One fun aspect of parenting twins is choosing twin baby names. Some parents agonize over the decision — while some have no trouble at all. There are several philosophies to choosing twin baby names (or, as we we like to call them “twinfants” names). But, you need not worry, no matter your philosophy, you’ll eventually settle on something that will be perfect for your little sweethearts.

How to Choose Baby Names for Twins

  1. Infant Twin GirlsFamily Names.  Some parents of multiples will use the opportunity to honor those special to the family (family members, ancestors, friends).  This is a great chance to do that as there are multiple children, and thus multiple names  – so that you do not have to choose which family member to honor first. 
  2. Same Initials.  Another option is to name the babies so that all the names in the twins, triplets, or higher order multiples ”set” begin with the same letter.  Some examples:  Aiden & Addison, Brandon & Bryon, and Jacob & Joshua.  Thinking ahead, one pitfall to naming a set of multiples with the same initials is for labeling possessions such as clothing, sippy cups, etc. If they all have the same initials — you’ll have to do a bit more writing.  But, this is a minor inconvenience and may not deter you if you like the idea or the sound of the names together.
  3. Birth Order.  Typically hospitals will assign a letter to your babies as they are born (A, B, C, etc.).  Multiples parents have been known to stick with the letter assigned to each.  Examples: A-Abigail, B-Brenden, C-Caleb, etc.
  4. Sound Alike or Rhyming.  Many sets of twins are named based on similar sounding names.  Some popular examples: Jayden & Jordan, Ethan & Evan, and Taylor & Tyler, or rhyming names Zoe & Chloe.   Parents need to be aware, though, of a danger with rhyming names. Outside of the immediate family, it can already be difficult to distinguish between identical twins. Having rhyming names can add to the difficulty and be frustrating to teachers and other significant players in your twins lives.
  5. Meaningful Names.  Twins are often named to reflect family values or are symbolic in some way to the family.  Examples: Faith & Hope, Jacob & Joseph, Austin & Denver.  Or, maybe you’ll want to choose names that have a similar or complimentary meaning in another ancient language.  Examples: Duke & Dean (which both mean “leader” in French).
  6. Complimentary or Harmonious.  Sometimes we just like the way the names sound together. It is appealing the way the twins’ names roll off your tongue. For instance: Madison & Morgan, Olivia & Sophia, Ava & Emma.
  7. Same Complexity.  Twin names often sound better together when they have the same number of syllables.  For example, Jessica & Samantha, and Tom & Jo.
  8. Stand Alone. Probably the easiest method of all is to simply choose names that you like, and don’t worry about how they sound together. Some would even argue that this is the “best” way to do it because it promotes individuality.

Many resources can help with choosing names for your twins. Tons of books of baby names have been written over the years, and many baby related website have lists and pages of baby names.  One such resource that I think is especially helpful is the Social Security Administration’s list of Popular Baby Names and Popular Names of Twins.  These lists are updated annually, showing the most popular names for the prior year.

Try on names for a while. Write them out. Then, ask friends and family what they think.  But, if you’re like me, maybe you want to keep the names a secret among your friends and family.  If so, another great option is to ask for advice from online twins communities and/or twins support groups. Many great communities exist and typically, your friends and family are not members.

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that no matter what names you choose for your twins, triplets, or higher order multiples, there will always be those that think you should have chosen something else. Most people will be supportive, but there will be those that will be insistent in presenting their “perfect” names for your little ones.  Take it all in, mull it over, and above all, just have fun finding your perfect names.

Copyright 2010 Kathryn Whiteley — TwinParenthood.com