Hi Swistle!
Our second baby is due at the end of July, and we do not know the sex. We have one daughter, Aidy June. Our last name is Belston-without-the-B. The naming experience of our first was unexpected – Aidy was on our long list but not our short list – I don’t think we even verbalized the name as one we loved, someone just added it at random. We thought she was going to be Mabel, and it just didn’t fit so we spent 24hrs ‘trying on’ names for her, and out of nowhere, Aidy landed and felt totally perfect. So it’s interesting this time, trying to avoid a name list getting out of control when every name we don’t dislike feels like a possibility we don’t want to forget about, and feeling that we can’t concretely name this kid til we get to meet.
Some of our personal name feelings: my partner’s birth name is Elizabeth, but parents always intended to use Beth, and she has always wished her name was just Beth to begin with – so we have no plans to name a kid the traditional version of a name if we prefer and intend to use the nickname. My name is Camilla, which I disliked a lot as a child but feel more positively about as an adult, and also use Cam in certain circles.
Our naming style is short and snappy. I enjoy a fresh, unexpected name, but one that is easily understood when read or verbalized (although saying that, we still get “Addie” more than I expected. For example, when we introduce her at the park to a new person, and then they try to recall her name next time, it is always “Addie”). We also enjoy the opportunity for a quirky, out-there middle name if it works.
Names we like the most right now: Maeve (if assigned female at birth) and Kit (neutral). We’d like three kids, and the sibset Aidy, Maeve and Kit is really pleasing to me. I love all the names with our last name.
What gives me pause with these names is a) does the Irish heritage of Maeve stand out oddly in the sibset? b) is Maeve going to be the next Ava? c) it sits on the more feminine end of the spectrum than I prefer and d) I truly love Kit, and yet it feels unfinished in my mouth (I know it is traditionally a nickname). I also worry about having to spell it all the time. When I introduce myself as “Cam”, most people say “Pam?” and then I say “C-A-M”. It’s a minor annoyance, but one I would prefer to not have. I worry about resolving my kid to either needing to spell their name for life, or people asking what it is short for. In the back of my mind I feel that with the right name, these things won’t matter and if they matter right now, they are not the right names.
Other names we enjoy: Otto, Bryn, Enid, Ira, Veda, Ripley, Nola, Fable, Ivy.
I also feel a lot of joy about these names connected to the last name, but feel a little unsure about when standalone: Penny, Mackie.
I love love love, and my partner doesn’t (but they are still on the table) – Clover, Arlo.
My partner currently loves Elodie and Elias. Elodie is more feminine than I prefer, and Elias, too popular… but my partner is growing this baby, and I do not dislike the names, so they are definitely on the table. I do like the alliteration.
My question to you and your readers – what am I missing? Is there an unexpected, fresh, snappy name you’ve come across in your circles? Naming without many parameters feels like such an opportunity, and I understand the subjectivity of this but we feel like Aidy June Belston-without-the-B was a total slam-dunk. I’m not convinced we are there with our current list.
Cheers,
Cam
Name update:
Hello! Our second child arrived on 8/5, fast and furious and accidentally unassisted, caught by me before our midwives arrived. Whoops! That was definitely not the plan, but everyone is doing very well and we are adjusting to our new normal as a family of four.
I really appreciated the comments on our post, both for some great new ideas and validation on our favourites! It was a really fun exercise in the last few weeks of pregnancy, and solidified the absolute joy that it is to name a human.
We landed quickly on Maeve Arlo, and we could not be more thrilled. We love the fun twist that the first three letters of her name are also her initials. And it turns out there is nothing sweeter than hearing your first born say your second born’s name to make you feel like you slam-dunked it all over again!
Quinn! Merit (similar to Kit!)
I feel we have similar naming styles (Kit, Maeve, Otto, Veda, and Ira are all on my own list!)
My favorites from your list, for a sibling to Aidy: Kit, Otto, Maeve, Elias
Some other ideas: Tate (very gender-neutral, imo), Robin, Maxine, Alma, Mira, Mila, Grady, Till, Suki
I don’t know that this fits any of your parameters, but your “unexpected, fresh, and snappy” comment at the end made me think of it. I have a friend with an Orion and it charms me everytime I hear their name. Aidy and Orion. Orion Belston. Aidy, Orion, and Kit at the end. Love it.
Congratulations!! I love Aidy!!!! It’s so snappy. I also love Maeve and Kit. So I don’t think you can go wrong.
For more snappy names:
Lola
Goldie
Lark
Oona
Sunday
Suki (I second this!)
Aidy and Lola?? So cute
Aidy and Lark?? So cute. This one really stands out to me.
For more neautral names:
Briar
Casper
Stone
Rory
Sunny
I love Wells or Merritt for either gender, and Lane is another traditional one where I’m from. We have a Bix (short for Beatrix) but we’ve met a little boy Bix as well, after the jazz musician. I also think Cedar, Archer, Afton, or Salem could be fun.
I love the name Maeve, but I do feel it is becoming quite trendy. What about Mae/May? Or Wyeth. I once met a woman named Wyeth and have been enamoured ever since. Fallon? Not sure about how it sounds with your last name with the repeating “-on”.
From your list, I really like Veda but feel it has many repeating sounds from Aidy. I like Arlo and Kit too, for either sex.
May Belston
Wyeth Belston
Fallon Belston
Rory Belston
Blythe Belston
Shay Belston
Bryony Belston
Teagan Belston
Bronwen Belston
Briar Belston
Good luck!!
I love Kit so much. It’s a slam dunk for me in this sibset. I don’t think it’ll be misheard like Aidy is, the closest common word is Kid and likely people aren’t expecting to hear that as a name. Kit Elodie or Kit Elias?
Elin may appeal to your wife’s El- preference and your choice reference for less common? Other Es…Ender or Emery?
I would love to see Penn, Twain, Fleur (I real life swooned when I met a little Fleur)
Other fresh choices heard out and about: Ivor, Kirby, Quincy, Perry, Neely
Maeve doesn’t strike me as too Irish here. Maybe because Aidy is from Aidan (? At least with Bryant), which is super Irish. However, I wonder if you (or her big sister) would ever call her Maevy and then that feels entirely too close to Aidy to my ear.
As a mother to a very-tomboyish 2-year-old Maeve who loves wrestling with her brothers, the name doesn’t sound too feminine to me! (I mean, Maeve was a warrior queen so I’d say it’s more “badass feminine” than “dainty/romantic feminine” anyways.) Her brothers have very Scottish/Irish names so it fits our sib set, but I can totally see it with yours too! I knew the name was growing in popularity, but it just felt right so we went with it. I say go for it if you like it! But I like all your names too, so if Maeve doesn’t feel right when you meet your babe, let it go. Kit is delightful.
I enjoy both Maeve and Kit with Aidy. I do not feel like Maeve is too Irish as it’s a little bit more well-known now (the great character from Westworld comes to mind). Snappy names that come to mind: Jude, Nova, Neve, Billie, Cleo, Juno, Holland, Onyx, Rumi, Luca, Lumen, Malin, Brooks. Florian. Larkin, Cosmo, Sasha, Tig.
Fern
Olive
Nash
Toby
Paxton
Greer
Quil
Scout
Keira
Teagan
Dean
Thor
I came here to say Greer too.
I’ve dug into the short and snappy. A lot of these are gender neutral.
Zeta, Vesper, Liv, Twila, Zola, Caro, Vita, Aster, Tess, Win, Pax, Beck, Mavis, Lou, Jazz, Pip, Tally, Darcy, Marlo, Joss, Rooney, Hollis, Varda, Mazzy, Roscoe, Jet, Billie, Ever, Mare
Shea- gender neutral alternative to Maeve
Jamie Maeve
Fern
Rey – neutral might be too Star Wars but has “cool” vibe
Wren
Sam – classic, neutral
From your list I like:
Bryn
Kit
Maeve
Nola
I also like:
Devin
Ginger
Jordan
Lane/Laine
Mavis
Paige
Parker
Reef
Zara
Elodie or Elias would be nice middle names, although not with Paige or Parker because of awkward initials.
Best wishes to you!
From the two front-runner, I prefer Maeve to Kit. I know what you mean about Kit feeling unfinished.
From the runners up, my favorites are Arlo, Bryn, Ira, Ivy, Otto, and Veda. I like Elodie and Elias but I don’t think of them as snappy.
How about Ezra, Maxine, Quincy, or Zoë?
I’ve been imagining names that are more gender neutral and also those that seem to match your style, and this is what I came up with:
Luca
Jules
Luna
Tate
Asher
August
Logan
Sawyer
Emery
Sky/Skylar
Blythe
Rory
Carey
Jude
Teague
Dylan
Darcy
Shea
Shaw
Wren
Rafferty
Lane
Leif
Hollis
Darren
Lark
(Another person suggested Lark and I love it with Aidy)
I honestly love every one of those names lol, but here are some that seemed to match Aidy as well as suit your style and last name:
1. Rory Belston
Aidy and Rory
2. Nico Belston
Aidy and Nico
3. Aidy and Avery
Avery Belston
Here’s a few more that are coming to me…
Jules
Morgan
Rowan
Frankie
Sage
But I also ADORE Kit and Maeve, and Elodie too, so as others have said, you can’t go wrong!!
Good luck with the baby!!
I love Aidy and Kit, although Maeve is fabulous too.
The name that came to mind for me is Wallace. I met a little girl Wallace a few years ago and LOVED it, but obviously it could work for a boy too. Maybe not quite as snappy as you are looking for with that “ahh” sound in there…
I also love Ellis (but Ellis [B]elston is a LOT of repeating sounds, so probably not) and Hollis and Carys or Carey.
What about Blair or Darby?
I LOVE the name Wallace, and wish I had considered it for my daughter!
When you said Maeve was a front runner I went back to double check your first daughters name, thinking I misread it and it was something Gaelic. I don’t think Maeve is too Irish to be paired with non-Gaelic names but I expect Maeve’s siblings to have names with Irish roots. I love Kit but love it best as a nickname for Christopher or Katherine.
Other suggestions:
Lorna
Esne
Sid
Ian
Louis
ideas – Joon, Oona, Pen, Walt, Fliss, Hero, Briar, Teo, Nell, Luce, Lorcan, Gwyn, Laure, Brid, Joss, Ellis
Lane
Brook
Robin
Sage
Reed
Lou
Gram
Jem
Bobbi
Marnie
Margo
Nora
Nina
Marty
Ray
My 9- yr old just told me she wishes she’d been named Esme or Tess, which are pretty short and snappy.
Some that come to mind based on ones you like:
Lois
Poet
Ida
Bev
Iris
Irene
Verity
Nell
Vesper
Cleo
Ingrid
Greta
Reeve
Ione
Teal
Meg
Dean
How about Wren?
Wren was my suggestion as well! Could work as gender neutral too (more common male as Ren without the w)
How about Syd? Sidney/Sydney?
Aidy and Syd
I love it!!!
Also, I thought of this: growing up I had friends with the gender neutral names of Berrie and Rory (twins) and in another family, Allie, Skylan and Marley. And a mother named her daughter Calloway bc that was her maiden name. I thought that was really cool!!
Perry could be super cute!
Girls:
Zella
Scout
Jemma
Joanie
Skye
Boys:
Leo
Merrick
Quinn
Finneus/Finnegan (Finn)
Arlo
From you list I especially love Kit
Suggestions:
Sloane
Sutton
Kincaide
Also Keaton
Lily Maeve
I’m biased, but I do like Kit regardless of gender! I don’t think Maeve is too Irish, but it does strike me as perhaps too similar to Aidy with the prominent long-A vowel sound (I’m assuming Aidy rhymes with “lady”). Others already suggested Blythe, which sprang to my mind too (short, snappy, not too femme/frilly). Or what about Ember? I know a little girl with that name and it really works — plus I like it with (B)elston, if you don’t mind alliteration.
Emery
Gwen
Bliss
Callie
Zoe
Liv
Drew
Tess
Oona
Merete
Maren
I had twins in 2020 and named them Sullivan and Maeve. What about Sullivan. Would be so sweet to meet a little girl Sully.
Also my Maeve was Vada for about 24 hours but it didn’t feel right and we stuck with Maeve
I like Kit for your son or daughter. Kit Elodie / Kit Elias seems like a good combo. Best of luck!
Hooray for Maeve!
My aunt has that pattern with her maiden name Deborah E. B. IDK if the grands realized it immediately or not. :)
Awwww, Maeve and Aidy is a lovely, charming duo. Thanks for the update!