Exclusive:
As multiple pregnancies continue to soar, more parents than ever will be picking out twin names. Now a baby name expert has shared some words of wisdom, with some uniquely gorgeous suggestions
Picking out a name for just one baby can be tricky enough, but those expecting twins naturally face an additional challenge.
Parents of twin babies may well find themselves thinking in double every step of the way, from double buggies to double piles of nappies and, of course, double names. But while many may envy their opportunity to use not just one but two of their favourite monikers, this is no easy task.
Indeed, these doubly busy parents will likely find themselves scratching their heads over names which beautifully complement each other while allowing each sibling to have their own sense of individuality and uniqueness.
Luckily, a baby name expert is on hand to advise proud twin parents about what to consider when writing up their lists and what to cross off.
Baby name expert SJ Strum, spoke to The Mirror’s Chloe Rivers on Suffolk Sound, and took a question from a listener who’d discovered they were expecting boy and girl twins. Although they’d settled on the sweet name Pearl for a girl, they’d found themselves struggling for inspiration when it came to boys’ names.
With Pearl in mind, SJ suggested choices that complement the name’s special meaning, whether that be related to water or precious stones, without being too similar. Suggestions included Dylan (which means ‘of the sea’), Rafferty (meaning ‘flood tide’), and Caspian (Caspian Sea). SJ remarked: “Caspian adds a real romance to Pearl”.
She said: “There are some gemstones. Jasper is a gemstone known for healing, and I feel like having the matching P in Jasper and Pearl makes the names bounce together well. Or a really rare name that I love is Kitto; it’s a boy name that means ‘rare gem’. So if you had Pearl and Kitto, it wouldn’t be obvious, but it’s a really cool way of the family saying, ‘you’re both our little rare gems’.
“It’s nice to have the same sounds or themes; it doesn’t always have to be with twins, but I do think with siblings, it’s nice to look at the meanings and think, what else is there that links them as a group?”
When considering complementary sounds, SJ, who regularly discusses all things baby name related on her YouTube channel, also advised: “Look at using one-syllable names; Jude, Seth or Finn all sound really playful when matched with Pearl.”
Another listener asked for some words of wisdom when picking an alternative flower name – and SJ had plenty of beautifully unusual options to share. SJ, who goes by the Instagram handle @babynameenvy, said “One that I absolutely love that hasn’t come back yet is Hyacinth, it’s such a vintage gem and totally unranked at the moment, but if you watched Bridgerton, one of the younger daughters is called Hyacinth. That name is so underused yet so gorgeous as a floral name”.
She added: “I also love Marigold, it’s totally unused, and for those wanting a fashion-forward nickname, Goldie is so beautiful, and it feels quite 70s. Or you can look at blooms, Posy and Blossom are different take on floral names, looking at a variety of flowers instead of the individual flower.”
And thought it might feel counterintuitive, SJ said to avoid potentially judgemental family members when it comes to finding the perfect name. Instead, she advised consulting baby name communities and experts when coming to your decision.
SJ has urged parents-to-be to “think outside the box” and “dare to be different” in an age where you’ll hear plenty of unusual names shouted across the playground.
This comes as it emerges that women are having babies later in life, meaning they’re more likely to welcome twins. This is according to new fertility data released by the Office for National Statistics, which found that while overall fertility rates are plummeting in England and Wales – reaching the lowest levels since 1977 – multiple maternity rates are 50 per cent higher than they were in the 70s.
Explaining this link, Dr Elizabeth Bailey, multiple birth specialist at Birmingham City University (BCU), said: “Women in their 40s can start to have multiple ovulations per cycle, which makes them much more likely to have a multiple pregnancy (one in 48) than women in their 20s (one in 2,000). They are also more likely to seek fertility assistance. In 2023, the number of women freezing their eggs increased by 64 per cent while an extra 10 per cent opted for IVF and donors.
“Access to assisted reproductive technology (ART) led to a peak in multiple pregnancies in the 1990s – rocketing to 28%, compared to a natural multiple conception rate of 1 to 2 per cent. This dropped down to 4 per cent in the 2000s, following a campaign by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to reduce multi-embryo transfer in fertility procedures in the UK.
“However, it’s important to note that this isn’t the case in other counties and could be contributing to the stability of the multiple birth rate.”
Listen at suffolksound.com or on your DAB/Smart Speaker through the morning with Chloe Rivers @east_london_mum_
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
