Combining 2 Names & Choosing a Middle Name

Recently on our page we discussed name-combining for two parents. In fact, it was the subject of one of our last posts. Commenter April came and asked for some input:

Can you have any combination of my name APRIL and my hubby HERCULANO Jr…. I can’t think of any combination from it ☹

I responded:

Culari, Capri, Culil, Lanori, Aprilano, Aprilana, Hera, Prilano, Rilano, Rilan, Ilano, Priler

April said:

I like hera for a girls name … Thank you …

And then she asked:

I want to ask if you can help with a middle name that goes with ISHAAN its an Indian name … Any names that goes with it for a baby boy … Or ISIAH …
I have thought of Yves for it but I want another option …
Also a middle name for the name HERA for a baby girl
Thank you I know I can find some good names in here … 😊 I’m due on July

And then this:

I have a list of names for a baby girl … Can you tell me which of them sounds good or can you suggest a middle name for HERA I’m stick with that name….
This is my list:

HERA LANORI
HERA ASHLEY/ ASHLEY HERA
HERA KELLY
HERA YASMIN

The last name would be KINLEY

THANK YOU

I’m really glad some of my suggestions on the page (Hera, Lanori) appealed to April. It can be quite fun to try to mash two names together to “invent” “new” names (or discover which old ones work). I tend not to simply mix up the letters (that’s too easy and anyone can do that to make virtually any anagram name) but to try splicing the names 50/50 or to take obvious pieces and mix them with other obvious pieces. Sometimes this is loose (Hera is Herculano plus the “A” in April), and sometimes it is hard to see where it comes from right away (Lanori is “Lano” in Herculano + “ri” in April). It all depends on the names themselves and how easy they are to work with. April + Herculano can be kind of tricky to do in a straightforward way, so it causes us to get more innovative to find possibilities.

Anyhoo, to answer April’s questions!

“Names that Go With….”
We did a recent post on this too. See my philosophy on that here. As far as the names themselves, Ishaan is alright. Isiah I have issues with because I can never be sure if people mean Isaiah (eye ZAY uh, this spelling!) or actually Isiah (appears it should be pronounced iz EYE uh with this spelling, is often an unintentional misspelling of Isaiah). If you just want to know if I think something sounds good, then no, I don’t think Yves really goes well with either name, simply because there are too many repeated sounds amongst them. Unless you are repeating sounds on purpose, I find it more pleasing to the ear to diversify the names’ sounds more. Here are some middle name choices which would be more pleasing to my ear (at least), for Ishaan.

Ishaan Johannes Kinley
Ishaan Jedidiah Kinley
Ishaan Lennox Kinley
Ishaan Eyoel Kinley
Ishaan Ares Kinley
Ishaan Xzavier Kinley

Middle Names For Hera

Yes, I know I recommended Hera to you, but I firstly want to let you know that you might want to research the Greek goddess Hera (her personality, her life, her actions, etc.) before you solidify this choice as your name pick. If you are not deterred and are still satisfied after learning all you can about her… here are a few ideas! A lot are ambiguous or unisex so could be used on a boy as well. “Hera Kinley” in itself is already a very feminine name, so it works out well.

Hera Pritchard Kinley
Hera Signe Kinley
Hera Hyde Kinley
Hera Teal Kinley
Hera Klive Kinley

Comments for Hera Combos

My favorite pair you listed is Hera Lanori Kinley, and not just because I suggested both of those names. 🙂

I dislike Hera Ashley because I don’t think there is a good sound flow. The vowel “ah” ending in Hera goes awkwardly into the vowel “A” beginning in Ashley, so I’m not a fan. Speaking of fans, a fan of our page saw your question and pointed out that Ashley with Kinley was too much. I wholeheartedly agree. Two 2-syllable ends-with-LEY names is overkill. Besides, Ashley is kind of done, anyway. It was super trendy in the ’80s and ’90s and needs a good long break before it’ll be usable again (sorry to the Ashleys out there).

Hera Kelly Kinley is almost exactly the same as above. Too many “lee” sounding endings; Kelly was once really en vogue and now it really is dated; “Hera Kelly” sounds a lot to me like either Hercules (which would be a really clever tribute to Herculano, I admit!) or singer R. Kelly. Nope.

Hera Yasmin Kinley is not bad! One thing I would point out, just in case it would bother you (as it would, me) is that her initials will be HYK. I see that and see “hick”. Others might see “hike”, so I don’t know. Just be aware because there is often a teasing factor with initials to be noticed.

Good luck in your search and please let us know what you decide!

Readers: Please feel free to answer April’s questions for yourself here in comments and make your own recommendations.

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Theoccoles: Over the Top, Too Death-Themed?

Grace asked: Thoughts of the name Theoccoles? Our first son is Lazarus, and we found it crazy that when looking into the name Theoccoles it means “bringer of death” I don’t know if I like this whole death theme for my boys but we do love the name Theoccoles but worry about it being a little too over the top?

My first impression is that it is a cool name. It’s not popular, and if desired, Theo becomes a great nickname. I think it goes very well with Lazarus. Considering both Lazarus and Theoccoles have somewhat darker (potentially, anyway) themes, it seems cohesive and styled.

However, Theoccoles does not mean “bringer of death“. Well, not directly! Simply, Theo means “God“. I’ll get more into the meaning possibilities in a second, but Theoccoles (or Theokoles) is very much a gaming and series name. Maybe certain characters bearing the name are known as bringers of death, but I wouldn’t say that’s a literal translation. Right now I’m under the impression that the name is mainly a modern craft. Theoccoles definitely looks like a legitimate Greek name.

Theokoles in “Spartacus”

If we were to use a death meaning, though, perhaps “thanatos” would be part of the name (think “euthanasia”). “Bringer” is typically “phoros” (think Lucifer, Christopher— “light bringer“ and “Christ bearer“, respectively). “Bringer of death” in Greek might be something like Thanasephor, as a name.

Theos in Greek naming can be about God/god, and can even refer to might, or a placer of something (“bringer“?). That’s if you consider Theos to be loosely about might and not God, maybe relating to the name Thetis (disposer, placer, to set up, to establish). Usually though, Theos in naming is just making a statement about God (think Theodore, “God’s gift”). I guess God does bring death, so maybe the name is trying to say that God is the bringer of death, but the name bearer himself might not be.

With this in mind, the root “kolos”  (meaning “dwarf”) may be the ending root word here. That root is used in Greek words to show cutting something short, striking a blow, mutilating or punishing. Cutting life short would be bringing death, if this is the metaphorical intention of the name. “God cuts short” could then be the meaning. Of course, you could also say “God’s dwarf“, if you like– that’s more literal.

If you take the “placer” meaning seriously, “placer of punishment” could be cutting life short, and maybe in that way Theoccoles could be a “bringer of death”.

So anyway, a death theme itself can sometimes be cool, but all things considered, I would probably leave this one alone. It is pretty negative, kind of holds a geek status presently, and may be loosely interpreted (giving us debatable meanings). Other than that, it wasn’t too over the top in my opinion.