A sibling for Imogen...

[amommyintheuk]

My husband and I just decided we are ready to TTC baby number 2 and now that the decision has been made, I can let the fun of making name lists begin! I am completely stuck on what names would go well with Imogen, however. For a bit of background: we are currently living in England but will be moving back to the US after baby number 2 is born. Imogen is SO British that we are finding hardly any Americans we come across are familiar with the name and now I'm not sure if the second baby needs a uniquely British name, as well? Really unsure what direction to head in, so would LOVE to hear any and all ideas! We use the nickname Immy for Imogen and are big names of formal names with cute, spunky nicknames.

Here are some of our favorites so far:

Girls

Lena (we love this but can't think of a middle name)
Clara
Matilda
Freya (not sure this name works in the US)
Elodie
Beatrice (nn Bess) (this has been the front runner so far)
Rosamund (might prefer this as a middle name)

middle name possibilities include Ruth, Alice, Wren, and Amelia (though open to suggestions here, as well)

Boys
James
Arthur

I really like Flynn, August, Theodore, and Leo but husband has vetoed those, thus far...

middle name possibilities so far for a boy are Valentine, James, or Rufus

[greyer]

I absolutely love the combo Beatrice Wren, NN Bess, with sister Imogen! So sweet and not too strange to Americans either. I think all of your other options are fine also, most people would know at least how to pronounce Freya. I actually think you might run into more trouble with Elodie, although I also love Elodie and Imogen as sisters.

For a brother, my vote would go to Arthur Valentine. Swoon-worthy handsome. If I met a family with children named Imogen, Beatrice Wren "Bess", and Arthur Valentine, I think I'd die and go to heaven right there on the spot. James is nice, but seems a bit plain next to Imogen.

[agirlinred]

For Imogen's sister, I love Beatrice Wren nn Bess or Matilda Ruth nn Tilly. For Imogen's brother, I love Arthur Valentine or James Rufus.

[lemon]

Oh, exciting! So, what's Imogen's middle name? I don't think you necessarily need to go so British with this next baby's name, but something a little vintage and quirky, with that hipster Brit flair, would probably be best.

All of the names on your girl list are nice! Instead of Lena, what about Elena, Helena, or Lenora? Lena is a cute nickname as well if she has a long, formal version. Clara is so fantastic - enough said. Matilda feels very versatile no matter your home country, but I've always held a softer spot for Mathilda's spelling. Freya can definitely work in the US. She's perky and unusual just like Imogen! Elodie, I have to say, has never been my favorite. I prefer Eloise or Esme, personally. Beatrice has the British flair, and Beatrix adds a zesty X in there for fun! Finally, Rosamund has the heaviness common in Brit naming styles, whereas other Rose forms from Rosaline, Rosalind, and my pick, Rosanna, can feel a little lighter and more playful.

My favorite of your girl names? Hm. Clara, maybe? Or Freya is fun. I like the idea of Helena or Rosanna very much, though. I'm having a hard time mixing these first names with your middle names, mainly because they all end in A, so A-beginning names aren't ideal, and then they have R-heavy sounds for the most part, so names with an "R" start sound aren't great. The best I can think of are Helena Ruth and Helena Wren. Someone suggested Beatrice Wren, with Bess as a nickname, but I'd go with Birdie there! Beatrice Lark, too, is really gorgeous - I would advice you to consider Lark as a middle name. Combinations I like are Clara Juniper, Clara Jessamine, Clara Lilias, Clara Noemi, Clara Penelope, Helena Pearl, Helena Romy, Helena Phoebe, Helena Mabel, Helena Faye, Freya Rosamund, Freya Genevieve, Freya Violet, Rosanna Lark, Rosanna Mathilde, Rosanna Charlotte, and Rosanna Lucille. Other first names might be Adelaide (Ada), Bryony (Brie), Cordelia (Coco), Estella (Essa), Fiona (Fae), Georgina (Gigi), Harriet (Hattie), Jessamy (Jessa), Lucille (Lou), Marigold (Goldie), Olive (Liv), Phoebe (Bee), Ramona (Romy), Tallulah (Tula), or Viola (Lola).

With Imogen, I prefer Arthur off your boy list. August would've been perfect! As it stands, Arthur Valentine is interesting.

I might suggest Archer (Archie), Alistair (Aly), Benedict (Ben), Beckett (Becks), Callum (Cal), Dexter (Dex), Everett (Rhett), Felix, Garrick (Rico), Jude, Milo (Miles), Oscar (Oz), Russell (Rusty), or Thaddeus (Tad) for a boy. In particular, I enjoy Archer Valentine (too Cupid?!), Everett James, Jude Valentine, or Thaddeus James. I'd also suggest middle names like Antony, Bertram, Calder, Deveraux, Edgar, Gordon, Jasper, Noel, Orson, Rafferty, Silas, Ulysses, or Victor. Archer Gordon, Alistair Silas, Benedict Antony, Beckett Orson, Callum Edgar, Dexter Noel, Everett Calder, Felix Deveraux, Garrick Ulysses, Jude Rafferty, Milo Bertram, Oscar Antony, Russell Victor, or Thaddeus Edgar sound nice to me. I really like Felix Deveraux!

Lemon

[bedhead]

Love Beatrice with Imogen. Beatrix would be even more lovely. Matilda would pair quite well also. From your boys list I think Arthur James would be nice.

Some other ideas

Girls
Violet
Helen
Lily
Eliza
Cleo
Harriet
Sylvia
Lucy
Clover
Florence/Flora
Cordelia
Phoebe
Hazel
Cecily
Ramona
Daphne
Scarlett
Louisa
Rosemary
Susannah
Penelope




Boys
Miles
Thayer
Cyrus
Willem
Dexter
Callum
Dashiell
Jude
Silas

[lori johnson]

My recommendation is ...

01. Fergus
02. Imogen
03. Jemima

... a sibset comprised of "some of the hottest baby names" in the United Kingdom, which are "cool and underused choices" in the United States.

Source links: http://nameberry.com/list/196/British-Names-for-Boys [and] http://nameberry.com/list/195/British-Names-for-Girls

[emiliaj]

Stella
Phoebe
Naomi
Lily
Matilda
Beatrice


Lachlan
Oliver
Orlando
Ashton
Gabriel
Patrick

Sorry for any repeats.

[jeska]

I'm just going to be honest and say I really dislike Beatrice or Beatrix. It reminds me of beetroot or beat, and I don't think it's pretty. I don't get all the love for Wren, either - it (and Lark) just seems a bit silly and whimsical to me.

BUUUT...that's just me. I know everyone else loves them.

I think Imogen is beautiful, and all the rest on your list are lovely (except Freya). Lena is great, but I slightly prefer Elena.

[amommyintheuk]

Thank you for all of the feedback and suggestions, so far!

LOVE the combo of Beatrice Wren--I think Immy and Bess sound perfect together! I had considered using Elisabeth to get to Bess but Beatrice just seems to fit better with Imogen. I think Beatrix is also great and I may even prefer it, though my husband prefers Beatrice so not sure where we'll end up on that one.

Matilda Ruth definitely appeals, as does Helena Pearl and Freya Rosamund. The only reason Lena is on our list instead of Helena is that Helena is my SIL's middle name and I feel it would tie us into using a family name from my side for a middle name if we went with that. Ruth is a family name so I have considered Helena Ruth nn Lena. I also like the suggestions of Rosalind, Rosanna, and Lucille (though Imogen's middle name is Louise, so Lucille is probably too close). Love Harriet and Ramona too but can't use either for various reasons.

Imogen's middle name Louise was inspired by the silent film star Louise Brooks so I'm still on the search for either a first or middle name that has a bit of special meaning to us in the same way that Louise does. Literary names definitely appeal.

I've also considered Margot nn Maggie...does that work?

Eliza is a favorite of my husband's and I'm also a fan of Florence/Flora, Scarlett, Susannah, and Penelope. Phoebe and Stella are growing on me. My husband has also suggested Felicity, but I'm still on the fence there.

The boy names are tricky--I actually love the suggestions of Arthur Valentine and James Rufus but both are family combinations that we wouldn't want to use together in their entirety, so we would need to mix it up a bit and use either Arthur or Valentine; James or Rufus. Arthur James could definitely work and we've also considered James Valentine but neither fully clicks with me yet...I'm still hoping to discover a boy name that has a bit more ooomph to it that my husband will also agree on. He tends to be more traditional with boy names than with girls, though it was his idea to use Valentine as a middle name for a boy. I'm still hoping to talk him into either August James or August Valentine nn Gus. I think Immy and Gus are darling together!

From the other boy suggestions, I like Archer, Beckett, Callum, Everett, Jude, Milo, Miles, Dashiell, Oliver, Love Jasper, Silas, Fergus, and Edgar for middle names.

I'll have to run some of these new ones by my husband tonight and see where our list stands from there!