt, uncle and two cousins all had one syllable names starting with J, then gave my third cousin a very different name (same meaning as the dads name but a very different name…) and he hated being different as a kid. He has grown up now and is (almost!) over it…….
Charlston nn Charlie
Quinn needs something pretty after it to soften it, like Campbell has Marie. How about Lacey/Lucy or Bella (southern Belle..)?
Meant to say charleston Kate nn Charlie :)
From Swistle’s list the name Leighton really jumped out at me. Campbell and Leighton. Leighton Marley or Leighton Quinn, perhaps?
I really like Marley for your family. I would stay away from Quinn, actually, because the Hard K sound would make me feel even more obligated to continue that with a third child.
But Marley Kate is adorable! I also like Evany and Avonlea.
Ooh Leighton is good… for what it’s worth I know a boy named Charleston nickname Chase so I wouldn’t suggest it for a girl.
I LOVE Kennedy! What about Chandler/ar? Campbell Marie and Chandlar Mae… Campbell Marie and Chandlar June… Chandler Joy… Campbell and Chandlar!!
Sadly, all of your choices but Quinn and Marley make Campbell sound like a boys’ name. I think you need to look for a name that compliments Campbell and makes it look feminine and girly. You should try to avoid ultra-feminine names for this baby.
If I were you, I’d be thinking about names like:
Alannah
Alba
Anouk
Auden
Avalon
Avery
Bailey
Blair
Brontë
Bronwen
Casey
Cassidy
Cleo
Ellis
Fennel
Fern
Finlay or Finley
Hadley
Harper
Haven
Honor
Kellan
Linden
Merryn
Millay
Mirren
Noa
Paige
Piper
Pippa
Poppy
Presley
Romilly
Saffron
Sage
Scarlett
Seren
Skye
Tatum
I would use a girly middle name too.
I really like Kendal with Campbell.
I think Hayden would be a fabulous sister name for Campbell. Hayden Louise or Hayden Clare.
Kendall is too close in sound. Don’ t do it.
Repeating the hard C sound is still probably the best option-
You could alter the spelling of Kennedy to be Kennadie or something(if you were worried about the political link (I wouldnt be personally).
I just read about an Australian girl who won a singing competition named Karise. I have only ever seen it spelt as Carys (ka-rees), which I love, but I like this spelling, too. Her full name is Karise Eden. Very very nice. Campbell Marie and Karise Eden. Wow!
Still love Hayden for you, though, if you don’t choose Kennedy.
Ooooh, I just read suggestion Chandler! Yes! She gets the family ‘c’ initial but it sounds different. Great idea! But Chandler and Campbell do sound a little similar, so Kennedy sounds a bit better there. Unless you choose a different Ch name like Charlotte, but which is unisex, like Chayce or Chadston.
Carys is NOT pronounce ka-rees. It is pronounced ka-riss like the name Charis/Karis.
Sorry but I know two girls named Carys who say Ka-rees. One is Welsh and one American. I am pretty sure people can still choose how their kids’ names will be pronounced.
Anyway , I like the Australian Karise also. What about Cameron/Camryn as a sister to Campbell? Otherwise Kennedy and Chace/Chayce are my favourites.
What about Ainsley or Ansley? Those have a Southern ring to me as they’re quite popular in Atlanta.
I really like Quinn. My daughter had a girl on her soccer team named Austin. That is kind of a cool southern name for a girl. I like Carson for a girl my daughter swam with a girl named Carson. I don’t really buy into that one child With a unisex name means you have to shy away from so many names. From the lists I like rory, Finley…Blakely maybe to close to your last name.
As another poster said, Hayden is a GREAT sister name for Campbell! I love it!
Hayden Claire or Hayden Kate
Campbell and Hayden…perfection!
Good luck and let us know what you decide!
Marley super cute <3
I love Charlotte Katherine and for short Charlie Kate. Good luck…