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Remy has exhausted all baby name resources in search of a name for Baby Number 2, but nothing compares to the name of his oldest child! How do you choose a name when nothing stands out as The One?

Remy writes:

My wife and I have a son named Arden Valentine and a baby girl due in December 2024.

We have been searching for many months for the perfect name for our second child. I've gone through every Top 1000 list since they first began and yet The Name still eludes us.

We love that Arden's name feels recognisable, classic, and timeless, but is not common (and extra points for being gender-neutral). Nothing else seems to compare. The closest we have come is Marlowe, Avery, Ellis, and Ellery. But none of these seems quite right either. Maybe they're a bit too soft for this little Sagittarius? We're also happy to bend the rules and use a more traditionally male name for first or middle.

Please help us name our baby. We would be forever grateful!

Nameberry Editor-in-Chief Sophie Kihm responds:

The dilemma you’re facing is all too familiar to second-time parents: how do you find a name you love as much as your first child’s?

If you’ve scoured the internet for months and nothing has turned up, the unfortunate answer is that you probably can’t.

While Arden Valentine is a stunning name — a Nameberry name if I’ve ever heard one! — part of the reason it shines is because it’s attached to your son. His name and identity are merged, so Arden reflects not just the qualities of the name you pointed out, but your son’s entire being.

You have yet to meet this new baby. Her name is just that — a name — because it takes time for name and identity to fuse. At this point, your job is to choose your favorite name from a shortlist and trust that your daughter will come to embody it. That’s when you’ll really fall in love with her name.

But you’re here looking for suggestions. My goal is to find you a name that feels like a better fit than Marlowe, Avery, Ellis, or Ellery, even if it doesn’t stand out to you as The One:

Sterling ticks all your boxes and I especially like it for a December baby with its silvery aura.

If you want a spirited name for this Sagittarius baby, Bellamy, Clancy, and Quincy are all bouncy and bright.

Monroe and Merritt are two wonderful alternatives to Marlowe, and Reeve reminds me of Avery.

I’m not sure how you feel about repeating ending sounds. If it’s not an issue, Larkin, Lowen, and Tilden are great options.

My wildcard pick for you is Ferris — instantly recognizable yet exceedingly rare. It has a playful energy thanks to the Ferris Wheel association, which feels right for a little Sagittarius.

Nameberry Editor Grace responds:

I love Sophie’s words of wisdom on why Arden feels so perfect — and your son’s name is a fabulous one by the way. But that did make me think: is part of what’s making this search so difficult that every name is being weighed up against Arden and coming up short because, well, no other name will ever be Arden?

And since we can’t use Arden.2, let’s take it out of the equation for the moment and focus in on your name criteria for this baby, rather than on finding a sister name for Arden.

We’re working with: unique but recognisable, untraditional but not trendy, and, importantly — for this baby — nothing too soft or overly cuddly.

This might be a bit of a mishmash of ideas but here’s what I’m thinking:

Sylva — part Silver-part-Sylvie, Sylva is sleek with a slightly sharp and unexpected edge. It’s a legitimate member of the Sylv- name family as opposed to a new spelling of a word name, which gives it a touch of timelessness too.

Cordy or Kordy — to me, Cordy has strong sounds but an energetic, spirited feel, and as a diminutive form of both Conrad and Cordelia, ticks off the gender-neutral criteria too. It also led me to think about Keedie, Tully, and Neely as options with a similar vibe.

Tallis — this one reminds me of Ellis, but the T- beginning adds a bit of spikiness. It can be considered a surname-inspired choice (like Marlowe and Avery) but it also has links to a masculine Ancient Greek name, Thales, giving the name history while also allowing you to bend the rules.

Joni — familiar but not overly popular, Joni has ties to the strong, and classic Joan, while also having a playful, musical feel to it. It might be more feminine leaning than your other choices, but it reminds me more of Joey and Jonny rather than Josie or Jolie. Pepper and Sunny give me a similar feel.

Merle — inspired by the sounds of Marlowe and Ellery, Merle has a solid history as a unisex option (in the US and UK at least, usage varies elsewhere). It gives me a mix of connotations: blackbirds due to the meaning, Arthurian legend due to Merlin, pearls because it rhymes, and that same relaxed-but-confident feel of Marley and Kit. Merle made me think of Royce, Clyde and Oakes too.

Ziggy — vivid, zippy, and cool, but with similar sounds to more classic nicknames – I’m thinking of Billie, Libby, Izzy, Aggie, and Tabby – Ziggy could make a fun but familiar option that would stand out without feeling out of place.

I’m also very much liking Sophie’s suggestions of Merritt, Monroe, Clancy, and Ferris!

What we’re naming your baby:

SK: I’m going to go with Sterling Ferris.

GR: Joni Merritt or Ziggy Artemis

Best of luck in finding one that feels right for you and your baby!

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