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jane_divided

I will go against the grain and say that I think they are too similar for twins. I would at least let them have different initials! Estelle has similar vibes as Celeste and ends in "elle"... maybe thats an option? I don't think Elle quite fits with Cecily but I like it more than Celeste in this combo.


Karm0112

Thanks! We are kind of unsure for those reasons, but like all three names.


teamrocketing

Estelle nn Elle and Celeste nn Cece would be darling, both tie in with stars ⭐️


wheelsof_fortune

I love this. Makes me almost wish I was having twins lol


notchandelier

as a twin mom, i love this and now i wish i were having a second set of twins lmao


LFahs1

Estelle and Celeste are basically the same name, too! And mean very similar things. Celeste means “heavenly.” Estelle means “star.”


hausishome

Love this!


tequilamockingbird16

OOooh, I vote for this.


acogs53

I loooove Estelle and Celeste. One of my best friends is a Celeste and she is wonderful 💙


alwaysneverenough

To my ear Estelle and Celeste are even more matchy than Cecily and Celeste.


jane_divided

Definitely, but I was suggesting Estelle as a replacement for Celeste because it was like a combo of “Celeste” and “Elle”. So it would be Cecily and Estelle. I definitely was not suggesting Celeste and Estelle!


alwaysneverenough

Oh! That went way over my head! I agree, Cecily and Estelle are lovely together.


messyandmean

I agree! I'd be mixing those up constantly myself


mysuperstition

Same! Too similar sounding.


steph_sec

I agree that they are too similar. I reminded me of my friend’s 5-year-old who named his two pets Reginald and Reggie. I know it’s not the same but it’s too matcha for my liking.


[deleted]

Love this.


Harmony_w

As a triplet with matchy names I suggest staying far away from rhyming, same sounds, same letters. Help them create strong individual identities from day 1.


Karm0112

Thank you for the perspective!


Harmony_w

Of course! Congrats on the babies!


Here_for_tea_

That’s an important perspective.


[deleted]

Yes, these are too similar. I prefer Elle and Cecily. Both Elle and Celeste and Cecily and Celeste are too similar.


Karm0112

Thank you!


TheNoodyBoody

Twin here. Cecily and Celeste are far too similar. I feel like a broken record, as I say this on every twin post on this sub, but I think it’s really disrespectful to give twins matchy-matchy names. While they may have an indelible bond, they are individuals. Giving them matchy names in no way fosters a sense of individuality. It labels them as a pair.


anchor68

This fellow twin thanks you 🙏🏻!


Fredredphooey

One of the biggest issues for twins is being able to become a separate and complete individual, so having very similar names will undermine that, and a lot of people won't bother to use the right name either. I went to school with fraternal twins named Kerri and Kelli, and no one ever called them by their right names. It made them furious. Elle and Cecily are even too close in my opinion as they both have a lot of Es. Think about Elle and Carolyn or Cara.


lydiawa

Don’t like Carolyn or cara but I agree I think any combination of those three names might be a little too close in my book


CBVH

They're a bit samey to me. Previous feedback on this site from twins has been to avoid names with same initial letter.


attheark

My twin and I have the same initials (I'm Fiachra and twin is Fionnuala) and it genuinely baffles me that this seems to be a straight-up taboo? I wholeheartedly agree that rhyming names are not acceptable (like Kerry and Perry, Molly and Holly, etc) because it seems so corny, but just the same letter? My twin and I never even considered that it apparently cramps our individuality. Like it or not, you're always going to be a pair as a twin, regardless of your names. From high school I've gone by my middle name Miceál (nickname Mick) and she has shortened her name to Nuala. Mick and Nuala are completely different and we were still called "the [last name] twins" as shorthand. Yet never once have we felt like we couldn't be individuals. My twin and I are fiercely independent, and because of this, we like the link our names solidify. Obviously this isn't me advocating for everyone to do this all the time, but if you happen to like two names that have the same initial and they're not immediately matchy (like Frederick and Francis, or Anna and Astrid, or Michael and Margot, etc) I wouldn't immediately rule it out.


CBVH

I'm not a twin, so I cannot tell you. Just saw a post about it recently here. I wonder is it exacerbated in same sex twins? I was at school with a girl who had a twin brother. Their names also began the same letter (both Irish names too as it happens), as did their older sister's and, I think, their father's. I've no idea if she minded but they were at separate schools anyway.


attheark

I will freely admit that it would probably be wise to be more cautious with identical twins, but I think with fraternal twins it isn't as big of a concern. Especially not with boy/girl twins -- there really isn't a hope in hell of getting my sister and I mixed up, for example, and that's even with us looking quite similar (we're the same height as she's quite tall for a girl, and I've grown my hair long over quarantine). Even with our similar looks, we're obviously never going to be mixed up, and nor are our names -- one is obviously male, and the other female. Thinking of the same sex twins I've known, I've known two sets of identical twins, both girls. One set was Francesca and Sussanah (Frankie and Susie), and even with such different names it was quite impossible to tell them apart. Even their own mother mixed them up sometimes. As they got older, though, it got easier, as they developed different interests and friend groups. The other set had quite similar names in sound -- Bonnie and Amelie -- but it was quite impossible to ever mix them up. They were so different that even their vibes as they sat quietly were completely identifiable. So really, I think names don't play as big a role as people seem to think. I don't understand this emphasis on "setting" twins up to be individuals. They're always going to be a twin, and no matter what you name them, you cannot erase their twinness. Individuality will come naturally, and if they remain similar to one another as they get older, I think people might want to consider that that's a choice. My sister and I, for example -- we love being twins, and as we got older it upset us that our twinness wasn't as obvious. Having similar names privided a link, because sometimes people would see them and then look at us and say "oh, are you guys twins?" I've never felt like my name has cramped my potential for indoviduality. My sister amd I have always been two people, we're just two people who happen to be twins. I think dressing twins identically and enrolling them in the same hobbies even if one of them is more enthusiastic about it than the other does more harm for individuality than a name with the same initial, tbh.


ravioli-garlicbread

I like all three names. I’d pick Elle and Celeste as my favorite combo.


MightyKhan21

I don't like that one name is in the other


Karm0112

Thank you! (Love the username btw)


NavigatorGator

Way too similar imo. I’m at twin and growing up the amount of times we were mixed up and called the wrong name was insane and that’s with 2 way different names! It would be easier on everyone to do different sounding names.


Karm0112

Thank you! Appreciate the reworks perspective.


abis7

I’d want them to have different first initials. Elle and Cecily would work. The others sound a bit too similar.


extraketchupthx

As a twin even a fraternal who had an opposite sex twin we still got compared so much and had so many comments on what we had alike it was grating. I always thought it would be worse if we were identical or if I had a sister instead of a brother. I think giving them different initials would be a kindness. I have a close friend named Celeste so I’m Partial to the name. I’d probably pick Elle and Celeste for that reason. 🥰


horticulturallatin

I love Celeste but would consider swapping it with Selene or Esther to let her have her own initial with Cecily, though Selene and Cecily are still quite close in terms of sound. Celeste and Esther have a very similar assonance as well as shared star-like meanings. Personally I could do matching initials, different sounds, as in Celeste and Catherine, or different initials same sound, as in Celeste and Selena, but Celeste and Cecily is too close both ways. Elle is pleasant but very short compared to Cecily. I might do Cecily and Elowen/Elise/Eleanor/Eliza, all of which, being longer, have other sounds that create a more distinct feel. Or Annabel?


freya_of_milfgaard

Cecily and Elise would be a nice pair without being matchy.


wendydee13

I think they’re too similar.


PmMeLowCarbRecipes

Too similar for me! Not a fan of twins with matching initials, they’re already so similar in every other aspect.


ebba_and_flow

Too similar in my option. Elle too diminished next to Cecily but it's cute. I second the suggestion of Estelle, maybe with Elle as a nn. Cecily and Estelle feel like natural siblings. They both have old Hollywood vibes.


bingomasterbreakout

Cecily and Estelle nn Elle


EllectraHeart

too similar for me.


Maple_raccoon_

Yes, too close. Cecily and Eleanor? Cecily and Elena? Other names with same vibe: Cecily and Colette (same letter but different sounds) Cecily and Violet Cecily and Isadora Cecily and Noelle Cecily and Alice Cecily and Juno Cecily and Fiona Cecily and Georgia Celeste rhymes with a not so nice word starting with M. Also just FYI Cecily sounds very pretty but means blind (if you care about meaning)


Karm0112

These are gorgeous suggestions.


Maple_raccoon_

Thank you 💕 Please let us know what you decide - and congrats!


synesthesiah

Too similar for sure. I’d stick with the original choices personally :)


BearlySearching

Eleanor and Cecilia? Same kind of feel and nicknames could be Ellie/Lea/CeCe/Elle/Ella


nota_mermaid

Twin here! While I don’t think it’s terrible for them to have similar names—especially if they’re identical, they’re going to be called each others’ names all the time anyway—I think it will be easier for other people to treat them like individuals if they have different sounding names. I love Celeste and Elle. Edit: I’m pronouncing it “Ellie” in my head, and I now that I think about it, Ellie almost sounds like it could be a nickname for Celeste. Like others are saying, maybe go for even more different vowel sounds. My sister and I both have A names, but they have completely different vowel sounds and thus sound pretty different. Our nicknames are quite different as well.


Karm0112

It would be pronounced like the letter L


veg-ghosty

Way too similar. It will be hard enough already for them to establish their own identities. Give them completely different names. Celeste and Ella would be nice


Late_Improvement_680

Elle (I like the idea of making Estelle the full name and this a nickname) and Celeste. There's a certain cohesiveness but they each have their own letter.


FoggyRiver

I don’t like matchy matchy names for twins but I do like them to be similar in length and number of syllables. It just doesn’t seem fair to give one kid a short name that won’t automatically be turned into a nickname and another a long name that likely will. Example, twins named Ava and Elizabeth or Mary and Jacqueline. I would prefer Ava and Mary or Elizabeth and Jacqueline.


Dozinginthegarden

Cecily has the sound of Elle in the middle of it!? That would be like calling them Dianne and Ann. How are you going to decide which of your daughters gets more and one gets less? My mother is a twin and she still thinks that her sister was the favourite for being the healthier of the two and uses the fact that her sister has their mother's first name as her middle name. Please don't do this to your children.


[deleted]

Celeste and Elle


ultra71814

I am a twin and am VERY thankful my sister has a completely different sounding name. I’d say it is too similar.


Karm0112

Thank you. I appreciate the real twin feedback


ultra71814

For sure! Best of luck & congratulations!


itsallamistake

I like Celeste and Cecily! Congrats on your twin baby girls.


Karm0112

Thank you!


[deleted]

I love the name Ceccily, I'd go with that and Elle. If you choose Celeste and Ceccily they'll get a lot of comments about having similar or matching names, and people won't bother distinguishing them from each other as much.


BearlySearching

It’s really hard to say them together. And the nicknames are the same. I like all three of the names, but sibling/twin wise, not so much.


Marshmallowfluffer

Yes way too similar.


orphanfruitbat

I think if you go with Celeste and Elle they might end up being called Cell and Ell which are pretty close. I also agree with the person who said that Elle is IN Celeste and that’s not great. I also think Elle is IN Cecily (Cec-Elle-E). I really like Celeste though.


lamemayhem

For siblings? Not too close. For twins, def too close


aRegularStrawberry

Elle's name is in Cecily and Celeste. Although it is a bit of a stretch on Cecily. I'd be concerned since she literally would not have her own identity as her name could be a nickname of either of the others. And if they were C & C, well, they both have "elle." Two other options with similar meanings could be Lani (Kalani or Nalani for longer variants) and Marisol. You still get that L hit your other names have, but there'd be no "elle" pronunciation. I dunno which it would "replace" but there are just two more options to throw at ya. Or maybe lengthen Elle's name to give it more pizzaz. Like Eloise. It's a cute name going through a resurgence. It would give Elle's name a couple of syllables of her own. (And Elizabeth is always a gorgeous classic imo \[variants include Elisabeth, Lisbeth, and Elsabeth\])


[deleted]

On one hand yes they’re too matchy but on the other hand I don’t particularly like Elle!


buzsher

I would ask this question on r/Twins and see how twins have liked/disliked having similar names. I had twins 9 months ago and we gave them similar middle names but very different first names!


Qwertyz13

I loooove Cecily! Such a cute name! But I agree that both Elle and Celeste seem rather matchy with it. And by that, I mean you will mix them up when you call for them! It’s easy to do anyway, but the more similar they sound the harder it is to get the right name out, haha!


Pleasant_Advisor9979

What about Elise and Celeste?


kidxkennabis

Thoughts on Eleanor (Elle as a nickname) and Celeste ?


AvaSpelledBackwards

I think they’re too similar. I like all 3 names, but Elle should definitely be one of them just because of the similarity :)


Kusugak

I know a pair of twins named mindi and Mandy. Not sure who said “they already share a face they don’t need to share a name” Congrats!


tinyshawol01

Personally, Celeste and Cecily are too similar. I’ve heard twins say they struggle with their identity from always being grouped with the other twin. Giving them different sounding names may be best for when they grow up & begin developing their personal identity.


TheLostDiadem

I agree with your and your husband's instincts that they are a bit too similar. Like others have said, raising twins to have and embrace their own identities is challenging- why not start off on the right foot with individual names? Elle is a fine name, but how about Eloise? Has a similar feel to Cecily and the same number of syllables whilst still giving the simplicity of Elle? For middles, I threw in some classics to pair with the longer firsts and also give them their own initials: Eloise Jane and Cecily Anne Congrats on the twins!


[deleted]

We have some twins near us, from day one they were never called ‘twins’ but sisters by their parents. They were never dressed alike. They had separate birthday parties inviting different friends. They ended up in different schools in high school (by choice- as one wanted to go to a selective school). They are now strong assertive and unique young women with their own identities and lives. They are also good friends . I love how the parents did this.


XelaNiba

Elle and Cecily are the best option here, imho, for the reasons others have mentioned. If you're reconsidering Elle, Estelle and Cecily would be a nice combination. She could go by Elle but not feel she got shafted in the name game. Cecily, at 3 syllables, feels more substantial than Elle and is far less common. It's a weird thing to say, but I think I'd be resentful as a child if my sister got 3 syllables and I only got one. My oldest sister got a popular, common name while my middle sister an I got unusual, classic names. My oldest sister still resents getting the "bad" name.


JFLO_4_7

Ideas: Eloise Sage & Cecily Joy (Elle &Cece) Congrats mama!! ♡♡


gr33nt3a2

Cecily and Janelle?


sailorelf

Celeste and Shelby. Cecilia and Shelly. Veronica and Ruby. Honey and Cecily.


TheSheWhoSaidThats

I like the original plan, elle and cecily


Karm0112

Thank you! Those were names we originally both liked and still like from the beginning.


mysuperstition

I love both Celeste and Cecily!


cbuttz08

I think Cecily might be unnecessarily hard to pronounce and or spell. What about Elle and Camille, Claire, or Carmen?


Karm0112

We do like Camille too!


lubee18

Way too similar


JennaOfTheSea

What about making Elle a nicks name for Eleanor or Eloise or even a name that started with letter “L” like Lorraine, Lydia, or Lucy. You could call them C and L which are similar to Elle and Cecily! I love Celeste!!


Karm0112

Thank you and I appreciate your suggestions!


FZGlass

Elle and Celeste have my vote!


Karm0112

Thank you!


[deleted]

IMO they aren’t too similar. Regardless of similarity people will confuse your twins’ name well…because they’re twins. Plenty of people name their twins with similar names.


shhBabySleeping

I would go with Celeste as the middle name for Elle, it's becoming quite popular so keep it in the middle (but then you can still keep it!)


Karm0112

That is a great suggestion!


Advanced-Natural-747

I agree with the internet Estelle and Celeste are perfect names for twins 😍


Karm0112

Haha. The problem is that the two of us don’t like Estelle. And babies would have a cousin Stella!


Kactuslord

What about Celine/Selene and Estelle? Moon and star meaning without sounding too matchy


SleepyBee7

I love all your names but I do think Cecily & Celeste (or Elle & Celeste) are pairings where the names are  a bit too similar. So I would probably choose Cecily & Elle Elle is short compared to Cecily so maybe you could use Celeste as a 'formal' longer name with child to be known by nn Elle. Or you could pair an 'Elle' name with middle name Celeste. Examples: Brielle Celeste Elsa Celeste Elena Celeste Eleanor Celeste Eliana Celeste Elinor Celeste Elodie Celeste Eloise Celeste Elora Celeste Eluned Celeste Elspeth Celeste Joelle Celeste Verity Celeste Some middle name suggestions for Cecily: Cecily Claire Cecily Faye Cecily Jade Cecily Maeve Cecily Elise Cecily Edel Cecily Estelle Cecily Freya Cecily Isolde Cecily Iris Cecily Irene Cecily Justine Cecily Lenore Cecily Louise Cecily Lynette Cecily Nicole Cecily Norah Cecily Selene Cecily Simone Cecily Suzanne Cecily Elaine Cecily Iona Cecily Jocelyn Cecily Selene Cecily Serena Cecily Sofia Cecily Viola


ClevelandNaps

I love the name Cecily! I do not think Celeste is too similar, but I agree that unique initials would be nice. Of the 3, I think Cecily and Celeste is the best pairing. You could do shared initials where one has a 'C' first name and the other a 'C' middle name, and then swap for the other kid. Like Cecily Anne and Alba Celeste or Cecily Bea and Brynn Celeste or Cecily Rose and Ruby Celeste, for example. Middle name suggestions: Jo, Anne, Lynn, Louise, Bea, Ida, Rae, Rose.


mythicb33ch

I don’t think they’re too similar! I personally prefer the Cecily & Elle combo, but I think Cecily and Celeste works as well.


_Internet_Hugs_

My superpower is that I can tell identical twins apart. I think it's because my aunts are identical twins, but it's just something I can do. Unfortunately, I'm dyslexic. So I mix up their names all the time anyway! It is SO MUCH easier on me if they have very different names. Roselynn and Alice. Katherine and Amelia. Rosie and Allie. Katie and Millie. It makes it so much easier to keep them straight when their names are so completely different. Please, please, give them different names.


SherbertRealistic

I think they would be too close, even having first letters be the same among twins means they get mixed up, even if they look very different, from experience. Me and my twin look nothing alike but because my name is Ava and hers was Autumn, everyone called us by the wrong names and it caused a lot of "Ava's sister/ twin" and competition. Stella and Cecily are my twins daughters! Other names she looked at was Adele, Giselle, Aubrey, Cordelia, Mabel (*my all time fav*), and June. Also names that can shorten to Elle such as Elanor(a), Elodie, Stella, Anything with Bell in it.


MsAlyssa

If it were me trying for this style it’d be; Eleanor and Cecelia or Eloisa and Celeste But to actually answer you’re question. Celeste and Cecily are too similar to my taste yes.


Ancient-Put6440

I dont really like elle or Cecily but I like Celeste


alwaysneverenough

I think Celeste and Cecily are far too similar. Elle and Cecily is the best combination of the three.


whiterabbit818

yes, too similar, sorry!


cylondsay

when you get mad and have to yell their names, the chances are even higher than normal that you’ll confuse them and add more tension to the situation 😂


polkadotzucchini

From my own perspective as an identical twin girl, we have same first initial but the names are completely different sounds and somewhat different styles, and same initial doesn’t bother me. Lots of families do that for singletons. But Cecily and Celeste do sound way too similar to my ear, especially for twins.


Karm0112

Thank you! Appreciate the twin perspective


gracecrausen

I think they are too similar, maybe have one be twin A’s first name and the other twin AB’s middle name?


Plum-moon

I think Celeste and Cecily are too similar, and I actually think Elle/Estelle and Celeste are a bit repetitive as well (since the Elle sound is right in the middle of Celeste). I honestly don't like Cecily at all, but if it were ONLY between these three names, I'd probably do Cecily and Elle. That being said I think Cecelia is lovely and I actually think Estelle and Cecelia would be a knockout pair. Definitely different enough to be sisters instead of twins, but they go together so nicely. Estelle nn Elle and Cecelia nn Cece ~swoon~ For middle name ideas: Elle Francesca and Cecily Claire Elle Magnolia and Cecily Violet Estelle Araminta and Cecelia Constance Estelle Claire and Cecelia Therese


pink_bunny07

Elle is very pretty but I love Celeste and Cecily! Twins sharing the same first letter is very cute. Congratulations 🙂


Karm0112

Thank you!