Dear Swistle,
My husband and I are excited to welcome identical twin boys in mid-August. Our last name is Doyle with a B, and our older sons are Kerry (spelled like the actor last name Grant) and Neil (spelled with an A rather than an I).
We like names that are unpopular but not so rare they aren’t easily identified as names. We also like names that are used in full rather than nicknames. Our preference is names that will sound and feel like they fit with the other boys’ but aren’t very matchy / twinny, so not rhyming or close enough to be confused. I like Jamie, Conall, Theo, Kieran – my husband does not. He likes Felix, Warren, and Alexander – I don’t. We’re stuck – please help!
Thank you!
[I kept putting off answering this because of the different spellings for the first two kids. The spellings feel so important, especially for Kerry, that I wasn’t sure we could even answer the question with the wrong spellings repeatedly in front of our eyes. And with alternate spellings, we don’t notice that both names have four letters, and for some people that will be important! But I think we should try to power through. Just, maybe we should do this one on paper, with the real spellings? And then translate our answers?]
Your firstborn’s name is unisex, but with the spelling used almost exclusively for boys. Your secondborn’s name is used exclusively for boys in the U.S., and is the currently less common spelling of the name. Both names have four letters, which leaves me torn between the fun of finding two more four-letter names, and the idea that that’s way too much pressure and a totally unnecessary goal (but fun, so let’s see how things unfold). If you think you may have more children, I would probably steer away from four-letter names at this point.
Theo seems like a great choice to me, except I think you might be unhappy with how common it is right now: according to the Social Security Administration, the name Theodore was the 10th most popular boy name in the United States in 2021. Alexander likewise seems much too common: it’s been in the Top 20 consistently for over two decades.
I think what we may be looking for here are “Baby Boomer names that are about to start sounding good again.” Theo is too current. Jamie is dated, but too RECENTLY dated: it peaked in the 1970s and 1980s. Warren is uncertain: it hit its peak in the 1920s, so if we’re assuming approximately a hundred-year naming cycle, it might be about to join Theo as Too Current/Common. Some names that might be from the right era (though may overshoot in either direction–it’s a little difficult to pin down Boomer Names because they were all named Dave and Sue and Kathy and Jim, plus names that rhyme with Kerry):
Alan
Clark
Craig
Darrell
Darren
Dean
Douglas
Frank
Fred
Gene
Glen
Gordon
Jesse
Jody
Karl
Keith
Kent
Laurence
Lee
Leon
Louis
Ray
Reeve
Robin
Roger
Ross
Russell
Scott
Seth
Shay
Stanley
Tracy
Wade
Ward
I’m not sure about the names that end in L: with your surname, it’s either catchy or it’s too much—and there’s already a name in the sibling group that ends in L.
Other issues I wasn’t sure about: Are Darren and Darrell and Karl too close in sound to Kerry? Is Karl too close visually to Kerry, especially since it can also be spelled Carl (remember the actual spelling of Kerry)? what about Ray (again, remember actual spelling of Kerry)? Is Lee too much like half of Neil? Is Leon just Neil backward, and is Dean almost just Neil backward? (Remember the actual spelling of Neil, which I think makes the Dean issue more of an issue.)
I included Jesse, Tracy, Robin, and Jody, but the way those jumped the gender line for Generation X (Jesse as Jessie/Jess, from Jessica) may mean that they’re too much in use as Mom Names right now to be used again for boys. On the other hand, it seems to me that Kerry is working great for boys despite all the mom/grandma Carries.
We considered Alan when we were naming Henry, and I still love it. I wondered if it might be the perfect combination of Alexander + Warren + familiar-but-uncommon.
I don’t know if I would have considered Roger, except that some time back I heard that that nickname for it used to be Hodge. HODGE!! I know you’d rather not use nicknames, but it still made me love the name Roger more, just knowing Hodge was there.
Let’s play with pairing up some options:
Alan and Dean; Kerry, Neil, Alan, and Dean. Everyone has four letters.
Frank and Louis; Kerry, Neil, Frank, and Louis. We switch to five letters, but for both twins. Two are one-syllable names; two are two-syllable names.
Gordon and Russell; Kerry, Neil, Gordon, and Russell. Both surname names as well as familiar first names.
Douglas and Roger; Kerry, Neil, Douglas, and Roger. Subtle little matching G’s, but with different sounds so it isn’t too matchy.
Actually, I find I’m almost immediately overwhelmed. It’s HARD to name twins, isn’t it! It SEEMS like it’s going to be FUN, but then it’s HARD! What Paul and I finally had to do with our twins was to pretend they were singletons. First Baby A is arriving: what shall we name her? Now it is two or three years later and the Baby B is arriving: what shall we name him?
Name update:
Dear Swistle,
Our babies have arrived! The0 W@rren and Curt!s Patr!ck won the day.
We read through every suggestion and comment many times, and they really helped us to add to, remove from, and re-rank our list. Thank you, everyone!
Bode, Dennis, Patrick, Rowan, Sean, Timothy?
Love your style! What about:
Harvey
Rubin
Heath
Hollis
Saul
Rudy
Desmond
Asa
Clive
Marlon
Curtis
Sidney
Tobias
Grover
Hugh
Kerry and Neil feels a bit Celtic to me so my first thought for not too popular Celtic names were Shane and Morgan.
Kerry, Neil, Shane, and Morgan Doyle
I like that each name has its own initial and ends in a different sound but they all still sound cohesive as a set. All of these names invoke a response of “I haven’t heard that name in a while” as opposed to “you named him WHAT?” which sounds like what you are looking for.
When I read “boomer name but not quite Warren,” my first thought was Walter (or Walt, if you want 4 letters). My son has a Walter in his class and it makes me smile every time I hear it. I also thought of Frederick (or Fred), which may be a bit too popular for you.
I lived Swistle’s suggestion of Jesse.
I got the biggest heart eyes from Swistle’s suggestions of Clark and Dean. CLARK. DEAN. Omg.
I also want to suggest Morgan — it has the unisex flavor of Kerry and sounds very similar (to me) to Warren.
John would also be good, I think, although I know it’s much more popular than the others.
Or Hugh, which another commenter mentioned but which is one of my all-time favorites.
Here are a few other possibilities:
Walt
Paul
Chester
Nelson
Bruce
Murray
Hank (obviously Henry is very popular; not sure how many baby Henrys go by Hank)
Arthur (maybe more popular than you want)
Steven
Clarence
Congratulations!
I love the name Walter, and I like Sean or John. It’s funny, I had to write them down in order to see them the way they are really spelled. Kerry, Neil, Walter and John. Good luck!
Dean and Leon
Done and done. Both 4 letters, 2 of the letters are the same in each name but they are not matchy matchy.
One cool thing about having twins is maybe you can have greater say on one name and husband can have greater say on the other?
Came here to say this exactly!
I’ve a Kerry, spelled this way. :) I wouldn’t go with Kieran/Ciaran, tho, since the Kerry variations are Anglicized versions of Kieran, like Albert and Albrecht. Not sure I’d do Gene with Cary, either. Gene Kelly is very close to Gene Kerry, as well as being a famous actor of Cary Grant’s era, and although that’s not necessarily a problem, it’s not quite my cup of tea. YMMV, obv.
So, when we were picking names for our Kerry’s potential sibs (and since we did IVF with 2 blastocysts transferred & started picking names very early, we picked twin names, too, both with him and with his younger sister) Our choices were: Jonathan Jesse as Kerry’s potential twin, & Andrew Lewis and Robert Alan if S had been a boy and her twin had survived & was also a boy. I only know one child with any of those names. I think Neal was on our list, too
So rare-ish but recognizeable
Jonathan
Robert
Lewis
Alan
Jesse
Paul
Seth
Walter
Ian
Conor
Nathan
Kerry, Neal, Jonathan, & Robert
Kerry, Neal, Jesse, & Seth
Kerry, Neal, Seth, & Ian
Kerry, Neal, Conor, & Nathan (If you like that sort of pattern)
Kerry, Neal, Paul, & Alan
I never considered Jesse a girls’ only name. One of my high school schoolmates was named Jesse. Jesse being a rather burly guy. We also had an elderly neighbor guy by that name who was really sweet, kind of an extra grandpa for my baby brother
(In case you’re curious, the girls were Phoebe Susan (with K), Susan Rae as a single, and Lucinda Rae & Susan Elisabeth if twins. Obv Susan & Rae were very important to us, honoring 2 of our favorite relatives)
This is great feedback re: Kerry-spelled-differently and Kieran.
Curtis as a possibility, perhaps?
I love the suggest of Kent
Other names
Jon
Scott
Adam
Robin
Keith
Elton
Garth
Wayne
Pierce
Ian
Sean
Graham
Russell and Jesse are *chef’s kiss* to me in this sibset! Oh my goodness. Perfection. The matching double s’s are a subtle nod to twinness without being ~matchy~.
As a parent who has also named four children, including twins (four girls, twins came last, I feel a kinship with these parents!)… Swistle is so right that it is much easier and more fun to approach it as naming two singletons than twins, necessarily. Our girls’ first names don’t really match at all, but both have an L in the middle-ish, and we coordinated their middle names theme-wise (not sound-wise). That was fun for us and not terribly stressful. Good luck! (And I really, really do dig Russell and Jesse here.)
Given your last name and the siblings names, I like:
Amos
Alvin
Eric
Hugo
Lewis
Mark
Otis
Rudy
I am noticing a subtle Hollywood vibe with the original spellings, plus the Irish/Celtic tones another reader mentioned, and also Warren out there on your husband’s list, so I suggest Alec (a nod to Alexander maybe as well) with….
Dean (others are loving it, and I’m thinking more of James Dean)?
Spencer (I surprisingly love this with your surname!)?
Frank?
Martin? (I’m thinking Martin Sheen but obviously Dean Martin)
Ooh. What a fun challenge for us name nerds. I love the previous suggestions of Alan, Sean, Hank, Mark, Eric, Alec!
I’ve always wished to meet a little Kelly – I know a few men with this name and they are both such good humans. I’m not sure if it’s too close to Kerry with other spelling – I imagine yelling one name and perhaps both come running? Too bad.
Ross
Keir
Earl
Joel
Ivan
Dane
Because I notice As in both your sons’ names, why not 4 letters and As for the twins too? So I vote the twins to be Earl & Ivan.
But the vaguely Celtic theme also makes a Ross & Keir sound fantastic.
British roots? Alec & Dane!
Dean and Kent strike me as perfect, with Ross as a substitute for either one if you please. Truly by chance that they are all 4 letters!
I’m also noticing the Celtic undercurrent (plus Old Hollywood vibes)…. That’s one reason why I like Jamie because it’s very Celtic… what about the Gaelic for James – Seamus or Shamus? Or Ewan? Maybe it’s been mentioned. I like the suggestion of Alec VERY much. I’m going to lean Celtic with my suggestions!
Kerry, Neil, Seamus and Ewan
Kerry, Neil, Broderick, and Alec
Kerry, Neil, Angus, and Quinn
Kerry, Neil, Ronan and Bowen
Kerry, Neil, Callum and Malachy
Kerry, Neil, Desmond and Arthur
Kerry, Neil, Logan and Flynn
Kerry, Neil, Errol and Ewan
Kerry, Neil, Dermot and Declan
Kerry, Neal, Jamie and Alfie
Kerry, Neal, Murray and Harry
Kerry, Neal, Malcolm and Cormac
Merry, Neal, Duncan and Eamon
Hope this was helpful – good luck with your boys!!
My husband and his brother are Russell (but with one l) and Alan. I love their names and highly recommend.
I came to suggest Hugh and am glad to see it already here! I also adore the suggestions of Alec and Dean. I may like Dean a touch more than Hugh just because it has an A. With that, I like that all are 4 letters. I like that two are 1 syllable and two are 2 syllables.
I wish Gary didn’t rhyme with Kerry, such an underrated name! I liked Swistle’s suggestions of Alan and Gene as well.
Top pick!
Kerry, Neil, Alec, and Dean
Ooh Alec and Dean. Nice. Good call.
How about Gordon? Desmond?
I love the idea of a loose Celtic connection.
Kerry, Neil, Morgan and Owen
Kerry, Neil, Angus and Arthur
Kerry, Neil, Alun and Cormac
Kerry, Neil, Ewan and Tate
I thought of a few more Celtic twin names…
Ennis and Edmund
Fraser and Rafferty
Lennox and Lachlan
Nolan and Rory
Senan and Shaw
Keegan and Tigue
From the suggestions I like Glen and Hugh best.
I like them individually, together, and with the brother’s names. I don’t feel myself feeling sorry for any of them.
I also like the suggestion of Alec, but would find it frustrating to always be confused for Alex. I’d end up feeling a little sorry for Alec.
Also, you said you wanted names that would be used in full, but if you bent the rules and went the way of naming one each, Alexander and Theodore would be great twin names, with Alex and Theo as good four letter nicknames to match their brothers.
Another thought … I also quite like the double N spelling of Glenn. Glenn & Scott, or Glenn & Ross have a nice symmetry with double letter endings, without being overly matchy.
Hugh and Ralph! I like your husbands Warren suggestion too.
Dean and Glen
“Kerry”, “Neil”, Dean, and Glen
Everyone gets their own initial, has four letters, and is swanky as all get out.
Congratulations on all your little men!
I like Allan and Paul! It also gives you a nice 2-1-2-1 rhythm with all the boys: Kerry, Neil, Allan and Paul.
I know siblings Alan and Paul! (Their brother is Brian.) I like that pairing together and with the older brothers.
I feel like Gavin would work well in this sibset.
I also wonder if you don’t like Warren would you like Warwick a bit more?
Lots of good suggestions in this thread so I’m sure you can’t go wrong. Good luck!
Rory, Doyle, Riley?
Tatum, Tegan, Tate?
What about Cliff or Clint?
I love Shane and Dean – a little old Hollywood and a little cowboy. Kerry, Neal, Shane and Dean
Kelly is another great suggestion – Celtic and unisex, fits with Kerry.
Some of the suggestions make other people’s names, like Kerrie Russell (actress) or Paul Allen (Microsoft founder). Many boys names that dont have nicknames can also be surnames so it goes with the territory. Google the combinations to make sure you are ok with any accidental combination.
So many great suggestions. Desmond and Alec might be my favorites. Or maybe Alec and Hugh! Others I especially like:
Allen (for some reason I prefer this spelling with the brother names)
Keegan
Kit
Franklin
Shane
Gavin
Philip
Pierce
Frank, Dean, Hugh, Clark, Spencer, and Ross are allll good fits!
My thoughts without reading other comments were:
Kerry, Neil, Duncan, Graham
Kerry, Neil, Walt, Rhys
Kerry, Neil, Dylan, Cormac
I can see I’m repeating recommendations, but consider it a seconding.
I pulled up the top names from 1948-1968 as those mid century post war names seem like your thing.
C@ry , Ne@l , Keith & Curtis
C@ry , Ne@l , Alvin & Gilbert
C@ry , Ne@l , Kent & Rex
C@ry , Ne@l , Byron & Lance
C@ry , Ne@l , Maurice & Wade
C@ry , Ne@l , Cecil & Hugh
C@ry , Ne@l , Joel & Kirk
C@ry , Ne@l , Gordon & Mitchell
C@ry , Ne@l , Harlan & Sidney
Nobody’s suggested Evan, and I think that would fit well. Alec was a good suggestion because your husband likes Alexander and you like more Celtic names. I like Sean and Rory that others suggested. If you aren’t attached to 4-letter names, I love Gregory, Patrick, and Malcolm for you.
Alan, Colin, David, Graham, Grant, Ian, Lewis, Jeff, Peter, Robert are all names from this era that feel ready to go on a little one.
I’ve heard all of these on kids and they all work, even if they are surprising at first.
Very much agree, and Alan, Colin, Graham, Grant, and Ian all feel like they go especially well with your older two. More of a timeless quality, maybe?
Oh, but not Grant, since your oldest is Kerry.
I’m seconding FE’s suggestion of Scott and Glenn. Each name is one syllable, has five letters, starts with a consonant blend, ends with double letters, and avoids the twinishness of names like Terry and Tommy.
Kerry, Neil, Scott, and Glenn
I also like:
Alan
Conor
Craig
Doug
Greg
Jeff
Best wishes to you!
I like Theo and Felix in your group and like that it’s one from each of your lists.
I also like Dean , Wade and Leon from swistle’s suggestions!
How about Otis, Zane, Reid, Ted, Vaughn, Frank, Hugh, Leo?
Kerry, Neil,
Joel and Glen.
Gene and Rudy.
Stan and Saul
Dean and Cliff
Names mentioned above that seem like a particularly good fit with your older boys:
Kerry, Neil, Colin & Dean
Kerry, Neil, Morgan & Evan
Kerry, Neil, Conor & Alec
Kerry, Neil, Gordon & Clark
Kerry, Neil, Leo & Graham
Kerry, Neil, Duncan & Hugh
Kerry, Neil, Gavin & Paul
I’ve met brothers Raymond and Clark at the playground and those name have always seemed so well coordinated without being matchy at all!
A few other names of the era I haven’t seen above: Bruce, Kevin, Jay, Terrence/Terry?
A kid in my son’s daycare class is Gordon and goes by Gordie and I would not have guesse it but I find it SO ADORABLE!
I like the suggestions of Alan, Dean, Glen, & Ward
Clark & Pierce as well. Clyde/Clive, Boyd (but not with you surname), Burke, Dwight, Ford, Hal, Hugh/Hewitt, Lloyd, Lyle, Mel, Mitch, Price, Roy, Stuart, Vance, Wright
Might I offer Graeme or Mac/Mack
Glen & Graeme, Mack & ?
Alan & Art