Amy writes:
Hello!
I am writing you to see if you could give me some advice on which names you think will go well for our second little girl- due in Oct! I know I am a little early with this but I am 100% a planner :-) Our last name is Do@ley (@ is an o). My daughters name is Avery Elizabeth- which we love. We are a big fan of unisex and surnamy type names. And I would love to incorporate a family name somehow- whether it is a first or middle name. Some of my issues are that I don’t want to have a name that ends in the “lee” sound. So it sounds matchy-matchy with our last name. When we decided on Avery we thought the “reee” was different enough from “leee” to work.
Below is our short list and would like to get your opinion:
Harper- we love this name but I am worried it might be too trendy- like Tiffany in the 80’s
Emerson – with the nn Emmie (but I am worried it might sound too similar to my name, Amy- but does that matter??)
Parker- this is a family name. I love it – but I might be too much of a wuss to name my daughter that
Blake- Also a family name. I don’t like Blakely b/c I knew a girl in college with that name…and the lee sound at the end.
Hayden
Bridget- way off base here in our style…but I do like it!I also would prefer not to use a name that is overly popular and in the top 10.
If you have any advice and suggestions I would be forever grateful! Thanks so much!
Looking just at the first names, my top choices from your list with Avery are Harper and Parker. I think both are great with Avery. I don’t think Harper is too trendy and I don’t think Parker is too bold.
However, I notice that when I say Harper Do@ley or Parker Do@ley, they sound slightly amusing to me—like children’s book characters, a little bit. I’m not sure what it is. It doesn’t seem to be the -er sound or the P sound, even though the names have those in common. Blake Do@ley and Hayden Do@ley hit my ear wrong, too, but in a different way—and again I can’t quite put my finger on the issue. Blake Do@ley seems abrupt, and Hayden Do@ley is hard for me to say.
I wonder if it might be an issue of syllables: all the names that don’t sound quite right to me are either one- or two-syllable names. The three syllables of Avery work very well, and so I think I might look in that direction. Emerson Do@ley would be perfect, but I do think Emmie and Amy are a little close. Not so close that you couldn’t use it, though: if the similarity resulted in confusion or hassle, she could be called Emerson instead.
Would you like Addison Do@ley? Addy and Amy look similar but sound quite different. Addison Do@ley; Avery and Addison.
Or Ellison. Ellie Do@ley is a little L-heavy, but not enough to make me rule out the name: I’m much less worried about how nicknames fit with the surname. Ellison Do@ley; Avery and Ellison.
Or Madigan. Madigan Do@ley; Avery and Madigan.
Or Kerrigan. Kerrigan Do@ley; Avery and Kerrigan.
Devany and Evanie would both be nice, but Devany Do@ley might be too alliterative, and Avery and Evanie might be too similar in sound.
McKenna, maybe. McKenna Do@ley; Avery and McKenna.
Teagan is only two syllables, but I still like it. Teagan Do@ley; Avery and Teagan.
What about Evan or Evyn instead of evanie?
Of your list, I love Parker and I agree that it doesn’t seem too bold,, but they are all nice :)
Oh, I love your style! And you have great picks for Baby #2.
Bridget is definitely the outlier – althought I think it would be nice in the mn spot. It plays nicely off of Elizabeth from baby#1.
Parker/Blake I dislike only because I would think Baby #2 was a boy.
Emerson for me goes either way (as does Avery) so that is a good match that way
Harper I love and would definitely think girl.
Emerson Bridget Dooley or Harper Bridget Dooley?
I will say that I had Madigan on my maybe list for awhile – but the more I said it, the more I started to hear “Mad again?”
The other names I thought of were: Adley of Hadley. Hth!
How about:
Avery & Quincy
Avery & Addison
Avery & Ellis
Avery & Harlow
Avery & Sutton
Avery & Peyton
Avery & Hadley
Avery & Campbell
Avery & Cassidy
Avery & Delaney
Avery & Darcy
Avery & Darby
Avery & Dabny
From your list I like Parker best! I don’t think of Avery as unisex anymore, though I know it was originally…I have a boy cousin named Blake and his sister is Avery.
I like Teagan from Swistle’s suggestions.
Other ideas:
Hollis
Campbell
Tennyson
Taylor
Quinn
Good luck!
I don’t think I’d want an Amy and an Emmie in the same family, but I like all the other names. I don’t hear the problem with the surname that Swistle does with Harper and Parker and I think they are good matches with Avery. I also like Blake. Using Bridget as a middle was a good suggestion.
I rather like one syllable names with the last name. What about Paige or Brae? I kind of like Blake for that reason, but to me Blake still seems more masculine than unisex. I actually love the name Bridget, but it does seem like an outlier with the rest of your choices. However, it sounds good with Avery, only because Avery seems to have moved from the unisex camp to the female camp, so they really seem equally feminine in my eyes.
Otherwise, I like Emerson…and Emmie and Amy don’t seem too close to me…
Do you like Aubrey? Would be sweet with Avery, I think!
hmm, I realize Harper technically ranks higher than Emerson. However, Emerson actually feels more trendy because of the overall popularity of all the “em” names.
Parker, Blake & Hayden feel very boyish to me, where Avery feels more feminine (or at least more unisex). With a sibset of Avery & Harper/Emerson I would probably assume 2 sisters. With Avery & Parker/Blake/Hayden, I think I would assume sister/brother. Not sure if this matters to you, but it might be something worth considering.
I like Bridget, but it does feel like a major style departure. Something like Britt retains some of the feel of Bridget, but feels a little closer to the style of your other names.
I like Swistle’s suggestions of Ellison & Madigan. I’ll also 2nd the suggestion of Hollis. I’ll add Kendall, Taylor, Leighton, Marlowe, Ripley & Sloane.
Not sure if this will matter to you, but I’m a huge greys anatomy fan and the Harper Avery award is mentioned often. I’d avoid the Avery and Harper pairing for that reason.
How about Brooklyn? Avery and Brooklyn is such a cute pair! Or Kipton.
Saying the names Harper/Parker Do@oley also brings something familiar to mind, but I can’t place it. Nothing unpleasant at all though!
I agree Bridget is a wonderful middle name, especially w/sister’s Elizabeth mn
Some of these are repeats from other commentors, but these came to mind:
Quinn
Rory
Reagan
Taylor
Sloane
Jordan
Tristan
Darian
Ava
Violet
A coworker has a little girl w/first/middle Teagan Parker and it is wonderful on her.
Good luck!
Eden
Darby
Quinn
Sage
Sloane
Arbor
Tamsin
And if it hasn’t already been mentioned I think Winslow is adorable.
I love Harper! Avery and Harper sounds great together. From Swistle’s suggestions I would choose Teagan, Kerrigan or Ellison.
Here are some more ideas:
– Peyton
– Paige
– Paisley
– Piper
– Kendall
– Marley
– Morgan
– Maren
– Reese
– Elowen
– Bronwyn
– Brynn
– Linden
– Tatum
I have an Emerson and am pregnant with girl #2. Dh is obsessed with avery so ill bot for avery and Emerson as a great sister pair. Hollis is also on my list as is Quinn, Cameron, holland, Harlow, and Stella.
I think Harper is having much more of a “moment” lately than Avery or than any of the other names on your list. That is, I know a whole bunch of Harpers (most girls, one boy) born in the last year or two! I DON’T think of it like Tiffany from the 80s though.
I like Blake and Bridget from your list, plus the -an ending options that others have added. Have you referenced the post about favorite unisex names (https://www.swistle.com/babynames/2012/08/22/what-are-your-favorite-unisex-baby-names/)? Merritt and Morgan jumped out at me off the bat.
I am surprised how much I love Avery and Emerson. If the nickname “Emmie” is the sticking point- have you considered “Ems”? I know a six year old Emily who goes by Ems, and I think it’s pretty charming.
I do think I prefer a three syllable or one syllable name with Do@ly as well so I like Emerson the best on your list.
I also Like Ellison and Addison. Have you considered:
Cameron
Kensington
Kerrigan
Shea
Quinn
Cruz
Keats
I kind of swoon over the name
Shea Bridget Do@ly.
I like Emerson the best. Yes, Emmie and Amy are close, but it’s mother and daughter, not two sisters, so I don’t see that being a big deal. Second place for me would be Swistle’s suggestion of Addison. I think you should focus on the 3-syllable names, which sound much nicer with your last name. (I kept repeating Harper Dooley in my head, and it just doesn’t sound right, unfortunately, because it’s a great match with Avery.)
I hope you’re considering Bridget for a middle name! I especially like Addison Bridget with your last name.
Good luck!
I have a daughter named Rowan. It has that unisex/surname feel. Avery and Rowan Do@ley sound cute together.
Emerson Bridget, hands down.
I think Swistle nailed this with her recommendation to go with 3 syllables for the rhythm……
My daughters names is Emerson and we absolutely love it…she is Emerson Clare and we get comments all the time on how lovely it is, different but not too different. She is now almost 3 and I don’t regret the name choice at all.
We use her nn every day, ‘Eme’. My best friends name is Amy and we are together quite often and the name similarity has never been an issue.
We live in Australia and I think I have heard of 2 other Emerson’s (1 girl and 1 boy) and neither of them live close by. I’m not sure where you are but I know it’s a name that isn’t too frequently used, that is another thing I liked about it .
Just for reference so you can see my naming style…our 7 month old sons name is Baxter Joel. Both our little ones mn’s are family names.
Good luck with your new baby girl…having baby number 2 in the house is a whole different ball game…double the love though :)
I think Avery and Harper are great together!
Tierney
Kennedy (nn Kenna)
Callahan (nn Callie)
I think madigan is adorable.
I really like Harper, and it sounds fine with your last name to my ear, fwiw.
I really like the sound of Parker and Harper with your last name.
I love Harper but have come across so many baby girl Harpers latley I think it seems to be rising in popularity but it is still a great name!
I also love both Blake and Emerson and I dont think Eme is a problem with Amy!
I like the suggestions of Quinn, Regan and Peyton all great unisex names that go well with Avery!
Congratulations and good luck!
What about Holliston?
I am an Amy and my daughter is Emmie (full name is Emmeline). The only time we’ve had trouble is that our nanny, for whom English is a second language, was mispronouncing Emmie and it sounded just like Amy. But she’s taken to calling her Emmeline (which she’s pronouncing just fine) and there’s been no more confusion. I’m biased but I think Emmeline Parker would be perfect and makes a great sibling name to Avery Elizabeth. Good luck and congrats!!
I feel Harper is definitely trending right now but I do love it with your last name.
Here are ones I think you might like (some already mentioned!)
Sutton
Quinn
Stella
Piper
Hadley
Kendall
Mallory
Presley
Sawyer
Pippa
Oh and Sloane!
I thought of Quinn, Peyton, Karson, or Carmen for your daughter.
Your surname is a tough one. I sympathize, as my SO’s surname has the same ending and general sound pattern (and maybe worse, also sounds like a word, which rules out tons of names). At this point, I keep two separate lists of favorite names– one that is just names I love, and a far, far shorter list of ones that work with our surname. I’ve kissed goodbye basically all names ending in the -ee sound (especially two syllable names– farewell, Daisy, Sylvie, Maisie, and Annie! *waves hankerchief and weeps*), and anything “cutesy”, because like yours, our surname has a “cute” vibe that can make even the most buttoned-up name seem like something from a 1970s kids TV show with puppets and lots of psychedelic colors.
I think a strong, fairly long first name is the best way to deal with it. I actually love Bridget D–ley. It’s very solid, tones down the surname, and has a classic, non-trendy feel.
Harper, Blake, Hayden, and Parker all sound less than ideal to my ear with D—ley. It’s the two syllable thing.
Here are some names I thought of that might balance out D–ley. Some are unisex surname names, others remind me of Bridget:
Bernadette
Garland (maybe too cute though)
Bryony
Jessamyn/Jessamine — can have the unisex nickname of Jesse/Jessie
Jameson
Willow (two syllables, maybe too cute)
Isabeau/Isabelle
I’d also suggest doing what I think my SO and I might end up doing, which is going with a really classic, solid name that distracts from the surname. Avery, despite it being modern and unisex, has this feel to me. Others:
Theodora (Teddy is a cute unisex nickname)
Charlotte
Elisabeth/Elizabeth
Margaret
Beatrice/Beatrix
Alexandra (Alex)
Frances (Franny, Francie, Frankie)
Juliana/Julianne
Marina
Violet
Ooh, I also thought of Evelyn and Vivian.
These two both sound great with the surname, have 3 syllables, plus the “v” sounds tie in with Avery.
I love your naming style! Very similar to mine! I have a little girl named Monroe, we call her Roe for short. We had Emerson as our second choice. Other names that were on our list are:
Mabel
Bristol
Greer
Scout
Navy (might be too close to Avery though)
Sailor
Romilly (has the lee ending)
Channing
Arbor
Harlow
I love Madigan (nicknamed Maggie if Maddoe is too common), Callahan, Carrington could all be great fits!
These might have been suggested as I’m not reading through everyone’s comments but these are the first two that came to my mind…
Avery and Arden Dooley
Avery and Maren (pronounced like Karen) Dooley
My favourite from your list is Emerson. If you really love that name and the only thing stopping you is Emmy and Amy sounding similar would you consider just Em as a nicknme alternative.
Some other names that go well with Avery are (I also like Bridget as a middle name)
Anistyn
Reagan
Maryn
Bronwyn
I agree that Harper or Parker are the best fit stylistically, but part Bridget’s charm is that it would be unexpected. Avery and Bridget just sound so nice together; neither is overly ‘girly’ but they are both understated and pretty, and as a pair they are great. Bridget Harper would let you use a name you love without having to worry about its trendiness.
I second the suggestion of Ems as an alternative nickname for Emerson- very cute.
I second Bridget. It does sound really nice as a sister name for Avery!
Avery and Bridget
Bridget also has a few nicknames to choose from too:
Biddy
Bridge
Bridgy
Bridie
Birdie/Birdy
Bree
Avery Elizabeth and Bridget Kate perhaps? Adorable!!
Good luck!!
Oh…Bridget Fiona!
Thanks so much for all your comments!! I am thinking Hayden is out of the picture- right now I am still really deciding b/w Emerson and Bridget! But my hubbie will have to weigh in at some point. He doesn’t talk seriously about baby names until we get closer to the due date b/c I change my mind. I agree with the 3 syllabulls too! Never even thought of that- but it makes sense! We will probably use a family name as the middle name- but that one is hard b/c we are both the babies of the family and pretty much all of them have been taken up! So hard! But thank so much for all the suggestions! I love all of them :)
Oh and I like Cameron a lot too!!