Hi Swistle,
I’m expecting my 4th child early next year and need some name help!
My children are: Anna (girl), Ethan (boy-twin), and Evan (boy-twin). Need help with new baby boy names. Our last name is similar to Hegarty.
My husband and I both love the name Andrew, but I can’t get over the fact it is too close to Anna. I feel like I’ll constantly be confusing and combining their names, but my husband doesn’t think they are too close at all.
We also both like the name Owen, and is what I’m leaning towards because of our above conundrum. We’d like to try to stick with the vowel theme and want to avoid another “E” name.
Thoughts?
Thanks so much,
Maria
I generally try, when giving opinions, to make it clear from the wording/attitude that I know they’re OPINIONS: name stuff is so subjective, and I want to make sure we reflect that here.
That said, your husband is wrong, and Anna and Andrew are noticeably close, and the potential nicknames Annie and Andy are noticeably close (and the pairing makes me think of Raggedy Ann and Andy). On the other hand, the fact that ALL the names on your list are very close (Anna/Andrew, Evan/Ethan/Owen), and you don’t have ANY that aren’t very close, tells me that you LIKE names that are close—so I think you could make the deliberate choice to lean into this. I think it would please people the way matching twin names please people, or the way a family with all matching initials pleases people: it’s kind of FUN. (And Raggedy Ann and Andy is a positive association for me, and an ancient one for current children.)
Is this likely to be your last child? If this is it, then I say go ahead and do another vowel/similar name, either Andrew (linking to Anna’s name) or Owen (linking to the twins). I like the way the name Andrew makes two sets of linked names (Anna/Andrew and Evan/Ethan), and gives all the kids an -an-. I like the way Owen links all the boys, and also I am finding Annie and Andy bothers me a little even though I don’t usually mind nickname similarities.
But if you’re going to keep having more children, I think choosing either Andrew or Owen paints you into a very difficult corner for next time, and I would look for ways to break things up a little this time.
A vowel theme feels too subtle and not fun enough to be worth eliminating so many good names starting with consonants (especially if you’re ruling out using any more E names), but if a vowel name is important, then I recommend the name Oliver. It adds a new syllable count and a lot of new sounds. Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Oliver. I’m not sure I like it with the surname, though.
After that, we’re kind of stuck with A names: the I- and O- and U- names are too uncommon (Ulysses, Orion) for this sibling group, or else way too similar even for leaning into it (Ian, Ivan).
Aaron. It gives you two A names and two E names, and it leans into the similar sounds, but it brings in a new consonant and avoids duplicating the first half of Anna’s name. Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Aaron.
Or Aidan. Two A names; all three boys have -an; but there’s a new consonant and we’re not duplicating Anna’s first syllable. Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Aidan.
Adam feels too similar in sound to Anna when I say them aloud, and I find I get them tangled. Abel and Abram are nice, but seem too unusual alongside Ethan and Evan. I love the names Albert and Alfred and Arlo, but they don’t seem right here. Angus repeats the first two letters of Anna, but with a totally different sound, which makes it less noticeable than with Andrew or Anton. I considered Asher, but I’m finding I don’t like the repeating -er with the surname. Adrian, maybe? Too unisex?
Or Alec? Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Alec. Hm. I like that.
August? Anna, Ethan, Evan, and August. Maybe.
I think my own favorites here are Aidan, Aaron, and Alec.
I like Owen and Andrew both; I also like a 2-syllable name here. Other ones I like:
Milo
Angus
Jacob
I have an Andrew (no nickname) and have been much annoyed that Annie is essentially off the table. Both great names but so very similar. I do know families with both but there are too many great names to use both.
I think Aaron is a great fit. Also what about Isaac?
Aaron is a perfect choice, and I think the suggestion of Isaac is also wonderful. Oscar is the only other vowel name I can think of but I’m not sure it is a great fit. If you choose to go outside of vowel names, Thomas seems like a natural fit.
I like Andrew (considered for my three boys) and feel it “completes” the sibling set. It feels no more similar to Anna as Evan is to Ethan.
I actually really like Abel and feels it fits nicely. It is two syllables, starts with A (so bookends the sibset with Anna), and has a Biblical connect like Anna and Ethan.
Some ideas:
Alan
Arthur
Eli
Edward
Emrys
Isaac
Liam
Isaac is a good one! But if you don’t want to get painted into a vowel corner, how about something else soft with 2 syllables like Kyle or Ryan? I also like that Evan, Kyle, and Ryan are somewhat gender neutral (leaning boy, yes, but I know girls with all 3 of those names)! I think Evan/Kyle/Isaac/Ryan is a nice sibling set!
Another vote for the suggestion of Isaac! I love that it continues the vowel theme without being too similar to any of your other kids’ names and that the twins would be the only ones sharing the same vowel. Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Isaac.
I see an “n” theme more than a vowel theme, so I’d lean towards names like Nolan, second Ryan, Noah, Grant, Brian etc.
I wanted to comment that I would just use Andrew and you can call him Drew, which is one of my favorite nicknames and which is underused, IMO but then I saw someone recommend Isaac and then I thought, what about Asher? I really like Asher.
My cousin Andrew is called either Andrew or Drew, as a rule. The latter mostly when he was kid
I would like to second Oscar, Nolan and Isaac from earlier comments, and August (or Augustin?) suggested by Swistle.
Alexander Hegarty also sounds nice to me: Anna, Ethan, Evan & Alexander (nn Alex).
Or Anderson? Anna, Ethan, Evan & Anderson.
Austin is probably too similar to Ethan…
I also quite like Ezra and Emmett.
Hm, I’m starting to think that letting go of the “starts with a vowel” requirement could be a good idea, and it would give you PLENTY of other options. I particularly like Simon and Damon with your sibset: Anna, Ethan, Evan & Simon; Simon Hegarty. Anna, Ethan, Evan & Damon; Damon Hegarty.
My overall favorite suggestion for you so far is Liam. While it doesn’t begin with a vowel, it coordinates beautifully with the sibling names and has some good, strong vowel sounds. Other names I like for you:
David
Daniel
Leo
Colin
Owen
Alec
Otto might be really cool!
He sounds good with your (approximate) surname.
He begins with a vowel.
He has the same number of syllables as your other children.
AND he sounds great with Anna, Ethan, and Evan.
Isaac and Aaron are good bets, too.
Best wishes and congrats!
Anna and Andrew are too close. I’d be rather angry if I’d been named Anna or Andrew after an older sibling had been given the other name. However, if you drop the vowel requirement, I think Drew would actually be a nice fit with the sibset.
I love the suggestion of Oliver for you sooo much! Aaron is also nice and I respectfully disagree with Swistle about Asher. I like it quite a bit and think it’s fine with the sibset.
Some other ideas-Archer, Austin, Elliot, Ezra, Isaac, Owen. Personally, I think Owen is too close to Ethan and Evan, but I think it may be fine for your level of comfort with name matchiness. I also think I would probably avoid another E name. It seems one think for Anna to be left out when the other siblings are twins. But another E name makes it seem she is left out for being the only girl, and I don’t like that.
Non vowel suggestions-Caleb, Collin, Gavin, Brendan, Liam, James
Queen Elizabeth has an Anne and an Andrew, if that helps any.
How about:
Adam
Archie
Adrian
Elliott (!)
Ezra
Emmett
Isaiah
If this will be your last child then would you consider Zachary? It’s kinda subtle and fun that your oldest child starts with the letter A and your youngest would then start with Z (I’m assuming Anna is your oldest since her name was listed first). Plus Zachary fits in nicely with the same style as Anna, Ethan, and Evan. I like that all names would have their own endings except for Ethan and Evan which is a nice link to them being twins. Otherwise I’d suggest Isaac. Or Aaron. Then you would have 2 A names and 2 E names.
Andrew is a good fit with the sibling set but I do think Andy is close to Anna. For alternatives I also immediately thought Issac and August as options that would break/compliment the pattern. I also think Alder, Andre, or Auden could work. It is the different pronunciation of a that seems to give it separation from Anna. Ian could also work as could Ike, but I’m not sure that is your style. I adore Otto but again it hits a different vibe than Anna, Even and Ethan. Oliver would be sweet too.
I like Aaron and. Isaac.
I think the best name is Elliott.
My first thought was Isaac! I know twins who are Evan and Isaac so seems perfect to me.
I like both Andrew and Owen for you; Aaron and Isaac are good suggestions, too. Or Zachary if you decide to depart from the vowels, A to Z is fun, as another commenter said. Maybe Alexander, Ian, Isaiah, or Zane?
Two syllable name with an N ending — Owen, Nolan, Declan. Gavin, Roan, Ryan
Two syllable name with E sound to coordinate boys without matching: Liam, Keegan
I agree that it’s cute to have 2 sets of similar names: Ethan/Evan and Anna/Andrew. And this way all 4 have Biblican names, which wouldn’t happen with the name Owen.
If it eventually starts being confusing, there is always just Drew.
My brother and I have similar sounding names and, while it is confusing at times, we love our names and that connection between them.
I like the suggestion of Isaac to keep the vowel thing going. And Oliver. Owen seems to fit the best though.
U and sometimes Y do not contain a wealth of baby boy names.
Eugene? It’s another E, but it sounds like a U? Has anyone ever liked this name? I have a soft spot for it because it was my Dad’s name.
There is definitely an N trend despite the leading vowels as others have mentioned, so you can lean into that as well: Noah, Nolan, Jonah, Ronan, Dylan, (Nathan is too much like Ethan for me personally).
I’m an Annie and have to just throw out there that I will always, ALWAYS look up if someone in a public place calls for someone named “Andy.” Was especially confusing when a swim teammate Andy and I trained in the same lane. I could see the same thing happening for sibs Anna and Andrew very easily.
I feel like Logan would sound so great with your kiddos! Or maybe Calvin (it’s close to Evan but sounds so different too?). I’m also a fan of Owen, Oliver, and Isaac.
Andy and Anna are too close. Put Andy in the category of Names I Love But Can’t Use. I love Swistle’s suggestion of Aaron.
For the sibling group Anna, Ethan, and Evan, I see more of an AN theme than a vowel theme. It widens the options for you, too. Here are the names with an AN sound that I think work well:
Grant. Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Grant
Dylan. Anna, Ethan, Evan, and Dylan
Ooh I feel like this is a challenge to find more non A-names.
How about:
Otis
Oscar (I REALLY like Oscar here)
Or flipping it and using Noah? Which still sounds very like Anna but isn’t confusing?
What about Adrian? Elias? Elijah? Ellis? Alaric?
I know a married couple Andy and Anne, and it causes confusion sometimes. They have leaned into it with kids named Mandy and Candy. They love it, not for me. There are too many other options!