Popular Baby Names: How To Pick One That’s The Same, But Different

Some of these aren’t unique enough for me. Here is what I would have picked…

Isabella – Isadora
Emma – Etta
Olivia – Ophelia
Sophia – Josefina
Ava – Adah
Emily – Amity
Madison – Madigan
Abigail – Avigail
Chloe – Nola
Mia – Mila

Jacob – Coby
Ethan – Athan
Michael – Micaiah
Alexander – Alistair
William – Willis
Joshua – Ezra
Daniel – Lemuel
Jayden – Jaben
Noah – Noel
Anthony – Anton

Here are a few of my favorite substitutes. Many of these are “feel alikes” rather than “sound alikes.” And they are not necessarily ones I think will be the new top 10.

Isabella –> Camila/Camilla (They’re the only names that sound both thoroughly Victorian and thoroughly Latina. Excellent multicultural choices! Camila is already fairly popular in states like California.)

Emma –> Willa (Same rhythm, same ending, same wholesome homespun feel, and similar literary ties.)

Olivia –> Ophelia (Both are Shakespearean and are obviously similar in sound. Plus, from the 1880s to the 1920s, both were used about equally in the U.S. Why is it that one should be so much more popular now?)

Sophia –> Athena (Sophia means “wisdom” and Athena was the goddess of wisdom. Plus, the names have the same rhythm and the same vowel sound in the stressed syllable.)

Ava –> Lana (Both manage to feel simple yet sultry; they both have ties to Old Hollywood.)

Emily –> Lydia (They both have strong ties to 19th-century literature. They have the same rhythm; they have prominent L, short I, and long E sounds; and they both trip liltingly off the tongue when spoken aloud.)

Jacob –> Caleb (I know this one is already very popular, but their shared biblical heritage and similar endings make them a logical pair.)

Joshua –> Hosea (They’re biblical and have similar endings. I think the widespread use of Jose makes Hosea feel like an acceptable choice now.)

William –> Ephraim (Granted, these have a very different feel, but I think names tend to feel accessible if their endings are similar to other popular names. William’s popularity makes Ephraim and Hiram feel like possibilities.)

Noah –> Jonah (They’re both prominent biblical figures whose stories are associated with water. Plus, they share the long O sound and the soft “ah” ending.)

A while back, I wrote lengthy lists of suggestions for Isabella and Sophia substitutes. I’m currently working on Emma and Emily. Here are the links if you’re interested:
http://muchadoaboutnaming.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/substitutes-for-isabella/
http://muchadoaboutnaming.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/substitutes-for-sophia/

Totally agreed with Elle. Especially on Isabella->Isadora, Olivia->Ophelia, Alexander->Alistair, and Joshua->Ezra.

A lot of the article’s alternate options are still really, really common: Ella, Addison/Madelyn (and all spelling variants), and really all the boy names save Sebastian and Landon, but the “worst offenders” being Aiden and Nathan.

I think finding alternates depends on how you evaluate a name. For example, Alexander and Sebastian have nowhere NEAR the same feel for me. They have the same number of letters and that’s where their similarities end! I may be in the minority, though, because most of the time when people suggest alternates for names on my list I shake my head, bewildered at how they saw a connection there.

As an aside, I still cannot believe Jayden is so gosh darn popular…

The next Isabella will be Evangeline. They don’t sound alike, obviously, but both are formal-but-feminine and have multiple nickname possibilities (Eva, Eve, Evie, Ginny, Leeny, etc).

Other girl names:
Ida for Olivia
Emerson for Madison
Phoebe for Chloe

As for boys, Caleb probably is the next Jacob. The next Michael is Michael. That name’s going to be in the top 10 for at least another 50 years.
Isla for Emma

Sorry about the formatting issues.

I also think Beatrice or Beatrix (or Beatriz) for Sophia.

And since I believe, totally without evidence, that -ton is the next -ayden, I’ll go with Colton as the next Jayden (though don’t count out Alton or Dalton).

Avery better not get that popular for girls, it’s still a stylish boy name to me.

I love playing this game. Here’s my list.

1. Isabella –Cecilia (Okay, I just like Cecilia and it has the same number of syllables as Isabella with that nice soft –a ending.)
2. Emma – Emerson (this could work for either Emma or Emily. Keeps that nice Em and adds the popular last name with a -on feel.)
3. Olivia – Olympia (This is definitely a stretch, but Pia would be a super cute nickname and really work with the Mia trend below)
4. Sophia – Mara (Sophia feels a little like a Sarah replacement so I carried that a little further)
5. Ava – Ada (I have heard this on a little girl and think it is absolutely adorable. It is the natural next step.)
6. Emily -
7. Madison – Addison ( what it will likely be) – Monroe (This would be my preference. I’m working the presidential angle. Madison and Monroe go together n my brain.)
8. Abigail – Eleanor (I’m working the first lady angle here. Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt. They are both classic three syllable names)
9. Chloe – Zoe (I had a cat named Zoe so it doesn’t seem like a people name to me, but it could be cute on a little girl)
10. Mia – Nita (I have a cousin with this name. She is named after her grandmother and it isn’t short for Anita. It is just Nita. I think the name is awesome)

1. Jacob – Caleb (The only thing missing is the J)
2. Ethan – Edmund (same old fashioned feel with an E- beginning. Edmund makes me think of Jane Austen. Ethan makes me think of Ethan Frome. Both are literary.)
3. Michael – Gabriel (archangels. Micah would be a better suggestion probably, but I never think of that first for some reason.)
4. Alexander – Augustus (I’m not sure this will ever take off. Augustus sounds a little stuffy, but both are the names of ancient rulers and both have lots of syllables)
5. William – Albert (British kings and princes. Albert has an old man feel that could really work in today’s naming trends)
6. Joshua – Gideon (Biblical heroes, but Gideon may be too associated with hotel Bibles)
7. Daniel – Dougal (I’ve used this one before, I still think it is a great replacement)
8. Jayden – Angus (will never happen but this name and its varients are soooo super common that I wonder why they don’t just name the kids with the name it replaced. I always figured it was a Jason replacement.)
9. Noah – Josiah (I just like this name. It feels like a combination of Josh and Noah)
10. Anthony – Barnabas (Anthony is always the hardest one for me to replace. It is a solid classic name, but one I would never use because of bad vibes from one of the Anthonys that I knew. I went with Barnabas because it felt similar to me. Not sure why.)

I love Hosea and would be thrilled to see some more Hoseas around! I think Ezra is very accessible and could be as common as Isaiah, Jonah, and Elijah in the near future…

Currently not popular alternates based on sound:
Isabella –> Carmella
Emma –> Gemma
Olivia –> Olive, (like this, but I’ll add:) Lydia
Sophia –> Aurelia
Ava –> Ora (also like suggestion of Ada though)
Emily –> Natalie, Beverly
Madison –> Magdalen
Abigail –> Annabelle, Nightingale
Chloe –> Clarity
Mia –> Pia

boys
Jacob –> Jabez
Ethan –> Ian, Egan
Michael –> Riker
Alexander –> Xavier
William –> Warren
Joshua –> Elisha, Jonathan
Daniel –> Lionel (like Lemuel too; I don’t think Landon appeals to the same people)
Jayden –> Canaan
Noah –> Jonah, (is the best fit here, but I’ll add:) Nehemiah
Anthony –> Sidney

And some more by “feel”:
Isabella –> Evangelina, (is good, or how about:) Christiana
Emma –> Clara
Olivia –> Virginia
Sophia –> Natalia
Ava –> Jo, Kay
Emily –> Rosalie, Trinity
Madison –> Carmen
Abigail –> Deborah
Chloe –> Phoebe, (as another poster mentioned; or:) Io
Mia –> Rae, Flor

boys
Jacob –> Abram
Ethan –> Japheth, Joel
Michael –> Gabriel
Alexander –> Ebenezer, Leander
William –> George
Joshua –> Gideon
Daniel –> Abel
Jayden –> Orrin
Noah –> Moses, Adam
Anthony –> Giovanni

[...] Kyre are expecting soon and on the hunt for one — so I was curious to check out this list of popular names and substitutes that are cool but not-yet so well [...]

I’m smiling at many of the Noah substitute suggestions. I have a Noah, but I had Owen, Jonah, and Josiah on my short list!

I believe the boyish Avery and Aubrey won’t appeal to many parents who love the very feminine Ava and Abigail. My picks for Ava replacements are Eva and Greta. For Abigail, I’d use Audrey or Gabrielle. Addison is already so popular, it’s hard for me to imagine any lover of Madison seeing it as an uncommon replacement. If they want a Maddie, Madeline or even Matilda (Mattie) could work. If it’s the surname feel they want, I’d pick Emerson.

I’m joining in on the “Caleb is the next Jacob” couch. It has a very similar sound, a biblical history, and is formal enough to please parents who would be happy enough with a Jacob nicknamed Jake, but balk at the thought of putting the nickname Jack on a birth certificate.

I think names that nickname out similarly probably will move into those roles as well. What about Adeline or Adelaide for Abigail? Since they both nickname out similarly (Abby, Addie). Or for Madison (Addie for Maddie), etc.

Wow, I think the author did a great job compiling this list, its spot on IMO. The point wasnt finding extremely uncommon alternatives, it was finding REALISTIC alternatives that society will likely embrace on a wider scale, names which are NEWER to the charts, fresher sounding, yet still familiar in sound and image. So while Addison may have already hit stardom, its only had alot of exposure for the last 3 years, so it is a new / fresh name. Most (not all) of the names that many are suggesting as better alternatives, do not appeal to the majority of society which is a good thing if you like the name and want it to stay rare.

Wanted to add, that although its pretty near spot on, I do disagree with Olive, Zoe & Sebastian I dont think these names have what it takes to make it to the top 10. My reasoning is because they dont have the same “feel” to their counterparts.

Your Noah -> Owen comment made me laugh. I have friends with each of these names and constantly call one by the other’s name and v.v. In my head they are always the same, and in spite of knowing these guys for years I am lucky when I actually say the right name to the right guy. Thanks for the acknowledgement and the laugh.

Yellow – The article was giving possible substitutes for the future that are realistic according to the data.So it makes sense that some are still top 100 and quite common. A lot of the suggestions in the comments went a different route of unique replacements. Very different ideas but both very interesting.

Yes, to reiterate what Suzanne said to Yellow, the alternatives given are names which are heard of and used, yet still fresh and new to the top 100. Although, it should be mentioned that Ava and Chloe havent been in the top ten for a long time, so they still feel somewhat fresh as well. Ava has been on it for 5 years and Chloe just one year.

I like to play. I debated between the realistic options and sometimes I took them, but not always.

Here’s my idea of substitutes:

Emma-Gemma(Sounds a lot alike but Gemma has a fresher feel)
Sophia-Sylvia
Ava-Ada
Emily-Elsa
Chloe-Colleen(both are irish and Colleen to me has the same feel)
Mia-Maisy or Masie

Ethan-Mason
Alexander-Benjamin(They sound alike to me and they both have strong short nicknames)
William-Samuel(to me they have the same feel)
Joshua-James
Jayden-Caden

On Alexander and Benjamin I meant to say they had the same feel to me not that they sounded alike.

girls
1. Isabella –> Elisabel
2. Emma –> Jema
3. Olivia –> Odilia
4. Sophia –> Saphia
5. Ava –> Iva
6. Emily –> Miela
7. Madison –> Mironda
8. Abigail –> Galicia
9. Chloe –> Cleah
10. Mia –> Lia

boys
1. Jacob –> Cabot
2. Ethan –> Thane
3. Michael –> Malachi
4. Alexander –> Alexandro
5. William –> Gilliam
6. Joshua –> Jashon
7. Daniel –> Declan
8. Jayden –> Jarden
9. Noah –> Roan
10. Anthony –> Chanton

Oh, how I would love to be named Olive. I agree with most of your choices!

*Isabella – Katerina, Cecilia, Annabel, Isaline, Theodora (nn Thea/Dora/Thora=Izzy/Bella/Ella)
*Emma – Mimi, Ebba, Helen, Lena, Elva
*Olivia – Olympia, Lavinia, Lydia, Verena
*Sophia – Athena, Sonia, Philippa “Phia”, Orphea
*Ava – Anna, Aphra, Agatha, Audrey
*Emily – Thessaly, Elly, Miller, Euphemia “Effie”
*Madison – Lennox, Sawyer, Marian, Magdalene
*Abigail – Adele, Abelia, Tabitha, Ashby
*Chloe – Callista, Calypso, Clio, Phoebe
*Mia – Mira, Dahlia, Yasmeen, Magnolia

*Jacob – Joab, Joseph, Hamish, Lake
*Ethan – Eton, Esteban, Bowen, Ewan
*Michael – Raphael, Macaulay, Malcolm, Gabriel
*Alexander – Nathaniel, Macallister, Zebedee, Alonzo
*William – Dunham, Graham, Kellam, Wilfred
*Joshua – Jonah, Gideon, Joel, Joachim
*Daniel – Niall, Dashiell, Ezekiel, Abraham
*Jayden – Javier, Jens, Auden, Ian
*Noah – Tobias, Moses, Nigel, North
*Anthony – Ackerly, Antonio, Donnelly, Thaddeus

–NameGoddess

Here’s the rest of my list:
Isabella-Cordelia(I know not a very popular name and I don’t see it taking Isabella’s place but it has the same feel and sound I think)
Olivia-Charlotte(to me they feel the same and they look like they belong together)
Emily-Lily
Madison-Caroline
Abigail- Elizabeth

Jacob-Levi
Michael-Matthew
Daniel-Elijah
Noah-Nolan
Anthony-Anderson

I really liked this topic! Awesome job on writing it!

I don’t get the Alexander = Sebastian feel. Alexander is strong and manly and Sebastian reminds me of a crab. Perhaps that shows my age, LOL, but I really don’t see how those two have the same feel.

I agree with the Alexander = Alistair since Alistair is the Scottish version of Alexander. Although I REALLY hope it doesn’t become popular because I might have a fit. I have always loved the name Alexander but my husband has an ex-girlfriend whose name was Alexandra. I also love Alistair so it’s a suitable replacement (plus a nod to our proud Scottish heritage) but I don’t want him finding that is means the same thing. Then I will have lost two names I love!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- I think it’s ridiculous to substitute a name you love with one you like less just because it’s less popular. I love the name Sophia, and for a while I looked for substitutes- Seraphina, Lucia, Chiara, etc. All were lovely, but I didn’t love them like I love Sophia. I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t care how many other people like Sophia- I’ll use the name I love, not settle for one I like less just because there will be fewer.

If you read the intro through, I think Nameberry did a great job putting together names that are poised to be the next set to gain popularity.

The comments have gone another, equally interesting, direction. If Pam and Linda don’t mind (delete if you do!), I’d like to share the lists of substitutes I compiled for the entire top 100 of both 2009 and 2008. Here are those lists:

http://youcantcallitit.com/2009/06/04/top-100-alternates-ladies-first/

http://youcantcallitit.com/2009/06/06/alternate-top-100-young-gents/

http://youcantcallitit.com/2010/05/18/alternates-for-the-top-100-names-of-2009/

Sure, Elisabeth–any time!

Fun game! Most of my list are taken from previous posters, but they’re great ideas! That’s how they become popular, huh?

Isabella –> Cecilia has a similar feel, Gabrielle has the -elle ending, or maybe a return to Elizabeth?
Emma –> Ella (Pam and Linda, you nailed it!)
Olivia –> Lydia or Fiona (both of these have Olivia’s sophisticated vibe)
Sophia –> Sonia or Sylvia (I’m not sold on either of these–I don’t know what could be the “next” Sophia)
Ava –> Eva or Evelyn
Emily –> Amelia
Madison –> Madeline (for Maddie) or Emerson (for the -son ending). I think Addison is played out.
Abigail –> Adelaide (for the A, and Addie for Abby) or Tabitha (this has a very similar feel to me)
Chloe –> Zoe or Phoebe
Mia –> Mira

boys
Jacob –> Caleb for the biblical tie and the similar -b ending
Ethan –> Evan
Michael –> Micah, or Gabriel, or maybe just Michael? It’s staying power is amazing
Alexander –> Benjamin (I loved this suggestion!)
William –> Liam (wasn’t there a blog post recently that mentioned the popularity of Liam as a nickname for William?)
Joshua –> Josiah or maybe Jason is ready for a comeback?
Daniel –> Andrew
Jayden –> Colton (-ton is the next -den)
Noah –> Jonah (for those who want a biblical name), or Owen (long o, same feel)
Anthony –> I’m drawing a blank here. Francis? Xavier?

I meant to mention that Anthony reads as a saint’s name to me, so I was thinking about saints’ names. Maybe Christopher?

Lily is currently very popular in the UK and an obvious successor to Emily alongside Amelia. I also suspect that Audrey is the new Ava and George is the next William.

Boy’s: Roman Alexander, Rowan Oliver, Dex, Paulo Valentini, Jayson, Brennan, Rolf, Stetson Fox, Steele Owen, Vincent, Lukas Alistar, Alexander Raleigh, Andreas Mickel, Landon Sixx, Fitz, Jermaine Michael, Bryce Owen, Blake Edward, Simon Matteo, Dante Milo, Green,

My picks:

Isabella – Isla (I-la)
Emma – Emmry
Olivia – Oasis
Sophia – Sam (my)
Ava – Arley
Emily – Esme
Madison – Malia
Abigail – Avigail
Chloe – Cadence
Mia – Milan

Jacob – Jackson
Ethan – Edge
Michael – Michael (classic & masculine)
Alexander – Aiden
William – Wade
Joshua – Jacques
Daniel – Dru
Jayden – Jace
Noah – Niko
Anthony – Anthony (timeless & masculine)

I am in love with the name Sofia. It gets frustrating ’cause of its popularity, though. Not really sold on any of the above replacements… Any pointers?

My daughter is named Arabella and she has 5 Isabella’s in her class! So at lunch when all of the Bella’s are giggling about life and telling each other their full names and middle names, My Bella is always proud to be the only Arabella in the bunch!
-My husbands name is also William, but his Mama didn’t want people to call him Will or anything, so they shortened William to Liam, and that’s what he goes by to this day

This was fun to read! I appreciate ALL the lists that were made, because I like looking at the options for traditional or popular names. That being said, Pam and Linda did say in another post that if we LOVE a name then we shouldnt not use it because we think it’s too popular and I agree.

However, I have been looking for a good alternative to Emily if I use it because it is one of my ultimate favorite names and I cant use it because I have a niece named Emily! Of all of the alternatives suggested, I like Lily and Natalie the best. Anyway, thanks for this blog post and the comments!

I know I’m late to post, but this is too fun!

girls
1. Isabella –> Angelina
2. Emma –> Evelyn
3. Olivia –> Octavia
4. Sophia –> Sabrina
5. Ava –> Ada
6. Emily –> Ellie (Eliza or Eleanor)
7. Madison –> Marilyn
8. Abigail –> Adele
9. Chloe –> Daphne
10. Mia –> Zia

boys
1. Jacob –> Jason
2. Ethan –> Edward
3. Michael –> Matthias
4. Alexander –> Allen
5. William –> Winston
6. Joshua –> Moses
7. Daniel –> Dashiell
8. Jayden –> Jerome
9. Noah –> Nicolas
10. Anthony –> Victor

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