What makes for good sibling names? Names you love, of course. And beyond that, the names should feel connected but still unique. Whether you’re choosing retro baby names, gender-neutral names or names inspired by your favorite songs, it’s helpful to think about how the names will work together. You may still end up calling your kids “Mi–, I mean Al–, whatever your name is!” But officially, they’ll have names that sound good together.
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Sibling Name Inspo
Name Origins
Whether you want to give your children names that reflect your Irish heritage (Aidan, Kiera) or refer back to your favorite books (Anaïs, Ellison), choosing a specific theme can cut way down on naming indecision. Other popular sources: Biblical names, historical names or nature-inspired names.
Similar Sounds
You don’t need to look further than the Kardashians for an example of sibling names that sound alike, thanks to sharing the same first letter. But that’s not the only way to choose complementary sounding names. Consider names that all end with the same letter (Ella, Ava) or have the same number of syllables (Max, Kirk).
Unisex Names
Choosing gender-neutral names like Jordan and Alex opens up naming possibilities when more kids come along. The names can be very different but will still have a common connecting theme.
Going Big with Middle Names
Pairing a traditional first name with a funkier middle name gives your child a cool gift without them having to spell or explain their first name to everyone they meet.
Maiden Names
Use a maiden name (yours or a beloved family member’s) as a child’s first name for a special way to honor your family heritage. These names naturally skew gender-neutral so they’ll be especially in style right now.
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Celebrity Children’s Names
Celebrities are known for choosing creative baby names, but some of them skew traditional as well. Read on for celeb sibling names to inspire you for your own family.
Jaden, Willow & Trey Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s two kids have names that are variations of their own names. Will’s eldest son was named after himself, Willard Carroll Smith III, but is called Trey, since he’s the third with that full name.
Nevada, Griffin, Xavier, Kai, Saxon, Damian, X & Exa Musk
Elon Musk’s kids (the first six with ex-wife Justine Wilson; the last two with Grimes) have names that span from the traditional to the unique.
Honor, Haven & Hayes Warren
Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren chose names that start with the same letter and have the same number of syllables.
Story, Bella & River Jeter
Derek Jeter and wife Hannah Davis Jeter chose two-syllable names for their kids. Two have unisex names, while the third is more feminine.
Drake, Crew, Duke, Emmie & Ella Gaines
Chip and Joanna Gaines went with one-syllable names for their sons and two-syllable names for their daughters. They broke their tradition of D names for the boys with their last born, Crew, but single-syllable names still work well together.
Zoe Kravitz, Lola & Nakoa-Wolf Momoa
Lisa Bonet’s daughter with Lenny Kravitz and two kids with Jason Momoa share an “o” sound in their names that gives them unity.
Poppy, Petal, Daisy, River & Buddy Oliver
Famed British chef Jamie Oliver and wife Jules Norton chose whimsical two-syllable first names for their five kids.
Hazel & Violet Krasinski
Emily Blunt and John Krasinski picked old-fashioned names for their girls, giving them names with a similar retro vibe.
Delta & Lincoln Shepard
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard chose less common names for their daughters, but they share two syllables. For a middle name, both girls share Kristen’s last name: Bell.
River & Remington Blackstock
Kelly Clarkson’s kids with Brandon Blackstock share the same first letter in their names.
Ireland, Carmen, Rafael, Leonardo, Romeo, Eduardo & Lucia Baldwin
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin’s kids all have Spanish-sounding names, while his oldest daughter, with Kim Basinger, is named for a different country.
Kingston, Zuma & Apollo Rossdale
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale chose rocker-chic names for their three boys. Two are place names, while the last is the name of a Greek god.
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