Twin Baby Names: Finding the Perfect Pair

Twins mean twice the joy—and twice the number of names you need to pick. But before you tear through the baby-name sites looking for the perfect monikers, consider these strategies to help you find winning names for your two newest additions. We also rounded up some twin name ideas for two boys, two girls, and one of each.

Not sure where to start? Consider these tips for naming twins, which might help with the difficult decision.

Don't be too "matchy." There's a temptation to give twins virtually identical names—think Ann and Andy, or Jason and Mason. And while there's nothing wrong with choosing names that have the same first letter or number of syllables, it might be wise to resist too-similar monikers. Your kids deserve to have names that are as unique as they are!

Make sure that the names flow together well. Speak them out loud, and listen carefully. Do the names flow well into one another, or do you find yourself stumbling when you speak? You'll be saying the names together many times, so you should choose names that are easy to pronounce together.

RELATED: 12 Things You Didn't Know About Multiple Births

Keep to a theme. You don't want to pair a traditional name, such as Margaret, with something more unconventional, like Moxie. Stick with names that come from the same heritage or have a similar style. And don't be afraid to go with a more overt theme—one of the most popular name sets for twin girls are the virtue names Faith and Hope.

Consider your real-world needs. Yeah, Cassandra and Callista are great names—until you're trying to call after them when they're running away in the grocery store. Consider choosing shorter names, or plan ahead for great nicknames so you aren't constantly yelling "Twins!" out of exasperation.

Choose names that have the same level of commonness. It may sound silly, but you don't want one twin to have a common name, like Michael, while the other has a creatively spelled name, such as Madisyn. If one twin can find their name on the personalized pencil rack, the other should be able to as well.

Be especially careful with boy-girl pairs. Sure, Taylor and Tyler sound cute together, as do Landon and London, but if you're choosing unisex names for your pair (especially if they're very similar names like these), you might make it more confusing for their friends and teachers to keep them straight.

Determine how you're going to assign the names. Although it's easy for a boy-girl pair, it could be a bit trickier with twins of the same sex. You can decide that the firstborn becomes Ethan, while his minutes-younger brother becomes Nathaniel, or wait until you see them to decide which one looks more like a Nate.

RELATED: 86 Short Baby Names for Boys and Girls

Whether you're looking for cute twin girl names or unique twin girl names, consider the adorable options listed here.

1. Isabella and Sophia
2. Faith and Hope
3. Rose and Lily
4. Alexandra and Charlotte (Alex and Charlie are possible nicknames.)
5. Hailey and Hannah
6. Eve and Zoe (Both short names mean "life.")
7. Ava and Emma
8. Heaven and Nevaeh
9. Madison and Morgan
10. Mackenzie and Madison
11. Olivia and Sophia
12. Bella and Jolie (Both mean "beautiful." Other "beautiful" names include Abigail, Bonita, and Callista.)
13. Ruby and Violet
14. Charlotte and Emily (after the Bronte sisters)
15. Amelia and Nellie (after bold explorers Amelia Earhart and Nellie Bly)
16. Esme and Stella
17. Clementine and Cerise (Clementine is an orange, while Cerise is the French word for cherry.)
18. India and Adelaide (Other potential place names include Jamaica, Savannah, Sierra, and Sahara)
19. Summer and Autumn
20. Harper and Hazel
21. Frida and Georgia (linked by artists Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keefe)
22. Hazel and Laurel
23. Faith and Grace
24. Marley and Rory (Other gender-neutral names include Finley, Cameron, Quinn, Blake, Parker, and Remy.)
25. Gabriella and Isabella
26. Abigail and Amy
27. Freye and Gaia (Freya is the Norse goddess of love, while Gaia is the Roman earth goddess. Other deified names for girls include Selene, Diana, and Athena.)
28. Sadie and Sasha
29. Natalie and Nicole
30. Hannah and Sarah

RELATED: Cool and Unique Girl Names

From modern to classic, these twin boy names are winning picks for your matching pair.

1. Matthew and Michael
2. Jacob and Joseph (Both are very popular biblical names.)
3. Benjamin and Brian
4. Elijah and Isaiah
5. Finn and Liam (These Irish names mean "fair" and "resolute protection" respectively.)
6. Ethan and Evan
7. Logan and Lucas
8. Curtis and Cooper
9. Jet and Jasper (Both are types of precious stones.)
10. Caleb and Joshua
11. Landon and Logan
12. Garrett and Graham
13. Jackson and Joseph (Jack and Joe are possible nicknames.)
14. Leo and Owen
15. Andrew and Matthew
16. Nathan and Nicholas
17. Asher and Felix (Both twin boy names mean "happiness" or "blessed.")
18. Brandon and Bryan
19. Daniel and David
20. Sawyer and Cooper
21. Hunter and Walker
22. Jonathan and Theodore (Jon and Theo are possible nicknames; both mean "gift from God")
23. Oliver and Xavier
24. Milo and Noah
25. Kai and Knox (Kai is a Hawaiian name that means "sea," while Knox comes from Scotland and means "round hill.")
26. Baker and Mason (Both are occupational names.)
27. Lucas and Levi
28. Archie and Elliot
29. Benjamin and Samuel (You can call them Ben and Sam.)
30. Jordan and Justin

RELATED: Cool and Unique Boy Names

Twin boy and girl names might be the hardest to pick. Parents often choose monikers that start with the same letter, such as Olivia and Owen, but there's no rules. Check out the following suggestions for classic and unique twin names for a boy and girl.

1. Madison and Mason
2. Addison and Aiden
3. Emily and Evan
4. Emma and Ryan
5. Cara and Craig
6. Kaitlin and Nathaniel (Kate and Nate are possible rhyming nicknames.)
7. Aidan and Nadia
8. Abigail and Alexander
9. Ella and Ethan
10. Zachary and Zoe
11. Savannah and Austin (You can also substitute another location name, such as Dallas, Virginia, Orlando, or Brooklyn.)
12. Eric and Eleanor
13. Finn and Felicity
14. Chloe and Connor
15. River and Willow (These twin names are perfect for nature-loving families.)
16. Silas and Sophia
17. Kyle and Katie
18. Bonnie and Beau (Bonnie is a Scottish name meaning "beautiful," while Beau is a French name meaning "handsome.")
19. Emmett and Eve
20. Spencer and Savannah
21. Stella and Skylar
22. Matthew and Mary
23. Logan and Taylor (Both are unisex baby names.)
24. Amelia and Angus
25. Quinn and Finn
26. Anna and William
27. Lily and Lucas
28. Emily and Evan
29. Daniel and Ann (Danny and Annie are possible rhyming nicknames.)
30. Imogen and Isiah