Baby Names with Repeating Sounds
Updated Thu Jul 27 2023
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We're in a nickname-friendly era, and these adorable double baby names like Coco and Lulu are in keeping with that trend.
Baby names with repeating sounds are primarily used as nicknames, and none of them independently rank within the US Top 1000. However, don’t be surprised if you hear reduplicated names such as Vivi, Gigi, Cece, and Lili called out on the playground, as all are common short forms of popular given names. If you want something stylish but more distinctive, try Zuzu, Lolo, or Mimi. With the exception of Bobo and Nana, all baby names with repeating sounds are used for baby girls. View our full collection of double-sound baby names below. For nicknames in all styles, you may enjoy Nicknames: The Ultimate Guide.
- Pippa
Origin:
English, diminutive of PhilippaMeaning:
"lover of horses"Description:
Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister.
- Kiki
Origin:
French nickname and JapaneseMeaning:
"double happiness"Description:
Kiki is one of the Coco-Gigi-Fifi-Lulu bohemian-type French nickname names from the turn of the last century, which have endless energy and sparkle. Artist Kiki Smith is its most well-known contemporary representative, and Kiki was the inspiring heroine of Zadie Smith's On Beauty. Kiki can be a nickname for any name beginning with the K sound, from Katherine to Christina to Kayla.
- Coco
Origin:
Spanish and French pet nameDescription:
Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco Riley in 2004. At first it was the kind of name that the press loves to ridicule, but we predict Coco's heading for more broad acceptance and even popularity.
- Gigi
Origin:
French diminutiveDescription:
Like high-kicking amies Coco and Fifi, Gigi has a lot of Gallic spunk but lacks substance. Was chosen for her daughter by designer Cynthia Rowley. While some parents might fashionably use Gigi on its own, we'd recommend lengthening it on the birth certificate to something like Georgiana or Gabrielle.
- Lulu
Origin:
Diminutive of Louise or Lucy, or ArabicMeaning:
"pearl"Description:
Lula has a firecracker personality, a singing and dancing extrovert. Interesting that Lulu was a Top 100 name when the Social Security list was born in 1880, but it's been sliding ever since and has not been in the Top 1000 for decades. Modern parents in love with Lulu might well reverse that trend.
- Mimi
Origin:
Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and othersDescription:
Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent. Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the cutest of the cute baby names.
- Zuzu
Origin:
Czech diminutive of SusanMeaning:
"lily"Description:
This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.
- Cece
Origin:
Short form of Cecelia, LatinMeaning:
"blind"Description:
Cece, all by itself, gained notice as the nickname of Jim and Pam's baby on television's The Office. On the show as in real life, Cece is often short for Cecelia or even Cecilia, but it can also be a short form of just about any C name. Cece -- or, less elegantly, CeCe -- can also be a stylish nickname name used all by itself, ala Coco and Lulu. If you really love girl names starting with C, this is one way to express your devotion every time you say your daughter's name!
- Vivi
Origin:
Diminutive of Viv- namesMeaning:
"life"Description:
Vivi is a short form of all the Vivian and Viveca forms that is sure to get a lot more attention now that a little Jolie-Pitt girl has been named Vivienne.
- Lili
Origin:
Spelling variation of Lily or diminutive of LilianDescription:
Lili has been blooming in many forms for a couple of decades now. The Lili version will surely get more attention now that the Duke and Duchess of Susses, aka Harry and Meghan, are using is as a short form for their daughter Lilibet Diana's name. Lili makes the slight and light though that is not necessarily a bad thing; it also mutes the name's floral identity and gives it a cute and quirky repetitive spelling, ala Coco and Lulu. A famous German song is titled Lili Marlene.
- Bibi
Origin:
French, Persian, or diminutive of BibianaMeaning:
"toy; delight; lady of the house; life"Description:
A spunky nickname name for parents with showbiz aspirations for their daughter.
- Fifi
Origin:
French, diminutive of JosephineMeaning:
"Jehovah increases"Description:
Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as Josephine or Federica.
- Koko
Origin:
Japanese, Native AmericanMeaning:
"stork; night"Description:
A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.
- Pippi
Origin:
Norse variation of PhilippaMeaning:
"lover of horses"Description:
Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical. In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider. Try Pippa instead.
- Yuyu
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"gentle friend; dream friend"Description:
Cute and nicknamey girl name with a great meaning to boot.
- Lolo
Origin:
Diminutive of CarolineMeaning:
"free man"Description:
A peppy nickname name associated with Lolo (born Lori) Jones, American track and field champ.
- Momo
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"peach"Description:
Sweet Japanese choice.
- Sissy
Origin:
Diminutive of Cecilia; pet name for "sister"Meaning:
"sister"Description:
Old-fashioned nickname for a sister, almost never heard today.
- Bebe
Origin:
Diminutive of Beatrice or any other B nameDescription:
High-kicking cohort of Coco, Gigi, Fifi, Kiki, et al.
- Dodie
Origin:
English diminutive of DorothyMeaning:
"gift of god"Description:
Sweet old-fashioned nickname name that could make a comeback in the wake of Sadie et al. Famous bearers include author Dodie Smith, who wrote The Hundred and One Dalmatians and I Capture the Castle.