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Favorite Twin Names: Turning One Favorite into Two
Favorite Twin Names: Turning One Favorite into Two
Oct 6, 2024 8:54 PM

  Twin names present double the naming challenge but can also be double the fun. Naming twins is a rare opportunity to choose two related baby names at the same time that are compatible but also distinct.

  With twins, it can be more tempting to use rhyme, sound play, and same initial names, but in our opinion, overly-cutesy pairings like Chloe and Zoey, Faith and Charity, or Oliver and Olivia should be relegated to a time capsule.

  Twin names should be well-matched, but not similar to the point of confusion. Some celebrity examples that work: Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Rumi and Sir, George and Amal Clooney’s Ella and Alexander, Jonathan Tucker’s India and Hayes, Zoe Saldana’s Bowie and Cy, and Jensen Ackles’ Zeppelin and Arrow.

  Although each set of celebrity twin names is very different in style and feel, they all embody the qualities that matter most in naming twins. Each name in the set is distinct from the other yet they make a harmonious pair — exactly what most parents would wish for the twins themselves. If you're expecting twin babies, here are our top considerations when naming twins:

  

Twin Names Matched by Style

  The best twin baby names — and sibling names generally — are compatible in style. Most of the celebrity examples work really well, from Nancy Grace’s traditional Lucy and John to Will Champion’s quirky Juno and Rex. The pairing of John and Juno would not be so sweet: too close in sound, yet too far apart in style.

  What kind of styles might you consider for twin names that will work well together? Two vintage names such as Violet and Arthur would pair nicely, as would two sleek contemporary names like Sloane and Greer.

  Pro tip: names that share an origin are often similar in style, like Maeve and Finn. Both names are rooted in ancient myth yet have a sleek one-syllable sound and are popular in the modern world.

  Here are some twin names that work because of their similar style:

  Elizabeth and Edward classic

  Cosima and Romy — international

  Luna and Lincoln — stylish

  Pandora and Jupiter — mythical

  Pixie and Posey — bohemian

  Maya and Dylan — poetic

  Silas and Felix — biblical

  Shea and Greer — modern

  Zen and Bodhi — spiritual

  Daisy and Hawk — nature

  

Twin Names Matched by Letter and Sound

  Twin baby names that share the same first initial can work, but it is important that the names are clearly distinct from each other. Always keep style compatibility in mind (Garrett and Gianna would not be ideal, as they are too disparate in tone), but search for names that differ in other ways, such as syllable count or ending sounds. Mariah Carey’s Moroccan and Monroe are a prime example.

  The opposite is also true — if you’d rather match the names on a middle or ending sound, it’s best to use names with different first initials. Aria and Ezra is a better fit than Ezra and Ella.

  Consider subtle sound pairings, matched maybe not by the first initial or final syllable but by less obvious rhythms or sounds.

  Ione and Lionel

  Briar and Birch

  Phoebe and Persephone

  Sylvia and Oliver

  Rafferty and Griffin

  Alice and Isabel

  Beatrice and Tristan

  Daphne and Delphine

  Frances and Finneas

  Gabriel and Raphael

  

Gender Compatibility

  Gender compatibility may be more important for twins than it is for siblings. Two unisex names can work, like Dylan Lauren’s son Cooper Blue and his twin sister Kingsley Rainbow. But a mismatch can be jarring.

  As with style, you want to find some alignment with gender identity in twin names. So if your baby boy is given a classically male name like, say, John, you may not want his twin — sister or brother — to have a gender-neutral name like Jordan.

  Nathaniel and Jonathan

  Adelaide and Amelia

  Cecilia and Cassius

  Eleanor and Ethan

  Flora and Hope

  Jasper and Josiah

  Remi and River

  Elliot and Hollis

  Jackson and Hudson

  Sophie and Lucy

  

Twin Names with Matching Meanings

  One of our favorite ways to link twin baby names is by meaning. A unified meaning is a subtle way to enhance the connection between twin names, but just like with letter matching, the key is to choose names that are distinctive. Ari and Leo, which both mean “lion,” or Mira and Kai, which have watery meanings, are sets that work well. Madonna has well-named twins called Esther and Stella, both of which mean “star.”

  Some twin names matched by meaning: 

  Ada and Oberon — noble

  Arthur and Orson — bear

  Asher and Felix — happy

  Benedict and Winifred — blessed

  Cyrus and Surya — sun

  Edwin and Ruth — friend

  Frederica and Milo — peaceful

  Esme and Imogen — beloved

  Laszlo and Orlando — famous

  Pallas and Ramona — wise

  

Names with Contrasting Meanings

  Another way to go when choosing names for twins is to choose names with contrasting meanings, such as sun and moon, dark and light, birds and bees. Some specific ideas:

  Brady and Teagan — big and small

  Calixta and Hugo — beautiful and intelligent

  Clementine and Felicity — calm and happy

  Cole and Bianca — black and white

  Deryn and Deborah — birds and bees

  Edmund and Everett — rich and brave

  Gaia and Marina — earth and sea

  Omena and Alani — apple and orange

  Rex and Juno — king and queen

  Tarana and Shirina — day and night

  

Popular Names for Twins

  The most popular twin names tend toward matching sets. Pairs that share sounds, such as Ava and Emma and Elijah and Isaiah are perennially popular, as are those that begin with the same letter, like Sofia and Sebastian. Other on-trend twinsets are connected in more subtle ways.

  Luna and Nova are celestial names, and Luca and Mateo both have Italian origins. Mila and Liam are a rare set of compatible anagram names, making them all the more appealing for twins.

  Here, the most popular names for twins:

  

Top Twin Girl Names

Amelia and Evelyn

  Ava and Emma

  Avery and Harper

  Camila and Sofia

  Charlotte and Sophia

  Ella and Isla

  Isabella and Victoria

  Luna and Nova

  Olivia and Evelyn

  

Top Twin Boy Names

  Benjamin and Theodore

  Elijah and Isaiah

  Henry and William

  James and Jackson

  Julian and Sebastian

  Leo and Max

  Levi and Wyatt

  Liam and Aiden

  Luca and Mateo

  Noah and Jacob

  

Top Girl-Boy Twin Names

Abigail and Alexander

  Amelia and Theodore

  Ava and Jackson

  Charlotte and Henry

  Emma and Jack

  Harper and Logan

  Isabella and Isaiah

  Mila and Liam

  Olivia and Oliver

  Sofia and Sebastian

  

Unique Twin Names

  Our top recommendations for unique twin names include those that are linked but distinct. Sheridan and Tierney are both Irish surnames for girls, and Gus and Ike are single-syllable retro nicknames. Zelda and Boaz is one of our favorite girl-boy twin sets, as both feature the attention-grabbing Z sound.

  There are endless possibilities of unique twin name combinations. Featured below are a handful of ideas to get you started. And check out our page of even more unique twin names.

  

Unique Twin Girl Names

Amelie and Anais

  Astrid and Greta

  Athena and Penelope

  Briar and Lark

  Clementine and Tallulah

  Clover and Della

  Maple and Poppy

  Elodie and Sylvie

  Lucinda and Marcella

  Sheridan and Tierney

  

Unique Twin Boy Names

  Alaric and Magnus

  Anders and Soren

  Auden and Rhodes

  Beckett and Jensen

  Bowie and Kenzo

  Callum and Dashiell

  Ford and Wells

  Oz and Ike

  Linus and Roscoe

  Onyx and Zephyr

  

Unique Names for Boy and Girl Twins

Aurora and Roman

  Bellamy and Evander

  Cleo and Otis

  Lula and Ziggy

  Faye and Lyle

  Marlowe and Crosby

  Palmer and Dempsey

  Romilly and Lucian

  Saoirse and Fintan

  Zelda and Boaz

  

Unisex Twin Names

  Some parents want to find unisex names for twins, no matter what their sexes. Some appealing gender-neutral twin names that can work for both boys and girls include:

  

Popular Unisex Twin Names

Avery and Emery

  Briar and Teagan

  Drew and Frankie

  Eden and Haven

  Ellis and Sutton

  Harlow and Lennon

  Parker and Sawyer

  Salem and Shiloh

  Sage and Wren

  Remy and Rory

  

Unique Unisex Twin Names

Brighton and Callaway

  Cedar and Cove

  Domino and Indigo

  Ellington and Halston

  Hero and Honor

  Indiana and Laramie

  Lowen and Rooney

  Raleigh and Ripley

  Summit and Zephyr

  Vaughn and Winslow

  

About the Author

  

Sophie Kihm

LinkSophie Kihm's Personal Website

  Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

  Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at [email protected]. Sophie lives in Chicago.

  View all of Sophie Kihm's articlesChevron - Right

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