Baby Names with Repeating Sounds
Updated Thu Jul 27 2023
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We're in a nickname-friendly era, and these adorable double baby names like Coco and Lulu are in keeping with that trend.
Baby names with repeating sounds are primarily used as nicknames, and none of them independently rank within the US Top 1000. However, don’t be surprised if you hear reduplicated names such as Vivi, Gigi, Cece, and Lili called out on the playground, as all are common short forms of popular given names. If you want something stylish but more distinctive, try Zuzu, Lolo, or Mimi. With the exception of Bobo and Nana, all baby names with repeating sounds are used for baby girls. View our full collection of double-sound baby names below. For nicknames in all styles, you may enjoy Nicknames: The Ultimate Guide.
- Lulu
Origin:
Diminutive of Louise or Lucy, or ArabicMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Lula has a firecracker personality, a singing and dancing extrovert. Interesting that Lulu was a Top 100 name when the Social Security list was born in 1880, but it's been sliding ever since and has not been in the Top 1000 for decades. Modern parents in love with Lulu might well reverse that trend.
- Pippa
Origin:
English, diminutive of PhilippaMeaning:
"lover of horses"Description:
Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister.
- Gigi
Origin:
French diminutiveDescription:
Joining the likes of Coco and Fifi, Gigi has a style but some may feel it lacks substance. Model and TV personality Gigi Hadid (born Jelena) has likely drawn attention to this name, while designer Cynthia Rowley may have inspired parents to use it as a given name by choosing it for her daughter.
- Kiki
Origin:
French nickname and JapaneseMeaning:
"double happiness"Description:
Kiki is one of the Coco-Gigi-Fifi-Lulu bohemian-type French nickname names from the turn of the last century, which have endless energy and sparkle. Artist Kiki Smith is its most well-known contemporary representative, and Kiki was the inspiring heroine of Zadie Smith's On Beauty. Kiki can be a nickname for any name beginning with the K sound, from Katherine to Christina to Kayla.
- Coco
Origin:
Spanish and French pet nameDescription:
Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco Riley in 2004. At first it was the kind of name that the press loves to ridicule, but we predict Coco's heading for more broad acceptance and even popularity.
- Cece
Origin:
Short form of Cecelia, LatinMeaning:
"blind"Description:
Cece, all by itself, gained notice as the nickname of Jim and Pam's baby on television's The Office. On the show as in real life, Cece is often short for Cecelia or even Cecilia, but it can also be a short form of just about any C name. Cece -- or, less elegantly, CeCe -- can also be a stylish nickname name used all by itself, ala Coco and Lulu. If you really love girl names starting with C, this is one way to express your devotion every time you say your daughter's name!
- Pippi
Origin:
Norse variation of PhilippaMeaning:
"lover of horses"Description:
Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical. In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider. Try Pippa instead.
- Mimi
Origin:
Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and othersDescription:
Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent. Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the cutest of the cute baby names.
- Nunu
Origin:
GeorgianMeaning:
"wine; primeval water; Nineveh"Description:
A sweet sounding but distinctive Georgian name, Nunu has a number of possible origins. It could be related to the Egyptian God, Nu, whose name means "primeval water", or it could derive from the Georgian word, nunua meaning "wine".
- Keke
Origin:
English variation of Kiki, Finnish diminutive of Gertrud, or Hawaiian variation of KateMeaning:
"double happiness; strength of a spear; pure"Description:
Keke is a multicultural double-punch nickname, notably borne by actress Keke Palmer. Palmer was born Lauren Keyana, yet her nickname does not derive from her middle name — her older sister had an imaginary friend named Keke.
- Bibi
Origin:
French, Persian, or diminutive of BibianaMeaning:
"toy; delight; lady of the house; life"Description:
A spunky nickname name for parents with showbiz aspirations for their daughter.
- Lili
Origin:
Spelling variation of Lily or diminutive of LilianDescription:
Lili has been blooming in many forms for a couple of decades now. The Lili version will surely get more attention now that the Duke and Duchess of Susses, aka Harry and Meghan, are using is as a short form for their daughter Lilibet Diana's name. Lili makes the slight and light though that is not necessarily a bad thing; it also mutes the name's floral identity and gives it a cute and quirky repetitive spelling, ala Coco and Lulu. A famous German song is titled Lili Marlene.
- Momo
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"peach"Description:
Sweet Japanese choice.
- Yuyu
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"gentle friend; dream friend"Description:
Cute and nicknamey girl name with a great meaning to boot.
- Lolo
Origin:
Diminutive of CarolineMeaning:
"free man"Description:
A peppy nickname name associated with Lolo (born Lori) Jones, American track and field champ.
- Zuzu
Origin:
Czech diminutive of SusanMeaning:
"lily"Description:
This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.
- Jojo
Origin:
English, diminutive of Jo-beginning namesDescription:
Sprightly and engaging nickname for human, full name for pet. Author Jojo Moyes and dancer/singer Jojo Sliwa have propelled the name into the public eye.
- Dodo
Origin:
English diminutive of Dorothy, GreekMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Dodo is one of the few names of the cute repeating-sounds genre that is not alas so cute, being a slang word for someone brainless as well as the name of the infamous extinct bird. Dot, Dottie, Dory, or Thea are all preferable.
- Fifi
Origin:
French diminutive of Josephine, HebrewMeaning:
"Jehovah increases"Description:
Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as Josephine or Federica.
- Vivi
Origin:
Diminutive of Viv- namesMeaning:
"life"Description:
Vivi is a short form of all the Vivian and Viveca forms that is sure to get a lot more attention now that a little Jolie-Pitt girl has been named Vivienne.