Forget Rhyming: 10 Creative Ways To Give Siblings Matching Names

If your family plans include having more than one child, you're probably anticipating a lot of hugs, groceries, and busy schedules. But you should also give some thought to how well your children's names will sound together. It's all a matter of preference, of course, but when two or more names are vastly different, it's a bit jarring. To avoid that particular dilemma, consider giving your children names that naturally match in some way. Rhyming names are a popular option (Jack and Zach, Brianna and Savannah, Harry, Barry, and Carrie), but some find that too cutesy, and others argue that it could make it difficult for kids to carve out individuality.

Some parents just happen to stumble on a name theme. Michigan mom Britney Donley named her first child Sunday after the day of the week on which she was born. From there, naming her other six children was a no-brainer (and their birth dates just happened to coincide with the correct order of the week!). The Duggars of "19 Kids & Counting" fame gave each of their children names starting with "J", right down to the youngest daughter, Josie. If you're looking to give your brood a bit of cohesion, but aren't sold on April and May, or Kim, Kylie, and Khloé, we have some other thematic options to consider. They might be just right for your family — or maybe they'll spark ideas of your own!

Names can reflect the qualities the parents hope their children will embody one day. Give your kids a head start by naming them after people you admire. There are presidents to choose from (George, Thomas, Jimmy, Barack) as well as first ladies (Eleanor, Jacqueline, Abigail, Michelle). Think of suffragists and civil rights legends, too, like Harriet (Tubman), Sojourner (Truth), Martin (Luther King Jr.), Ruby (Bridges), and Ida (B.Wells).

If you're a fan of British royalty, you know that the Windsor family tree is rife with timeless names. You won't want to go the copycat route unless you're okay with some eye rolls as you introduce little George, Charlotte, and Louis. But cast a wider net, and you'll have options like Archie, Sienna, August, Eugenie, Louise, Ernest, Lucas, and Lena. You could also make a sibling group solely out of kings and queens: Henry, Charles, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Anne, Edward, and Richard. 

Instead of matching first initials, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave their sons names ending in "X" — Maddox, Pax, and Knox — thus creating a connection while highlighting individuality. You could do the same with X-ending names like Alex, Max, Felix, Beatrix, and Lennox. Or, try a different ending letter: H gives you softer choices like Faith, Hannah, Leigh, Noah, Joseph, Ash, and Hugh. Suffixes are another strong option; "-son" creates names like Madison, Carson, Mason, Jackson, and Harrison, while "-lee" opens the door for names like Bailey, Riley, Marley, Everly, Kimberly, and Brantley.

Many children's books also feature protagonists and supporting characters with great names. "Charlotte's Web" includes the human siblings Fern and Avery in addition to the titular arachnid. Olivia, the spirited pig — created by Ian Falconer — has brothers named Ian and William. The famous "Imagineers" book series features wonderful choices like Ada, Iggy, Rosie, Aaron, and Sofia. Or, you can mix and match with names like Trixie (the "Knuffle Bunny" books), Max ("Where the Wild Things Are"), and Charlie (of "Chocolate Factory" fame).

The American West has long been a symbol for adventure and natural beauty. If you love that imagery, honor it by giving your children Western-inspired names, even if you don't live there. You can choose from different places (Dakota, Austin, Dallas, Shiloh, Montana), animals (Wolf, Maverick, Lynx, Puma, Fox), famous figures (Annie, Jane, Wayne, Boone, Destry), or words associated with the region (Stetson, Remington, Ryder, Sage). Names of country music stars also fit the bill, like Shania, Hank, Willie, Dolly, Reba, or Garth.

Parents have always turned to nature for baby name inspiration, and celebrities are no different. Famous parents who've embraced the trend include Cardi B (Wave and Blossom), Megan Fox (Journey River), Kelly Clarkson (River Rose), Kylie Jenner (Stormi and Aire), and Jessie J (Sky). You could create a sisterly garden with all the flower names out there, or turn to trees with names like Hazel, Linden, Olive, and Willow. Other nature-inspired names include Brook, Lake, Rain, Meadow, Ocean, Forest, and Fern.

Look to the sky for a different variation on nature-inspired names. Sunny, Dawn, Aurora, and Lux or Lucy (meaning "light") elicit visions of a beautiful day, while Luna, Star, Stella, and Galaxy conjure images of the night sky. Many classical Greek and Latin names are also associated with the sky, such as Apollo (god of the sun), Diana (goddess of the moon), Mars, Jupiter, and Artemis. Constellation-inspired monikers include Lyra, Andromeda, Columba, Corvus, Draco, Orion, Vela, and Leo. You can also honor famous astronauts such as Neil (Armstrong), Sally (Ride), and Mae (Jemison).

If you're a Broadway buff, think about the characters from your favorite musicals: Annie, Oliver, Billy Elliot, and Peter (Pan). Checking both the historical and musical boxes is "Hamilton," with its revolutionary characters Alexander, Aaron, George, Thomas, Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy. If you're a Shakespeare fan, the current hit "& Juliet" includes the characters Imogen, Augustine, and Eleanor, whereas "Kiss Me, Kate" featured roles like Katharine, Bianca, Nathaniel, and Gregory.

Using surnames as first names exploded in popularity as parents sought gender-neutral options for girls. In the South, however, it's been historically common to call children by the family names that double as their middle names. For example, Reese Witherspoon's full name is Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon, with Reese being her mom's maiden name and the actor's middle name. The option is still popular today, providing a host of possibilities for siblings of all genders, like Anderson, Fallon, Cameron, and Harlow.

In keeping with the surname theme, you could name your children after different trades and occupations, like Hunter, Harper, Baker, Sailor, Taylor, Carter, Piper, and Ryder. Less obvious job-related choices include Cooper (barrel maker), Fletcher (arrow maker), Chandler (candle maker), Thaxter or Thatcher (someone who thatches roofs), Spencer (house steward), and Foster (sheep shearer). Jagger (peddler) appeals to music lovers, too, with Ashley Simpson and Evan Ross giving that name to their daughter.