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Thoughts on names for twin girls

30 replies

hetsto · 27/08/2013 12:12

We've been thinking about names for our twin (identical) girls, expected in late November/early December, and I thought I'd garner some popular opinion. What do people think of the following? We have a short surname beginning with 'M'.

Eleanor Lily

and

Rosa Josephine

OP posts:
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MaryKatharine · 27/08/2013 12:17

Eleanor is a lovely name but every other baby is an Ellie these days. I like Rosa a lot. Josephine is also lovely. I know a set of sisters called Josephine and Audrey. They are 3 and 4 and really suit their names.

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peanutMD · 27/08/2013 12:23

I don't actually like any of those 4 individual names for differing reasons.

Eleanor and Rosa are too "old", Lily is wwaayy too popular and Josephine is another name for a prostitute in my grans vocabulary (no idea why). In my head the surname was M-A-Y and to be fair they go write well with the short M sound

BUT don't worry about my opinion, or anyone elses for that matter. As long as you and your OH are happy with the choice go for it!

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BlueStarsAtNight · 27/08/2013 12:51

I Love both first names, and think they go well together without being matchy.
I like Josephine, but not so keen on Lily - I think it's just too many l's with Eleanor.

How about Rosa Josephine and Eleanor Holly?

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ZolaBuddleia · 27/08/2013 12:54

Don't like Rosa with Josephine because of the repeated 'o' sound.

Love Rosa and Josephine separately, I find Eleanor rather boring (and wouldn't want yet another Ellie) and Lily is mind boggling popular round here.

How about Rosa and Josephine as the two first names?

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littlemog · 27/08/2013 13:29

Agree with zola. Not keen on Ellie and it is really, really popular.

Josephine and Rosa and both unusual and very pretty.

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MadameJosephine · 27/08/2013 13:39

Love Josephine so would prefer that as the first name with Rose rather than Rosa

Also love Eleanor but not keen on lily as the middle name

Eleanor Jane and Josephine Rose?

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littlemog · 27/08/2013 13:51

Eleanor Jane sounds really stuffy.

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playftseforme · 27/08/2013 13:55

I have id DTs, but they turned out to be boys Grin. My girls names were Eleanor and Rosalind!

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Ihatepeas · 27/08/2013 13:58

Love all four names but not sure about Rosa and Josephine together, not sure it scrolls that well. Sorry. How about Rosa Lilly and Eleanor Josephine or (my favorite) Eleanor Rosa and Josephine Lilly.

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noodlebum · 27/08/2013 14:09

They are both beautiful names!

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hetsto · 27/08/2013 14:41

Thank you all! I was a bit worried about how popular Lily is as well, hence using it as a middle name, but I hadn't realised Eleanor is so popular too! I quite like the way all the 'L's and 'O's sound together - alliteration I suppose.

We were also considering 'April', so could go with this to get 'round the popularity issue:

Rosa Josephine
April Eleanor

I necessarily want them to have really unusual names, but I guess I'd rather they weren't one of 10 in their class. I think with twins it can be particularly important to foster individuality too.

OP posts:
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jemimastar · 27/08/2013 14:48

Eleanor is a bit meh for me, nothing interesting/exciting/quirky/graceful about it. Rosa is very pretty

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TenthMuse · 27/08/2013 15:58

I'm someone else who loves Rosa but not with Josephine - the repeating o sounds grate on me I'm afraid. Eleanor is OK but not all that exciting! Not a fan of April at all.

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Littlecherublegs · 27/08/2013 17:30

Only really like Rosa out of the names you've mentioned.
Lily is nice but popular, Eleanor is ok but will get shortened to Ellie which Im not sure 'goes' with Rosa, and I don't like Josephine or April.

I know of a Lottie who was almost a Lily and an Opal who was almost a Rosa so you might like those too?!

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MortifiedAdams · 27/08/2013 17:33

I really like them, especially Eleanor. I prefer Rose to Rosa (Rose only common round our was as a middle name, rare and beautiful as a first name).

As a pp said, Opal is lovely too.

Eleanor Opal
Rose Josephine

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PearlyWhites · 27/08/2013 17:39

Eleanor is a beautiful name

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DalmationDots · 27/08/2013 21:35

Not keen on any of those names, but taking away my personal dislikes I would say I'm unsure Eleanor and Lily really work together, or Rosa and Josephine. For some reason they don't flow quite right for me. Maybe its just me though!

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KatOD · 27/08/2013 21:37

Dempsey and makepeace...

No, seriously I think the names you have chosen are beautiful. Congratulations!

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DessieLou · 27/08/2013 22:00

April is nice but much prefer your original choices. Very pretty!

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bunnymother · 27/08/2013 22:08

I have ID twin girls, both with very different names (to each other), neither of which are popular names. Eleanor (or a variation of) was on my short list, due to my admiration of the mighty Eleanor of Aquitaine. Rosa is a pretty name, although I find it hard to like as much as Eleanor because I can't think of a strong female called Rosa.

Rather than Rosa, what about Diana? As in, the moon goddess, the huntress and both Diane de Poitiers and Diana Cooper were fascinating women.

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MintyDiamonds · 27/08/2013 22:27

My name is Rosa Eleanor, so I'm biased but I think they're lovely names!

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sleepingbeautiful · 27/08/2013 22:27

I like Eleanor if you can get people to use Nell as a nn rather than Ellie (blah).

I agree with other comments that Rosa Josephine doesn't sound right - Rosa Josa too similar. Also both Primrose and Josephine create the 'Posy' nn.

Saying Eleanor and Rosa makes me think Eleanor Roosevelt, but at least she was a good namesake.

Other names you might like:
Victoria
Louisa
Lavender
Lilian
Mary
Margot
Grace
Gwendolyn

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MintyDiamonds · 27/08/2013 22:29

As for a strong female, I was named after a pretty cool Mexican witch from a book I can't remember the name of right now!

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MortifiedAdams · 27/08/2013 22:34

Bunny Rosa Parks.

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ChestyNut · 27/08/2013 22:42

Eleanor lily is lovely, especially with nickname Nell.

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