Middle Name Challenge: Zoey ________ Hildebrand

24 Replies

Hello!!

We need middle name help! Our baby girl is due this Friday (November 7th), and a friend just told me about your site last night, so I figured I’d write in and see if we can get some middle name suggestions.

Her first name is Zoey, and our last name is Hildebrand. I saw a recent post on your site about the name Zoey where you said it’s getting popular and you suggested a bunch of Zoey alternatives, but we are set on that as a first name. Our problem is that there is just nothing that stands out as a middle name! We have spent many hours browsing name websites (including the Social Security name database), and after awhile they all start to blend into mush!

So here’s the relevant information:

Big sister is Phoebe Kate
Big brother is Wyatt David (David is a meaningful family name)
Zoey’s middle name can’t start with H (because of our last name) or R (because for some reason R names blend too much with the vowels in Zoey when I say both names fast)
We want to keep her middle name to one or two syllables (because it could easily become a mouthful with our last name)
If the name has two syllables, we like the sound of the accent on the second syllable, but we are not necessarily locked into that pattern
The middle name should probably not end with an “ee” sound, because that’s the sound that Zoey ends with
We are open to common, uncommon, popular, less popular, or whatever

Alright, I think that’s it.

Thanks!

 

This may be too late to be of any help, but the letter stood out to me when I was looking through the possibilities this morning.

One way to narrow things down is to look for a name that fits the same rhythm as your first daughter’s name. Phoebe Kate and Zoey ____ would mean looking for a one-syllable middle name. Some possibilities:

Zoey Belle Hildebrand
Zoey Faith Hildebrand
Zoey Fay Hildebrand
Zoey Grace Hildebrand
Zoey Grey Hildebrand
Zoey Jade Hildebrand
Zoey Jane Hildebrand
Zoey Jean Hildebrand
Zoey Laine Hildebrand
Zoey Mae Hildebrand
Zoey Paige Hildebrand
Zoey Quinn Hildebrand

I like Claire as a one-syllable middle, but with first names ending in an -ee sound I always hear eclair: Zo Eclair.

I also like Zoey Louise a lot, and that would give you the 2-syllable accent-on-2nd-syllable sound. And I love Zoey Noelle. The middle name Marie was very common in my generation but I feel like I hear it far, far less often on current babies; Zoey Marie is pretty. Or Zoe Elise.

If nothing stands out, here are a few strategies to try:

1. Look for a name with significance to you: a family name, for example. If you don’t really care if it’s Zoey Marie or Zoey Elise or Zoey Mae, but Marie is your mother’s middle name, you can let that tip you toward the Marie choice. Would your own middle name work? Or are there any family surnames that could be preserved?

(I can see how this might be a little worrisome if Phoebe’s middle name doesn’t have any particular significance, and then Wyatt’s and Zoey’s both do. If Phoebe is the firstborn, I would spin it that “being firstborn” is her special thing. If not, I still wouldn’t worry very much: four of my kids have honor middle names and one doesn’t, and so far none of them care. We say to the one without the honor middle name: “And your middle name was because we loved it so much.”)

2. If one or both of your other children are old enough, ask for their input. It can make for a sweet story to say that an older sibling helped choose a younger sibling’s name.

3. Are there any names you would have liked to use as a first name, but couldn’t because of issues such as a friend using the name, or not liking the initials, or not liking it with the sibling names, or not liking it with your surname? This could be a good way to salvage one of those names.

 

And I think at some point it’s fine to say “Let’s just PICK something.” For my fifth child, we had three middle names that all sounded equally good to us and all had similar levels of significance. Finally we just PICKED one. I haven’t regretted the one we chose, and I don’t think I would have regretted choosing one of the others: the nice thing about nothing standing out is that it probably means all the choices are equally good and you’d be equally happy with any of them.

 

 

Name update!

Hi Swistle!

Baby Zoey was born this week, and we named her Zoey June. Thanks for your suggestions, and to everyone else who added their thoughts!

Jenn

24 thoughts on “Middle Name Challenge: Zoey ________ Hildebrand”

  1. A

    I like swistle’s suggestion of Zoey Elise best. I also like Zoey Jane because it reflects the style of Phoebe Kate. Another name that fits your criteria is Zoey Lucille. Zoey Lu is a sweet little pet name :) best of luck! Please let us know what you pick

    Reply ↓
  3. kerry

    I suggest Zoey Wren, since you say you want something that “stands out” as a middle name, which makes me think you’re finding the more classic middle name options dissatisfying. Also, I love that both Phoebe and Wren are bird names.

    Reply ↓
  4. Sarah

    I love Zoey Margaret. To me, Margaret is two syllables and its a classic like your other middles. I would also call her Zoey Margaret a lot for fun. I know you said no ‘r’s but somehow having SO many ‘r’s neutralizes the issue for me. It sounds deliberate and not clumsy!

    Reply ↓
  5. Kim C

    Zoey Louise is my favorite! I love how they have the corresponding ‘Z’ sound.

    Zoey Beth or Zoey Claire are my suggestions!

    All the best!

    Reply ↓
  6. TheFirstA

    I also like a short/snappy one syllable name, similar to Kate.
    Zoey Clare
    Zoey June
    Zoey Brooke
    Zoey Maeve

    I also like the idea of something quite long, with 3 or more syllables. I don’t think the length of last name will matter much, as the full name isn’t going to be said all that often. Sticking to names that are classic will also help, as people aren’t going to stumble over something they are really familiar with.
    Zoey Vivienne
    Zoey Elizabeth
    Zoey Miriam
    Zoey Genevieve

    Reply ↓
  7. Jenn

    Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far!! Baby Zoey has still not decided to join us, so we are still thinking of her middle name!

    Reply ↓
  8. Christine

    We went with an honor name for our kid’s middle name – but if we hadn’t I really like the idea of using something a little out there that I wouldn’t have the guts to use for a first name. I know a Zoe Indigo for example (her brother has the middle name Oz). Is there anything out there that has some meaning to you guys that you wouldn’t use for a first name?

    For one syllable names I really like Mae and Fay(e). Oh, Pearl? Zoey Pearl is pretty!

    Reply ↓
  11. robin

    My daughter’s name is Zoe Rose. I don’t hear the problem with Zoe matched with an ‘R’ name. Can you elaborate?!

    Reply ↓
  14. Andrea Y

    I really like a lot of the suggestions so far, especially Zoey Lark, Zoey June, and Zoey Jane. I also really like the idea of a much more unexpected middle like Zoey Blue (although that is almost expected). Zoey Sunshine. Something bright and happy.

    If you wanted to keep things a little more classic, my top pick is Zoey Jane as it matches Phoebe Kate in style and sounds absolutely darling.

    Reply ↓
  15. Kaela

    Have you considered using Kate again? I know a family where all of the girls have the middle name Rose, and it’s a nice touch. They enjoy it too. I don’t think it had any family significance before their parents picked it.

    Otherwise, Swistle’s suggestions for picking something are spot on.

    Beyond that I thought of:

    Zoey Autumn (since she’s a fall baby)
    Zoey Jean
    Zoey Hope (the repeating H in your surname sounds find to me)
    Zoey June
    Zoey Ruth (I don’t understand your objections to R middle names exactly?)
    Zoey Maeve

    And, strangely, I keep wanting to write down “Zoey Peach”. It’s quite out there but could work!

    Good luck! Please update us. :)

    Reply ↓
  16. StephLove

    I like Zoey Jane best of the one syllable suggestions (or Zoey Wren if you decided you don’t mind the r sound after all). For a 2-syllable emphasis on the last syllable name, how about Zoey Simone? Louise is nice, too.

    And these are more like 2.5 syllables, because of elision, but I like them.
    Zoey Dahlia
    Zoey Margaret

    Reply ↓
  17. Kas

    I really like the suggestion of both Zoey Claire and Zoey Jane.

    Other ideas:
    Zoey Sage
    Zoey Holland
    Zoey Lee
    Zoey Ree
    Zoey Eve
    Zoey June
    Zoey Ann

    Congratulations and good luck

    Reply ↓
  19. Geneva

    I echo the comment above- Pheobe, Wyatt and Zoey fit together wonderfully, as do Kate, David and Jane. Zoey Jane is definitely my vote! Sounds lovely.

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.