Hi Swistle!
We unintentionally backed ourselves into a naming corner and we need your help! We have three children whose names end in “an” and a baby boy due in June. When we named our third, we thought we were finished having children so we didn’t anticipate having to worry about matchiness of their names. We are planning for this to be our last child. You and your readers helped us name our third child, we hope you can do it again!Our first is a boy, Ian Thomas. Our second is girl, Reagan Caroline. Our third is a boy, Kellan Jack. You and your readers helped us realize we like Americanized Irish type names for boys.
Our top names:
Declan (husband’s favorite, does it sound too much like Kellan?)
Owen (my favorite, doesn’t match “an” ending, too similar to Ian?)Other names we’ve found, but don’t love…
Lincoln (too presidential with a Reagan?, and ending doesn’t match)
Logan (ending too similar to Reagan?)
Lachlan (too Irish), Nathan, DuncanSo my main question: do you think it has to end in an “an”? Or will a similar sound work? I don’t want him to feel left out, but I also don’t want to pick a name we don’t like just to match. A lot of the names we are finding sound like our existing boy names, or don’t flow with the set. The middle name will most likely be Graham or Anthony. Our last name is pronounced So-fe-oh, emphasis on the first syllable.
Please help, thanks!
Jackie
I was so charmed and amused by the subject line of your email, I put it in the title of the post even though readers who click the link to the last time we talked will see I was absolutely complicit in looking for a third -n name. But you are right that in general I advise against corner-painting-into.
I would cross out almost every single name on your list. Yes, I think Declan and Lachlan are too close to Kellan, and that Owen is too close to Ian, and that Lincoln is odd with a Reagan, and that two -gan endings is too many. I would keep Duncan and Nathan; I think those are good options.
I don’t think you have to go with another -an name or even another -n name. Last time you wanted a third -n/-an, but that doesn’t mean you have to want it this time: it’s so understandable that parents would run out of -n/-an names, and/or that they would go with their favorite name rather than choosing a name they liked a lot less in order to follow a pattern. It gets harder and harder to choose a baby name the more babies you have, and it’s even harder when you’re working with additional restrictions. Get rid of the restrictions, I say! Break free! It will be at most a matter of slight interest to others, and no one will deep-down care; and this pattern is less obvious than, say, all names starting with the same initial.
Although there are some people who will grow up looking for any reason to feel left out or to resent their parents, I suspect that non-matched sibling-group name-endings are not one of top choices for that: it’s not the sort of thing that gets you quality sympathy in high school. You can only wring so much emo out of “My siblings? They all have -n names. But I? *stifled sob* I DON’T!”
If you DO decide to continue the pattern, I would make a point of calling the pattern “ending in -n” rather than “ending in -an,” mostly because the former is hard enough but the latter feels nearly impossible. And if you get to the point where you are choosing a name you NEVER would have chosen if you weren’t trying to follow a pattern, I think that would be a good moment to reconsider the whole decision. “We just chose our very favorite name!” is an enduring classic, name-explanation-wise, and I think it outshines “Well, we had to find something that ended in -n, and this was the best we could do considering all the other limitations.” Not that we would actually say that second thing.
On the other hand, -an is a surprisingly common ending, and so I do have a few -an names that might work (though I do think they are sounding Quite Similar to the siblings names, and if you’d had them on YOUR list I might have crossed them off with the others, so):
Aidan (quite similar to Ian)
Alan (quite similar to Ian and Kellan)
Brendan
Brennan
Colman (quite similar to Kellan)
Darian (ends in his eldest brother’s name)
Dylan (quite similar to Kellan)
Finian (ends in his eldest brother’s name)
Finnegan (another -gan)
Keegan (quite similar to Kellan AND it’s another -gan)
Maclean (I would get tired of hearing it mispronounced like a McDonald’s menu option)
Morgan (another -gan)
Nolan
Quinlan (quite similar to Kellan)
Sullivan (tongue-twister with surname?)
Tiernan
I am feeling a little excited about the name Nolan. I think it fits well with your style and with the sibling names, and even though it ends in -lan like Kellan, it feels different enough to me in sound. Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and Nolan.
I’m also interested in Brennan. It brings in some new sounds while sticking to the theme. Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and Brennan.
Finnegan ends in -gan like Reagan, but the extra syllable kept me from noticing that until I was going through the list a second time. I think the extra syllable also helps the whole group of names sound a little more different from each other. Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and Finnegan.
I’m also pretty keen on Tiernan. New sounds, but sticks to theme. Ian, Reagan, Kellan, Tiernan.
But if I were you, I would go even further and call the pattern “Americanized Celtic names,” or “Names we liked,” and not do an -n this time at all. Maybe I’d lean toward something with an N-sound in it, but probably not.
Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and:
Brody
Cormac
Desmond
Emmett
Finn (maybe not with this surname, I can’t tell)
Finley
Garrett
Grady (too many sounds in common with Reagan?)
Malcolm
…Actually I think I am liking the -an names better. Nolan! Brennan! Finnegan! Tiernan! Nathan! Duncan! And I get the feeling you would be happier with another -an name. (Still, I assure you that I think it is more than fine to ditch that whole thing and just do a cheery “We ran out of -an names we liked, so we went with something different this time!” if anyone is so bold as to ask. And I really like Emmett.)
I was going to comment and suggest Andrew, but then I noticed that Anthony is already on your list of potential middles….which gives you the -an but at the beginning of the name. Any chance you’d want to put it in the first spot? Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and Anthony?
This was my thought, too. Just repeat the AN at the beginning of the name since they already want Anthony. I also like Angus for them.
What she said.
What about bypassing Finian and Finnegan and going straight to Finn? I think you can also get away with a name that ends in -m since it’s pretty close: Liam, Malcolm, use Graham as a first. Another-an name to mention is Ronan, though you may not want to repeat first initials.
I think Owen works with Ian. Maybe because the vowel sounds are strong yet different. Maybe it depends on how you pronounce them. Oh-win and Ee-un. Maybe if both are pronounced more like one syllable: Own and Een: then they are closer?
Would Graham work in the first name spot? Maybe not if it’s an honor name and you’ve saved those for middle spots?
I like Cormac from Swistle’s list. The non -n ending does sound refreshing.
I know a preschool Brennan and he has a brother named Kian. Which makes me think it would go well with Ian. The name doesn’t do it for me, but it does fit all your criteria.
I think it would be fine to just use an -n ending, rather than -an or to just pick something totally different.
LOVE Tiernan for you. It fits the -an and it sounds so fresh. I knew someone who went by Tiernan and I always loved hearing the name. Of yours, I think Nathan also sounds very nice.
No, of course you don’t have to keep going with -an, or even -n. There are no rules and you can do what you want. But I sense you do want to keep some kind of connection between the names. The previous commenter’s idea of using an An- name is intriguing. I like Andrew best.
Also, as Swistle said, the 3-syllable rhythm of Finnegan helps keep it distinct from the other names. How about Benjamin or Jonathan? Or a 1-syllable name like Quinn?
Finnegan Graham
Benjamin Graham
Jonathan Graham
Quinn Anthony
As Swistle noted, Brennan, Duncan, and Nolan all bring in new sounds. Same is true of Brendan. I think I’d use Graham with all those, although the -an An- is not as hard to say as I thought it would be when I tried it (e.g. Brendan Anthony) so maybe not. Or would you like Griffin? Griffin Anthony?
I thought if Kieran or Kiernan for you.
I think that Owen sounds perfectly fine with your other kids’ names. But if you’re still not sold on Owen (or any other name), here are few more possibilities:
Julian (I like it especially when paired with Anthony as a middle name)
Jordan
Simon (Simon Graham So-fe-oh <3)
Cameron
Hudson
Carson
Winston
Weston
Damon
Gideon
Dawson
Jason
Austin
Holden
Tristan
I love the comment above with Finn. It sounds so punchy and fresh with the sibling names, but actually fits the pattern (which you absolutely do not need to be committed to anymore). From the other suggestions above, I love Liam, Malcolm, and Cormac. Malcolm especially strikes me as a name that is underused and probably ready for a come back.
TIERNAN IS AN EXCELLENT NAME CAN CONFIRM
Graham as a first seems perfect to me!
What about Rowan?
Fitzgerald! Baby Fitz would be so cute with your sibset.
Loving Brennan and Brendan. Keeps the theme and sound nice with the sibling names/surname/middle name options.
But honestly, ending letter themes are just not something I notice too much. Rhymes and matching first initials themed-yes. Those are pretty obvious. Same ending letters, not so much. So if there is another name you love, go for it and don’t worry about the ending letter issue.
Irish and Irish-American names in my class this year that I’m loving: Gavin and Colin (twins!), Cian, Sean. Possibly also relevant: Adrian, Devon.
If you wanted to stay with the “-n” names, consider Brian? Goes nicely with the sibset.
I might be in the minority, but I don’t think the ending sound similarity is at all something you have to stick to. If it was a beginning letter (Kellan, Katie, Kaiden, etc) I would feel strongly that you should keep the pattern for the new baby. But ending sound? I think you should break free! Pick a name you both love, and I think the difference will be hardly noticeable.
Damien is very common in Ireland! I wonder would that work? Also, we know a few Finlays and that is among our Irish friends.
I was also going to suggest Damien! That’s what we named our fourth baby — love it!
I love the idea of puttiing the AN in the front with Anthony, or what about in the middle with Daniel?
Desmond is awesome and so are Nathan and Morgan.
I like Aidan and I don’t think it’s similar to Ian.
I actually often really like lists that follow a pattern for three beats and then break it on the fourth. It’s got a complete, definitive sound that sort of ties the whole thing together, especially if the forth element is short. If it were my family, I think I might feel weird if my name jarred and sounded awkward in the list, but if it were different in a way that sounded good together it would feel more like a pleasant distinction.
If you want to keep to the pattern though, I like Gavin.
I like Duncan. :)
Are Gavin and Corbin still off the table? Because Gavin! Corbin!
Donovan
Evan
Doyle
Deacon would fit nicely with your others.
Donavan?
I live Graham and Finn, and my first thought was Cormac, which breaks some rules but not all of them. I actually think it fits in seamlessly and if you happen to like it. It would be a great option.
Brendan, Donovan or Corrin would be my suggestions
So, I am very close to a sibling set that includes Owen, Ian, Morgan (girl), and Michael. Owen and Ian are similar names, but very different people, so it never seemed to similiar to me.
And I never even realized, before starting this comment about Owen and Ian, that 3/4 names in the group ended in -an/-en with the one outlier.
Just chiming in to say that whichever way you go will be fine :)
I’m going to put in a plug for 3 of my favorite names: Julian, Adrian, and Damian!
My third of four doesn’t fit the name pattern. (though they are all biblical which is a different link). It is not a problem in any way. I once asked if she cared and she looked suprised and said no as though she hadn’t noticed. When people comment it is to complain about the percieved ‘matchiness’ of the other names which makes it hard for some people to get them right. I think picking another gaelic-lite name would be enough of a tie without worrying about endings.
Saying that I do like Rowan and Deacon which do end in the N.
I knew siblings of an Ian called Lewis and Alec if either of them takes your fancy. My grand passion names are Hamish (HAY-mish) and Angus (Gus!).
I like many of the suggestions so far. I think 3-syllable names like Finnegan keep the -an pattern while injecting a new rhythm.
In the same vein, I wonder whether something like Sean or Vaughan might work:
Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Sean
Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Vaughan
Seeing those names together pleases me, and saying them pleases me even more: the pattern holds, but doesn’t feel forced.
So many great names! I was coming to vote for Finn, Graham, and Owen. But I’m loving the suggestions of Andrew and Angus too.
Do what you want! Ignore the an at the end! However, I really like Finnegan if you wanted to stick with the pattern because the nn Finn sounds so different. On the other hand, if we all like Finn because it sounds so different . . . maybe you should just go with something different. Tough call.
For some reason I really want you to use the name Gage. I don’t know why, but it just sounds like it fits this sibset. I also adore Mac for you–so Cormac has my vote.
Good luck!
I like continuing the -n, although you by no means have to…. You have to pick a name you love. Nothing more or less. But but if you rethink your style not as ending in -an but rather -n, then -in or -en or -on feel more accessible. This provides the continuity you seek without boxing you in to names you may not love.
What about …
– Torin? Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Torin? Torin Anthony sounds good.
— Auden? Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Auden? Auden Graham?
– Quinten? Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Quinten? Quinten Anthony.
— Lowen? Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Lowen? Lowen Graham? Simar to Logan without the -gan repetition with Reagan.
— Lennon for that matter… Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and Lennon. Similar to Lincoln without the presidential vibe.
— Deacon. Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Deacon. Similar to Duncan but slightly more fresh. Deacon Anthony sounds handsome.
— Bowen. Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Bowen.
— Steven. Ian, Reagan, Kellan, and Steven. Steven Anthony.
Really the switch from -an to -n opens things up a lot.
Otherwise, in the -an category, I like
— Donovan. Ian, Reagan, Kellan and Donovan. Donoavn Anthony.
— Jovan. Ian, Reagan, Kellen and Jovan. Jovan Anthony.
Good luck!
Ack! LOVE Damon, Rowan, Brennan, and Torin!!!
Even Logan and…I’ve been saying it’s time for this one to be loved, 90s tv be damned… Dawson.
Landon
Sutton
Flynn
Macksen
The theme of this sibset is made up of 2 factors: -an endings AND Americanized Irish vibes. I don’t see why you couldn’t just pick one factor and follow it. Connor, Donovan, Brody, Quinn (Quinlan?).
A few names that are not currently trending but might sound fresh to you!
Aaron
Justin
Colin
Sean
Ryan
I feel like these names aren’t Grandpa Names, but rather Dad Names :)
Like Marisa above, I thought of -m names like Malcolm or Adam.
I also noticed that two syllable names like Conall or Rory can feel like they match, too. Especially a name like Conall that has two syllables (like all three sibling names!) and also has that -n- sound in it.
Love the idea of a -son name like Dawson, Anderson, and Mason. Keeps the -an sound but looks distinctive from the sibling names. Also love the suggestions with -van, like Donovan and Sullivan. It’s a great sibling set, and I think many names will go well with it.
I love Nolan! My middle grandson is Nolan. My oldest grandson ( brother to Nolan ) is Landon which might also work for you. Good Luck!
So many great suggestions on here!
Rowan
Finn
Kieran or Kiernan
Flynn
Tristan
Tiernan
All of these would sound great with your other children’s names, and I wouldn’t worry so much about them sounding too similar. That really only matters for a short period of time, and I find that most families have some sort of nicknames or pet names they use anyway. Plus the similarities just make them sound more cohesive anyway. Congratulations!
Duncan! It’s so cure on a little baby, but totally works for an adult. Love it for this sibset!!
I think Keegan works great, actually- I know twins named Keegan and Kellan, and it has never been a tongue twister!
I would also suggest Donovan (I haven’t looked at comments to see if it has been mentioned already, but I’m guessing someone was already on it!. :)
One name out of your usual taste but might work well is Jonathon. Ian, Reagan, Kellen, and Jonathon. I kind of like the rhythm of it, a harmonious eclectic. Jonathon and Ian aren’t so far apart in style since Ian is a classic name. The boys’ syllables would be 1, 2, 3.