Naming Baby No.2? Ideas for Finding the Perfect Sibling Pair
How to match the energy of your baby's first name so you get the cutest sibset (sibling) pair.
If baby number two is on the way (or three, or four…), you’re no stranger to the naming process—whether it’s the weight of the decision or the vibes you’re going for. But picking a name the second time around is a little different since you’ve got your first baby’s name to consider as you scroll through the options. It’s totally up to you whether you want your kids’ names to “go together”—but if you’ve made it here, chances are you’d like them to, and are looking for sibling baby name inspiration.
I sat down with Jessie Paquette—a baby name consultant and the face of Dream Baby Names on TikTok—to talk all things baby names when you have more than one kid, including what to consider and how to narrow down the perfect name.
How to choose a baby name for a sibling
Do you need to consider rhyme or reason when naming your second baby? The short answer is, no. There are infinite ways you can go about naming siblings. But for many parents, staying on theme—whatever that may be—seems to be a deciding factor. “Keeping [the names] somewhat in the same category or realm is my biggest advice,” Paquette says. Though we’re talking about subsequent siblings, these tips also work if you’re expecting twins!
Here are some of our tips to guide you in the right direction—including inspo from actual sibsets aka siblings) plus the Babylist Babes list.
Match the vibes of your first child's name
“I think people get a little confused when I say the names have to match,” says Pacquette. “I don't [mean] matchy-matchy.” You don’t have to rhyme or stick to the same first letter when naming baby number two, but you want to choose something that’s on the same or similar page. This can look like choosing something that evokes the same vibes or theme as your first baby’s name, or picking another family name, if that’s what you did with baby number one. They don’t need to share the first initial or some other distinguishing feature, but you may want the names to feel somewhat coordinated.
Pacquette just advises you not to veer too far in the opposite direction, “If you're going to name your first child Artemis, naming the next one Dan [doesn’t add up].” Perhaps you were into astrology-themed baby names for your first; consider an earthy baby name for something similar but different. Even if you weren’t sure about branching into unique names with baby number one, don’t be afraid to consider names that might feel a bit different than your first list. Pacquette says some parents get a little boost of confidence when naming their second baby, allowing them to flex their creativity.
And unless it’s your jam, you may want to avoid names that are too similar. If you’re anything like me—a mom of two toddlers and three pets—I’d definitely get them confused more than I already do in moments of chaos. Here are some examples of 'same but different' sibset names, from the Babylist team and Babylist Babes list.
Joseph and Frederick
William and Benjamin
Sophia and Robert
Julian and Madelyn
Grace and Miles
Poppy and Hazel
Bodhi and Felix
Ruby and Eleanor
Sound it out
Think of names that sound good together when you say them out loud. It might seem silly, but practice saying the names together. Pretend you’re calling to your future toddler duo at the park because it’s time to go home. Do the names flow? As with first + middle name combinations, syllables also come into play here too. With too many syllables, you may run the risk of stumbling over them. You’ll know two names make a good pair when they comfortably roll off the tongue—mixing and matching syllable counts is a great way to do this.
Stick to the same letters
My first baby’s name starts with a J, and when I was choosing a name for baby number two, I had quite a few people ask if I was going to continue on with the J trend. We didn’t, but alliteration is a common naming method for siblings. Perhaps their first child’s name starts with the same letter as one of the parents, or the letter is an ode to a loved one. Deciding to stick to the same letter can help narrow down your search.
Paloma and Pilar
Collin and Caiden
Violet and Vivianne
Luca and Leo
Cooper and Cove
Jones and Jada
Wells and Winter
Rosie and Rowan
Evie and Izzie
The letters don’t have to be at the beginning of the name, either. Here are a few sibset names that incorporate some letter matching at different points.
Emmett and Beckett
Cordell and Odell
Evelyn and Dylan
Cleo and Cole
Liam and Mila
Get alphabetical
Or you can do what Violet Bridgerton did and go straight down the alphabet. All eight of her fictional children are named in alphabetical order, from oldest to youngest: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. If this sounds like something you’d love, be sure to check out our other baby name guides based on first initial!
Consider your first list
Revisit the names you collected the first time around. Was there one you really loved but didn’t feel right for your first baby? Test it out for baby number two. You might find your taste has changed since you were pregnant the last time, but a name that didn’t feel right before might be a great fit. And baby name trends change over time, check to see if any of the names you loved during your first pregnancy have declined in popularity.
Here are a bunch of other examples to help spark inspiration in your search for a sibling name.
Baby Name Inspiration for Sisters
Stella and Faye
Charlotte and Caroline
Marley and Malia
Frankie and Harlow
Violet and Eden
Maeve and Margaret
Veda and Elowyn
Scarlett and Everly
Willa and Sloane
Thea and Eloise
Celine and Mia
Baby Name Inspiration for Brothers
Bowie and Cash
Atlas and Flynn
Julian and James
Lars and Bear
Lincoln and Raphael
Jonah and Theo
Isaac and Jude
Jacob and Mateo
Elijah and Nasir
Idris and Eli
Otto and Finn
Baby Name Inspiration for Boy-Girl Siblings
Ronan and Ailey
Santiago and Lucia
Alice and Hendrix
Matthew and Matilda
Pierce and Maura
Nico and Luna
Margot and Wes
Arlo and Mara
Grant and Gemma
Celeste and Drew
Gender-Neutral Baby Name Inspiration for Siblings
Blake and Brooks
Sawyer and Reese
Sydney and Noah
Morgan and Skyler
Cameron and Logan
Quinn and Riley
Banks and Leni
Expert Source
Jessie Paquette, baby name consultant and creative behind the Dream Baby Names on TikTok.