How to Choose Anagram Names for Large Families
The Vaneeno family from Belgium has committed to naming their children with the same set of four letters: A, E, L, and X.
They started with the obvious: Alex, who was born in 2009. After Alex came Axel, then Xela and Lexa.
The names had to get more creative from here — The Vaneenos’ next children are named Xael, Xeal, Exla, Leax, Xale, Elax, and Alxe. They recently welcomed their twelfth child, but his name has not been released.
The Vaneenos have said this is their last child, which may be good because there are not many name-like combinations left. It’s a boy, so that means Xlea and Elxa are probably out. That leaves Aelx, Aexl, Ealx, Exal, Laex, Laxe, and Xlae among the most viable options for baby number 12. Xlae and Laxe (if pronounced like “lakes”) seem especially promising since they are different enough from the rest of the siblings’ names.
How to Choose Anagram Baby Names
That’s the key to a successful anagram sibset: differences.
There are three to take into consideration — beginning sound, ending sound, and number of syllables. The higher you score on the difference count between two names, the more likely it is to be a worthy sibset.
Alice and Celia is the exemplar of anagram sibsets. It scores a 3 on the difference count—they begin and end with different sounds, and Alice has two syllables, while Celia has three. A 0, like Carol and Coral, is practically unusable — it becomes very confusing if the names are too similar.
Of course, there’s one element you want the names to share, and that’s style. A set of names can score a 3 on the difference test but still be ill-suited for each other. Take Kory and York, for example. They are different in sound and syllables but don’t feel cohesive as brother names.
We’ve rounded up the best anagram baby names, pre-approved for sibset use!
Here, our favorite anagram combos beyond Heaven and Nevaeh.
Anagram Combos
- Abe
- Bea
- Adria
- Daria
- Akira
- Kiara
- Alice
- Celia
- Alina
- Liana
- Ally
- Lyla
- Amira
- Maria
- Amy
- May
- Anja
- Jana
- April
- Pilar
- Ari
- Ira
- Aria
- Raia
- Arlo
- Orla
- Arnold
- Roland
- Ayla
- Laya
- Blaise
- Isabel
- Brady
- Darby
- Byron
- Robyn
- Dolly
- Lloyd
- Carmela
- Marcela
- Caroline
- Cornelia
- Chaz
- Zach
- Claudine
- Dulcinea
- Clay
- Lacy
- Cleo
- Cole
- Eliza
- Zelia
- Elodia
- Odelia
- Enzo
- Zeno
- Ernie
- Irene
- Etta
- Tate
- Hale
- Leah
- Isla
- Lais
- Iris
- Siri
- Jonas
- Sonja
- Kami
- Mika
- Kamil
- Malik
- Kamila
- Malika
- Kassia
- Saskia
- Mira
- Rami
- Nash
- Shan
- Norah
- Rohan
- Orlando
- Ronaldo
Super Anagram Baby Names
If you’re naming a larger brood, you’re going to need Super Anagram names. A Super Anagram name can be turned into three or more names with the same combination of letters.
As with the Vaneeno family, the letters could be further shuffled around to make new names, should more children join the picture. However, these are the most sibset-worthy combinations:
Aden, Dane, Dean, Edna
Adrian, Darian, Nadira
Aidan, Adina, Diana, Nadia
Aki, Kai, Kia
Alan, Lana, Nala
Alec, Cale, Clea, Lace
Alek, Elka, Kale, Lake
Alen, Elan, Lane, Lena, Neal
Alex, Axel, Lexa, Xale, Xeal, Xela
Amil, Liam, Mila
Amor, Mora, Omar, Roma
Ander, Arden, Daren
Anya, Naya, Yana
Arno, Aron, Nora, Oran, Roan, Rona
Cail, Cali, Clia, Laci
Elin, Leni, Neil, Nile
Elon, Leon, Noel
Read Next
Sibling Names: The Ultimate Guide