Hi Swistle,
Only six weeks left until baby girl is due to arrive, and we are at a loss for names. I would really appreciate an outside opinion.
I’m Alexandra, but I go almost exclusively by Lexie, and my husband is Adam and the baby will have his surname, which sounds like Carsons, but it starts with a P.
I had a son in high school who is named Brady Maximillian, who I named myself, and hubs and I share a two year old daughter, Campbell Louise. I am in LOVE with both their names, and think they make the cutest sibset. I really want this next name to complete it.
To go with the old time-y middle name vibe, we have selected Josephine for this girl’s middle name.
As for first names, we are a bit lost. Obviously our style is unisex surnames as names, although I would like the name to be prominently female, as it is with Campbell’s name.
Some of our thoughts: Addison (too popular?), Ainsley (I like, he doesn’t) Blakely (too boyish and too similar to Brady), Delaney (sounds like a nickname?), Leighton (he likes, I don’t), Kennedy (don’t like nickname Kennie/Kenny), and Harper (something feels off).
For context, if this baby were a boy he would probably either be Spencer Adam, or Grant Michael.
I hope you can help, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Lexie
As I was reading the letter, I thought casually that it would be fun if this baby could have a name starting with D—like, not important enough to back ourselves into a corner, but it would be fun to have B/C/D, especially since you and your husband are both A (though you are practically-speaking an L). And, as you mentioned, it would be good to have another unisex-leaning-mostly-girl name like her sister’s name. And then you mentioned Delaney and my heart nearly stopped.
I don’t normally beg. It’s not appropriate: you should do what YOU want, not what SWISTLE wants. But. DELANEY. DELANEY!! It doesn’t sound like a nickname to me at all (nicknames for it include Del and Laney), and I think it is a FABULOUS name that goes BEAUTIFULLY with your naming style. Elizabeth has a friend named Delaney, so I’ve had ample time to get accustomed to it and I will tell you that at least for ME, I have not gotten tired of hearing it or saying it, and if anything I like it better and better. Delaaaaaaaaaney!! Delaney Josephine (C)arsons! Brady, Campbell, and Delaney! Girl, you are DONE! You have done it! You do not need us at all!
Okay. Okay. I will proceed as if I realize you still get to make the final decision.
I do think Addison is a little popular for your naming style. Looking back at the Social Security Administration data for when your son was born, the name Brady wasn’t yet in the Top 100. The name Campbell isn’t even in the Top 1000. But the name Addison was #47 in 2019, and has been in the Top 50 since 2006 so there will be plenty of Addisons in the grades above. Still, if that’s your top choice, I don’t think the popularity should rule it out: most people don’t know/think as much as we do here about name popularity. Plus, I like that you’d have A, B, and C, though it bothers me a tiny tiny bit that they’re not in order and that the parents are also both A. It doesn’t bother me enough that it destroys the joy, and I don’t normally consider the parents’ names together with the children’s names—it’s ONLY that this time I had already thought it would be fun to have B/C/D after A. It also bothers me a tiny bit that the -on of Addison is echoed-but-not-quite in the -ons of the surname, but that is purely subjective and for someone else might be a positive.
Ainsley is more the popularity ranking I’d be looking for: it was #475 in 2019. In long-gone days I wouldn’t have spent much more time discussing it, since you say your husband doesn’t like it—but we have learned here to leave room for the “My husband hates it” letter combined with a “We used it!” follow-up. So I will go on to say that I again enjoy the A/B/C situation, and that I think Brady, Campbell, and Ainsley is a great sibling set.
I reluctantly agree with half your assessment of Blakely: I don’t find it too boyish (and the usage was 1,607 new baby girls named Blakely and 17 new baby boys in 2019), but I do find it too similar to Brady.
I think Leighton is another really good option. It was #414 in 2019, and I think it’s nice in the sibling group. Brady, Campbell, and Leighton.
Kennedy is more popular: #67 in 2019. I’m hoping to hear from some people who are named Kennedy or who know a Kennedy: DO they get called Kenny? I wouldn’t have gone to that; for whatever reason, it doesn’t feel like a natural nickname to me, even though it meets all the qualifications for a natural nickname.
Harper is surprisingly popular; I say “surprisingly” because it made such a rapid ascent once it got going:
(image from ssa.gov)
I don’t like the sound of it with the surname: the rhyming and not-quite-rhyming bounce of Har-/-per/-Par bothers my mouth. I wonder if that’s what’s feeling off to you, too.
(I VOTE DELANEY.)
Name update:
Hi Swistle,
Name Update here! Baby girl (P)arsons arrived happy and healthy on January 8th, to the absolute delight of older siblings Brady and Campbell.
We named our daughter Delaney Josephine. Brother and sister have already started calling her Laney.
Thank you so much Swistle for posting my question, and giving me more suggestions. I really appreciate the help and suggestions of you and all your readers. In the end, I realized Delaney was the name I loved the most and fit best with our family. Runner up was Ainsley.
I hope this brought a smile to someone who was rooting for Delaney, despite the stressful times.
Many thanks,
Lexie, Adam, Brady, Campbell and Delaney,P.S. – I attached a photo of our sweet girl you can share with your readers
I too love Delaney. I knew one growing up who went by Deli, so that feels like the nn to me, not Delaney.
Some other surname girl options:
Alden
Arden
Aspen
Carlin
Colby
Darcy
Devon
Emerson
Everly
Farren
Hayden
Larkin
Madigan
Marley
Monroe
Piper
Presley
Reagan
Reese
Shelby
Tatum
Winslow
I’m with Swistle! I’m a big one for using the full name and not a nick name for babies, but I don’t see Delaney as a nick name. I think it sounds great with her siblings! I also like Ainsley (or Ansley).
Good luck with everything!
I also vote for Delaney!
Another choices are:
Blair
Finlay
Harlow
Mika
Do you call Campbell “Campy/Camby”? If not, I don’t think that you need to worry about Kennedy being called Kenny. I would expect a high school aged Kennedy’s friends to call her Ken, but it doesn’t feel like an inevitable lifelong nickname.
That said, I don’t love the alliteration with Campbell and Kennedy because when you say the three names in birth order, it feels like it groups the girls into their own thing, separate from their brother. In other circumstances that might be fine – some might even really like that – but this feels unfair to their brother, given the family structure. So something like the B/C/D scheme designates the three of them as a group, with all three equally important for the pattern to exist. Or no pattern at all would be great, too!
This is exactly what I thought about the Kennedy / Kenny thing :) There’s nothing promising that Kennedy won’t decide one day she wants to go by Kenny, but I don’t think it’s an obvious jump at all. My son has an 8yo friend Kennedy and it’s never occurred to me to even ask if she shortens it.
I know a Kennedy who goes by Kiki as a nickname. Totally cute on a little girl or close friend. As she is getting older, I do hear her referred to as Kennedy more often. I have never heard her called Kenney.
YES. Delaney 100%. Also I am totally here for a D name.
So if not Delaney… what about:
– Darby? Brady, Campbell, and Darby. Darby Josephine. Darby (C)arsons.
– Devin? Brady, Campbell, and Devin. Devin Josephine. Devin (C)arsons.
– Dabney? Brady, Campbell, and Dabney. Dabney Josephine. Dabney (C)arsons.
I like Dale and Darryl and Desmond, too, but they probably read more masculine than you might want.
And I really, really want to suggest Delta… but I don’t know if it’s a fit for you. Possibly reads too feminine next to Campbell. But I love it. Brady, Campbell, and Delta. Delta Josephine. Delta (C)arsons.
Congratulations!
This has to be one of my favourite swistle responses ever.
I love Delaney and Devin as a commenter mentioned above!
Sloane
Avery
Delaney is not nickname-y to me.
My favorite from your list is Leighton. Delaney seems more mainstream to me than Campbell but that is possibly due to my location. I also know a little McKenna which might be a good alternative to Kennedy. If finding a D name takes priority… I really like Dempsey.
I’m with Swistle. Delaney Josephine. Brady, Campbell, and Delaney. I love how Campbell and Delaney have the “el” sound in common, and how Brady and Delaney have the “y” sound in common.
If Delaney doesn’t work for you, how about Delancey?? Or Dylan?
I know two Kennedys, both exclusively called Kennedy. One is 9 the other is 7.
I think Swistle has given you all the encouragement you need for Delaney, but I like it best, too. Works with the middle name, surname and sibling names. Ainsley’s good, too, though. Kennedy and Harper are my third and fourth choices. I hear the sound repetition with Harper and the surname but it does not bother me.
As soon as I say the siblings names I thought of Delaney! So perfect with Josephine and the other siblings. I like how the ending ties in with the big brother too. So spot on!
I’m not a Delaney or Kennedy fan. I came to suggest Sutton or Spencer Josephine.
What about Duncan?
Yes, Delaney Josephine! ❤️
I’ve also never thought of Delaney as a nickname. Laney sure. And I want to see a D name too! Love the pattern. Have you considered Davis? I think Delta is brilliant.
Or a few others i think would be adorable with your set….
Presley (little PJ and love the alliteration with the surname)
Porter (ditto)
Quincy
Smith
I love Spencer on a girl, but I do see it leans more masculine in the states.
I agree with Swistle’s recommendations but I also want to recommend…especially if this is your last child to use Spencer for your daughter. Campbell and Spencer both don’t show up in the top 1000 in the SS data and I think they complete each other really well.
Brady, Campbell and Spencer
Brady, Campbell and Delaney
Brady, Campbell and Leighton
These are my faves!
Love the idea of a D name and I love Delaney (nn Laney, Lane). I’ve never seen it as nicknamey. I also wondered about Daphne. I know it’s not a typical surname but it has that same feel to me. And it’s so unexpected but still familiar. I knew a girl in university named Daphne and I remember how much I liked it.
I love Delaney and Darcy.
Darby was bothering me for some reason… I just realized it’s an anagram of Brady.
Sinclair
Penrose
Tennyson
Harlowe
Oakley
I came to suggest Darby as well, then noticed it was an anagram of Brady, as others have. Shoot. Delaney is still a good option!
Other possibilities:
Dagne/Dagny
Dessa
Tobin
Parker
Adair
Ellery
Gentry
Hollis
Madigan
Merritt
I do like Swistle’s suggestion of a D name. Although I don’t think it had to be Delaney even though I like it for you. I think Darby could be a great choice. Or Dorian. I even saw a darling little girl named Davy the other day and thought it totally worked.
From your list, I also really like Ainsley for you.
Other suggestions:
Merritt (MJ would be a sweet nickname)
Tiernan
Tierney
Hollis
Sutton
Grief/Greer
Marlo
Remy
Romilly (nn Romy?)
Skylar
Stevie
Tamsin
Tory
Vale
Windsor
Wynn
I wouldn’t use another B or C name even though I like Blair, Bevin, Britton, Brynn, Collins and Clancy.
Also, of the two young Kennedys that I know, one actually does mostly go by Kenni. 🤷♀️
Hmm. Might I suggest Wilder? It’s a last name that would work awesomely as a first name. Wilder [C]arsons! It just sounds iconic. Nickname possibility: Willa.
Another idea: Hadley! A surname with feminine vibes. Or Haley, though that’s more popular already.
I love Delaney for you, and Della is a cute nickname for it.
I also like Devanie and Demi.
There are great suggestions already, but I’ll add Gracen and Fallon to the list!
I find it interesting that you say Campbell is a predominately female name. Where I live it is overwhelmingly male.
The name that jumps out the most to me from your list is Leighton, another name which in my experience is overwhelmingly male but can be used as a female name in the States.
I would also suggest (against my better judgement) the name Lachlan (or various other spellings), another name which can be female in the States but male elsewhere in the world. It would match Campbell well in style and both are Scottish.
Yes to Delaney! I know a girl named Delaney whose name was loosely inspired by a basket player (they saw the name on the back of a jersey while they were pregnant and thought, “that’s a nice name”). I don’t think it will come off as nicknamey. Some other suggestions if you decide Delaney isn’t for you:
Collins
Holland
Linden
Fallon
Oh my goodness YES TO DELANEY!! Sooo cute, I love it!!
Delaney is really great! She gets my vote. Other options I like for you:
Darby
Devon
Dylan
Kirby
Mallory
Sheridan
Kerrigan
Keegan
I do know a little girl who was nicknamed Kenny.
At first I didn’t notice the ABC thing, but once Swistle pointed that out, I cannot disregard that.
Delaney is the way to go. Delaney Josephine sounds amazing!
I agree that Delaney is the best one on your list! It doesn’t sound nicknamey to me.
Fun fact about Addison though, it means “son of Adam”!
I’ve met a teenage Kennedy who goes by Ken.
I liked a lot of the names people suggested, especially:
Holland
Remy
Blaire
Adair
Everly
Avery
Skylar
Devon
Hadley
Mallory
Madigan
Tierney
There were a few names that seemed like good options until I realized how rhymey they’d be with the surname: Arden, Harley, Marley, Marlo, Larkin, Parker, Collins…
I’ll also suggest:
Jacoby
Rory
Hazel
Ellis
Waverly
Bellamy
Ripley