Up to a challenge?

I'm not yet pregnant with #3, but DH and I argue about names all the time.
We have two DDs so far and their names are polar opposites in style. DH got to name DD2 (long story) and matching DD1's name in style was not something he considered.
So we have Tempe Joann (pronounced Tem-pee, like the city in AZ) and Helena Louise (pronounced Hel-A-na, NOT Helen-a!)
I think if we can find a 3rd name that ties them together (spunky, yet old-fashioned?) our sib-set won't seem so mismatched. I think Violet for a girl or Milo for a boy are good examples of what I mean, but they are both too popular for our taste.
Obviously, we don't have a consistent style in naming. Our biggest criteria is that it is NOT in the top 50, preferably not in the top 100.
Can you help us? Any suggestions?
:) Kate
PS middle names don't matter, as we will be using a family name (probably Kate or Lisa for a girl, and Canyon for a boy)

Tempe and Helena are both city names. One southwest and the other big mountain sky. I would just suggest using another place name.

Portland (Porter)
Cayman
Atlanta
Nile
Dover
Denver
Aspen

My first thought is - I love Helena. I know you pronounce it different than the capital of Montana, but this strikes sort of a US cities/western feel for me.

I think what I would not recommend is making it so overtly theme-y, but I would think some more obscure, person's name sounding place would fit.

I have to think a minute.. Like Denver or Dallas or Savannah would just be too on-the-nose. Tempe is sort of like Tempest.. hmm... weather... hmm.

I don't know where you live. I have to try and think of ideas that just sort of gently approach the names you've already chosen without sounding like a road trip. Rather than look up "Place Names," I would look up close at a map and find some place nobody has heard of, places you've been, or came from, and try not to make any of your children the one with the name that doesn't fit in.

I will look around and see what I can come up with.

Hmmm, with Tempe and Helena...

Amity
Claire
Judith
Eleanor
Felicity
Frances
Laurel
Martha
Miriam
Naomi
Pearl
Ruth
Willa

Is that the kind of thing you were after?

I actually think I'd move away from place names, viewing Helena instead as a lovely Shakespearean name. I can see something with a bit of an exotic feel that meets a middle ground between Tempe and Helena.

I really like your idea of Violet despite it's increasing popularity, because as Karen mentioned, Tempe looks close to Tempest, which reminds me of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Additionally, Helena is Shakespearean, and Violet reminds me of Viola, another of his characters. Because of this, Violet feels like it brings the names together in a subtle Shakespearean theme.

Some more you may like:

Briony
Calla
Cleo
Carys
Dahlia
Jessamine
Laurel
Rosalie
Scarlett
Willa

Good luck! :-)

Oh, I forgot boys names. They're harder...

Abraham
Alden
Barnaby
Clement
Cyrus
Elias
Elijah
Emanuel
Gideon
Isaac
Jared
Jeremiah
Jethro
Lemuel
Phinaes
Reason
Samson
Thaddeus
Zachariah

Hope I've helped:)

I think Helena, Tempe, and Violet or even Viola would work really well.

Not sure if you want a place theme but if you do -

Berlin - is my daughters middle name
London - could nn Loni


Let see -

Aurora
Eugenia
Eulalie
Fiona
Tallulah
Viveca/Vivica

I like the name Canyon even as a first name for a boy! Could you tell us what other names you considered for your children before you decided on the name Helena and Tempe? Even if they are out dated or you no longer like them at least we could have something to work with.

Thanks for all the responses :) I like a lot of the names suggested, but DH is soooo picky. He hates everything.
We didn't even discuss other names for Tempe. We were pretty set on Tempe. With Helena, we went into the hospital with Helena, Stella, Eisley, and Delia. Other names I really liked include Juno (my #1, Dh hates it), Margot, Pallas, Violet, Orchid, Persephone, Penelope, Louisa, Annalise, Alice, and Betty. Other names I like now are Scarlett, Bonnie, and Daphne.
I like Canyon as a first name as well, so if all else fails, I guess there is at least one name that we can fall back on for a boy! Really, it's the boy names we need more help with.
PS How popular IS Violet? Is it heading for the top 50 any time soon?