Q&A: Do twin names have to match?

by Suelain Moy

We're expecting twins but we like two very different kinds of names. Should we match our children's names? How do we find sibling names that are not too matchy and weed out any incompatible or unwieldy options?

Mixing and matching names are all the rage right now. Keeping it simple for perplexed parents can be pretty darned complicated. The number and style of names you choose for your child is a matter of personal preference. Some parents favor more than one middle name; others don't opt for any at all. Remember your baby's name is not an ark. You don't have to do everything in twos.

Need an example of individuality over conformity? Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick named their newborn twins Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge. If you start counting, you'll realize that one daughter has three names; the other only two.

Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell gave each of their girls a nickname for a first name, a Biblical name for the second, and a flower name for the third. The result? Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip! If that sounds like too much work (or too much of a mouthful), then pick names you and your partner like and think would work well together.

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