# Possible names for China Guy's twins?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 4, 2004, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050 "2004-12-04T10:36:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SpiceTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@SpiceTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpiceTea)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/41 "2004-12-06T03:40:19Z")

</div>

Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, but here are a few more I really like:  
Isabella … (Bella)

Lindsey

Lara

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/42 "2004-12-08T05:03:18Z")

</div>

Thanks for suggestions. There have been a lot of good ones that we’ve discarded for various reasons (wife hated them, relatives/close friends already named their kid the same, and for some reason I feel odd about using the same names as any serious girlfriend in the past)

Seems to be down to  
Audrey - nobel strength (this was runner up to Jacqueline last time around)  
Iris - rainbow, a play of colors  
Yvonne - archer

None of the above make the top 100 girls (or boys) names. All different sounding, no matching initials, intitials don’t spell something nasty, no really horrid teasing nicknames, etc.

Still waiting on my parents to weigh in with a surprise choice but don’t think that will happen.

Any additional thoughts or suggestions?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zhen\_ka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zhen\_ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zhen_ka)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/43 "2004-12-08T06:47:29Z")

</div>

Beautiful names, all, but what nicknames were you hoping to get out of them? Seems that you’ve picked names without diminutives, etc. Unless, you thought Audda, Ira, and Vonnie would do.

If you haven’t chosen one yet, how about Tamara? Mara as a nick, pronounced Tah-mara, Russian-style.

Anyway, good luck. Wish your family well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/44 "2004-12-08T08:17:24Z")

</div>

Yeah, you point out the one thing I would prefer and that is diminutives. (Although Yvonne can easily be Eve). But it often works out that kids do get completely unrelated yet perfect nicknames so it is what it is.

I call eldest daughter Jacqueline “Cicciolina” more often than not and more rarely Jac or Jackie, so go figure.

Anyhoo, any thoughts, suggestions or strong objections to these names?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/45 "2004-12-08T09:28:12Z")

</div>

Since you asked, I really don’t like Iris. It’s a body part. Yes, it’s a flower too. Both categories that shouldn’t be sources of baby names, IMHO. Not crazy about Yvonne, either.

Audrey’s great, though.

But hey … your kids. Name 'em whatcha want 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/46 "2004-12-08T15:07:53Z")

</div>

I would look into history for famous “first” women; for example, Helen and Frances are the first names of America’s first female head-of-station (Middle East) and ambassador, respectively. Amelia and Sally for Amelia Earhart and Sally Ride, if you’re into aviation. One thing I think is important with twins is to name them for significantly different people, and tell them for whom they’re named; the rest of the world will always assume they’re two halves of the same person, but giving them dissimilar names (and telling them why) will help them each keep an identity.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/47 "2004-12-08T15:12:38Z")

</div>

Yin & Yang, of course 😃

More seriously, how about

- Alyssa & Danielle
- Rebecca & Michelle
- Elizabeth & Andrea
- Maude & Helen 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/48 "2004-12-08T17:37:46Z")

</div>

> [@DanBlather](#):
>
> Goven your location you could call them Scarlet and Brett. .

This goes right past me, though I do get the film reference. Can you elaborate on what his location has to do with it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/49 "2004-12-08T18:43:16Z")

</div>

Plus, that was Scarlett and Rhett.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/50 "2004-12-09T00:29:11Z")

</div>

I really like Audrey and Iris. Can’t come at Yvonne, makes me think of bleached blonde hair and leopard skin print miniskirts and stillettos. Wonder why that’s such a vivid picture? Anyway, Audrey and Iris are - IMHO - beautiful and classic and I really like them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alma)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/51 "2004-12-09T01:08:25Z")

</div>

For the record, my favorite name is Stella.

Okay, now I’m going to suggest something that may seem silly, but I was raised the twin of a person who was always sore that her name came last when people called our names. I thought maybe it was because I was older, but to be perfectly honest, I think it has to do with pronunciation. You see, her name ends with the sound “an” and it’s much easier to say myname and hername than vice versa. It sounds trivial but we find all kinds of reasons to feel slighted because we were twins.

And **Grasshopper** has good comments. I never liked my own name because of the emphasis on the “s” sound. But of course you should choose what you like.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/52 "2004-12-09T02:47:44Z")

</div>

> [@Alma](#):
>
> For the record, my favorite name is Stella.
> 
> Okay, now I’m going to suggest something that may seem silly, but I was raised the twin of a person who was always sore that her name came last when people called our names. I thought maybe it was because I was older, but to be perfectly honest, I think it has to do with pronunciation. You see, her name ends with the sound “an” and it’s much easier to say myname and hername than vice versa. It sounds trivial but we find all kinds of reasons to feel slighted because we were twins.
> 
> And **Grasshopper** has good comments. I never liked my own name because of the emphasis on the “s” sound. But of course you should choose what you like.

I happen to like Stella a lot but think it kinda clashes with my last name beginning with S. Also my wife doesn’t like it so much. It’s kinda interesting as we are both from different cultures and languages what names one likes that the other really doesn’t. For example, my wife’s number one choice is Veronica, which to me is absolutely something I would never name my kid. [I’ve got nothing against people named Veronica, but it just doesn’t work for me.]

I do appreciate the twin feedback. I’m already reading up and bought into the fact that twins (even/especially identical) are separate individuals. The world may not think that. So, definately different names and ways to cope. I think Iris and Audrey or Audrey and Iris fit the bill for different names, and is different again from eldest daughter Jacqueline.

Yvonne seems to be running a distant third in our household.

I had the same thing with my brother. He was a year older and his name always came first (alphabetically first as well), and it always irked my drawers. I’ve also got a first name that is not very common and widely believed to be a girls name, and even recently when a 40 year old highly educated and suave colleague saw my passport, he started making fun of my "girls’ name. so I am putting a lot of thought into the names, nicknames, teasing names, twin names, etc.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/53 "2004-12-09T05:14:28Z")

</div>

Audrey and Evelyn?

Congrats!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/54 "2004-12-09T12:19:02Z")

</div>

Audrey & Zoe?

A-Z

Audrey & Beatrice

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/55 "2004-12-09T16:19:04Z")

</div>

Audrey and Anneliese?

Audrey and Katherine? (heh, someone had to say it…)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Emony\_Dax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Emony\_Dax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emony_Dax)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/56 "2004-12-09T17:27:40Z")

</div>

I like Sophie and Helen. Also Miranda, Melissa, and Kathleen. I really, really, like Lucinda (nickname Lucy of course), but my DH flat-out rejected it, along with all my other suggestions :mad: Not that I’m bitter, or anything…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/57 "2004-12-21T12:04:18Z")

</div>

hmmm, looks like we are back to Audrey and Serena. Any thoughts?  
[Personally, I really want Penelope, but ChinaWife thinks that is the goofiest name ever. That cross cultural communication stuff - don’t question just accept]

Saw the OB last Sat and will see him again on Christmas day. He’s agreed that next week would be okay for planning a c-section. China Wife is in touch with her favorite geomancer, who should come up with a lucky day and time based on parental birthtimes, buddhist calculations, the eye of a newt, etc. I suspect the bambinas will choose their own time. Anyhoo, early next week looks like the time.

OB said don’t worry about the c-section as he has personally done over 10,000 (OB for 30 years in China - what can I say, they have a _lot_ of babies here. 🙂

Will update if anyone is interested.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050/58 "2004-12-21T12:59:50Z")

</div>

I was thinking about you ( well, the babies and your wife. Sorry, you are fourth on the list, China Guy 🙂 ) and hoping all was going well.  
You must post pictures when the BIG DAY is here and we get to see the little ones!  
Good luck!

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-names-for-china-guys-twins/278050.md?page=2)
