Baby Girl Wylie, Sister to Violet, Scott, and Simon

28 Replies

Hi Swistle,

I wrote to you over 6 years ago and you and your readers were instrumental in helping us choose a name for baby #3. After 6 years of begging my husband, baby #4 (due in March) is a dream come true. My twelve year old daughter is Violet Noelle, nine year old son is Scott Brian, and our six year old is Simon Cooper. Again our last name is Wylie.

I know I’m struggling because I’m worrying too much about choosing the perfect name for our last baby, who is a GIRL!! Also, when I started naming babies 12 years ago my list felt fresh and now it feels dated.

Names my husband has vetoed:
Wren
Lane
Fiona
Olive

Names that I like that are too popular where I live:
Hazel
Lucy
Ruby

 

The names we’re considering now:

Vivian- I like Vivian but worry it’s too matchy with Violet.

Lila Jane- Lila is my husband’s favorite but he acknowledges that names are more important to me than him :) Sometimes I think I should just let him have this name but I can’t get past that it blends in with all the Layla’s, Lily’s, Leah’s, etc. Plus I don’t love that I would have a Vi, Si, and a Li. That would leave my Scott a little left out.

Calla- This feels like a modern choice but with a soft sound. My concern is that it’s less established than my other kids’ names.

Hannah- I know this one is pretty popular but there aren’t many where I live. It also has a soft sound and is biblical in the same way Simon is.

PLEASE HELP. Am I missing something? For middles, I like Rose or Bea. I’ve also been trying to brainstorm a middle name that is Springy since sister Violet has a middle name that’s very winter when she was born. I think a middle name that perhaps ties her to her sister Violet would be nice.

 

I think Vivian is great. It’s visually similar to Violet, but when said aloud it shares only the initial sound. It pleases me that this situation is parallel to the boys’ names: Scott and Simon (five letters starting with S, but different number of syllables and very different sounds), Violet and Vivian (six letters starting with V, but different number of syllables depending on how you say them, and very different sounds).

Lila sounds much more similar to Violet to me, despite the different first initials: those repeating L and long-I sounds in Violet and Lila really catch my ear. And I don’t like it at all with the surname: if she were called Lila Jane without exception, that sounds okay—but without the Jane, Lila Wylie is right on the edge of being comical. Since Lila is your husband’s favorite, I might try to make it work as a middle name.

Calla Wylie is a little hard for me to say with the surname, but not at a deal-breaking level. I like the flower theme with her sister’s name. I think it goes well with the other names, and I think there’s room to spread out a little when it’s a fourth child after a six-year gap: style coordination feels less important, even for someone like me who enjoys some good sibling-name coordination. It’s just so understandable that the parents’ naming style could have shifted, in addition to the change in naming trends in general.

I wonder if you’d like Lillian. It’s somewhat similar to both Lila and Vivian. Lillian Wylie. Violet, Scott, Simon, and Lillian.

Or Lydia: a little bit like Lila, plus biblical like Simon. Lydia Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Lydia.

Or Claudia. Claudia Wylie; Vivian, Scott, Simon, and Claudia. I love this name and it would have been fairly high on my own list if it hadn’t also been the name of Paul’s high school girlfriend.

Something from the Cora/Clara/Nora category? I like all of those with Violet.

Or Josephine. Josephine Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, Josephine.

Or Beatrix. Beatrix Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Beatrix. But perhaps “Bea Wylie” sounds like an instruction.

Or Minerva. Minerva Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Minerva.

Or Celeste. Celeste Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Celeste.

Or Louise. Louise Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Louise.

Oh! Maybe Margaret? Margaret Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Margaret. It gives you three names ending in T, but that’s fairly subtle.

I wonder if you’d like Anna instead of Hannah? It has a trim refreshing feel/sound to me recently. Anna Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Anna.

Rose has extra freshness as a first name, especially with Violet, and I love it with the surname; and having just one syllable ties it nicely with the name Scott. In fact, look at all the ties: Violet and Rose are both flower names; Scott and Rose are both one-syllable names; Violet and Simon both have the long-I sound; Violet and Scott both end in T; and all four names have the letter O. Rose Wylie; Violet, Scott, Simon, and Rose.

For springy middle names, I wonder if Wren could be saved from the veto list: sometimes a No for a first name can still work as a middle. Or the name Spring is pretty. Or what about Robin? Sweet and associated with spring. Or lots of flower names feel spring-like: Tulip, Hyacinth, Daffodil, Pansy, Bluebell, Primrose, Iris, Lily, Dahlia, Calla, Azalea, Lilac (similar to Lila), Daisy.

 

 

 

Name update:

Hi Swistle and Readers,

Thank you so much for your thoughts and opinions in naming baby #4. She was born on March 28th. We decided to name her Vivian Joy Wylie. We love her name and we love her even more!

28 thoughts on “Baby Girl Wylie, Sister to Violet, Scott, and Simon”

  1. Celeste

    I like the flower name idea a lot; there’s a novel I loved called “How To Make An American Quilt” which has two sisters with flower names, who are known in their small town as the flower girls.

    Other flower names for your list: Jasmine, Laurel, Erica, Indigo and Claire (I was totally surprised about some of them!). Laurel actually means spring, which I hadn’t known.

    Ideas for evocative spring-y middle names: Rain, Bloom, Blossom, Willow, Nova (new).

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  2. Liz

    From Swistle’s suggestions, I think Lydia is PERFECT. I love Lydia Fern with Violet Noelle. I also love the suggestion of Anna, it seems softer to me than Hannah and pairs so nicely with the sibling names. If you like Olive, maybe you’d also like Opal? This might be too out there but when I think of happy spring names, I always picture Clementine.

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  3. BKB

    My vote is for Calla. I like the flower name theme, and I think it is nice to have a different ending from the others. But mostly I just love the name.

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  5. Annie

    I vote for Lydia! There’s a subtle/obscure sister connection to Violet, too… The biblical Lydia was a seller of purple cloth (I know, so specific, but a cool link between the girls that wouldn’t be super obvious).

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  6. Marissa

    I actually love that Vivian goes well with Violet. Since there is a larger age gap between the girls, maybe it will be a nice connection between them?
    What about April for a middle name? It sounds fresh and springy, and to me, placing it in the middle makes it a nonissue that the baby will actually be born in March.
    Or Summer? I think Violet Noelle and Vivian Summer are such sweet bookend names.

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  7. Jenine

    Hazel/Lucy/Ruby reminds me of grandma names and one of my grandmother’s was Dorothy. I really like Dorothy Rose.

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  9. Joanna Maria

    For me, Vivian is a winner: it’s a very pretty name, matches in style with your other kids’ names (especially Violet), and you will have 2 kids with S-names & 2 with V-names, and 2 kids with names ending with an N & 2 that end with a T = perfect combo!

    However, If you’re still not sold on Vivian, Swistle’s suggestion of Rose is also great.

    Some other possibilities:
    Alice
    Blanche
    Abigail
    Adrienne
    Cecily
    Callista (instead of Calla)
    Elisabeth
    Gloria
    Irene
    Magnolia
    Veronica

    And I would add Mauve and Bird as possible middle names: Mauve would be a cool nod to Violet, and Bird seems very cute and spring-y.

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  10. Jessemy

    Lydia Robin Wylie is a gorgeous name. Lydia Jane Wylie ain’t bad, either.

    I’ve recently met a 5 yo Calla and she wore it charmingly. Laura Wattenberg recently put “Calla” on a list of well-recognized but rarely used girls names: http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2018/11/these-15-familiar-girls-names-are-actually-rare%E2%80%94and-always-have-been

    AND, I recently met a just-walking girl at the Minnesota Institute of Art’s child-play area and her FIRST name was WYLIE! Soooo charming! She climbed those soft stairs like a CHAMP!

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    1. Jessemy

      I just remembered the name Pascale…it’s a French name associated with Easter season. It probably sounds sort of like a surname, but it’s really pretty nevertheless. Lydia Pascale Wylie, for instance. Rose Pascual Wylie. Spanish = Pascual or Catalan: Pasqual.

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  11. Jaime

    I love the symmetry of Vivian with your sibset. My second favorite is Lydia. I also wanted to suggest Margot and Phoebe.

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  12. Edie

    Chiming in to suggest Eva (soft sound, Biblical, has the v link with Violet but not at the start) or Esther (soft sound – at least I think so!, Biblical – sounds a little like Easter, if that’s a nice Spring connection for you).

    Eva Primrose Wylie. Eva Clover Wylie.

    Esther April Wylie. Esther Vivian Wylie.

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  14. Genevieve

    A lot of these suggestions are so good if you’re not sold on Vivian (also very good): Lydia, Cecily (or Cecelia), Callista, all sound great with Wylie. A few more suggestions: Sabrina, Serena, Julia, Alice, Miranda.

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  16. Hive of 5

    I came to the comments to suggest Laurel and Phoebe and see they’ve already been mentioned so I’ll 2nd those. And add Daphne.
    Vivian completes your sibling set in such a perfect way I wonder: do you love the name or do you love the symmetry other gives the set? If it’s the former go for it. Normally I am picky about names being too matchy but I think Violet and Vivian with a 12 year age gap are probably fine…. Though if Violet goes by Vi I don’t love Vi and Viv together.
    What about just Jane? I think it’s so sweet and timeless. Simple, straight forward single syllable like Scott.
    I love Swistle’s suggestions of Lydia, Beatrix and Louise.
    For a spring middle name I like Spring. I knew a woman with this first name and she was so cheerful and energetic. it fit her perfectly.

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  17. Valentina

    I came to second Spring as a middle name. It is my sister’s middle name and the imagery of flowers, new beginnings and beautiful green days carries well through adulthood. It also takes a more familiar name and adds a pleasant freshness (no pun intended).

    My suggestions would be:
    Vivian Spring
    Hannah Spring
    Callista Spring nn. Calla

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  19. Lee

    I like your option of Lila in the middle place. Where you have Vi, Si sounds for first names of Violet and Simon, this new baby and Scott would have Bri and Li sounds in middle names making the sounds all balanced among your four kids. Or really any choice with that same long “i” initial sound would work: Iris, Ivy, Hyacinth, Diana, Niobe, Isla, Shiloh, Kyla, Schuyler, Blythe, Maia etc.

    A brook is almost like a spring (regarding water, like creek and stream). Brooke could be a cute name to tribute springtime! I also love Celeste’s suggestion of Nova for its evocation of springtime renewal which links to Violet’s middle name in theme and sound.

    Robin is also a gorgeous name and is the epitome of Spring. I noticed in your name help question about Simon’s name you said you have a significant family member Robert so I wonder if Robin could be a sweet connection in that way as well.

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  20. Elle

    Would you like Veronica or Vera?
    Veronica Rose Wylie
    Vera Brooke Wylie
    Veronica Lila Wylie
    Vera Wren Wylie

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  21. Jaime

    Came back to suggest the lovely Veda/Vada. I only know one IRL (she’s a friend of my daughter) and her full name is Vada Love. 😍 You could pair it with a name that brings to mind spring or nature.

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  22. StephLove

    I don’t think Vivian is too match with Violet and I like the V,S,S,V pattern others have noted. If Vivian’s not quite right, how about Vera?

    I like Wren a lot in this group, too, maybe because it’s a nature name like Violet. I know it’s on the vetoed list, but I’ve been reading this blog a long time and I’ve noticed a lot of vetoed names migrate back into consideration, so there’s that… Calla’s nice, too, or how about Fern, Ivy, or Rosemary? Or Rose as a first instead of a middle? Rose Beatrice is lovely.

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  23. StephLove

    Or how about Clementine? At one point my sister was considering Hazel and Clementine for her daughter so one always reminds me of the other and I often want to suggest Clementine to people who like Hazel. (My niece ended up being a a Lily.)

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