Fundies with a Name Theme
It’s no secret that I get a kick out of baby name themes. In general, I think having a “theme” is kind of stupid, but I respect the folks who commit to one, even if they have a dozen kids and have to get super creative.
Keep reading for a list of all the fundies I know of with a distinct name theme, some of the best/worst names to come out of those themes, and my general thoughts.
Jim Bob + Michelle. The OGs with their single-letter theme, they gave us such ridiculous name choices as Jinger, Jordyn-Grace, Jana and Joy-Anna and Johannah, and Joseph and Josiah and Josie. And who could forget the twins Jeremiah Robert and Jedidiah Robert? The Duggars are icons in the world of bad baby names.
Josh + Anna. Remember when we (or maybe just Anna and I) thought all the Duggar kids would do a letter theme? The Ms are a nice way to suck up to honor Michelle. I’m weirdly partial to the Ms because my name is Meredith and I once had a friend who called me “Dithy.” However, Anna loses points for her unnecessary Ys in the girls’ names (except Meredith, who could have easily been Meredyth or Merydith) and for the abomination that is Maryella. Mary Ella, Mary-Ella, MaryElla would all have been preferable. Also, I am STILL in shock that she used the name Madyson.
Jessa + Ben. For boys, they’re using names of theologians and Church leaders. For girls, they’re using plants. Spurgeon remains the Worst Ever Baby Name, and I hate that they paired it with Elliott, one of my favorite names. I’m at a loss for what name they’ll use for future boys. For future girls, I can see Laurel, Rose, Clementine, or Clover. (Think more old-timey than Josie’s name choices.)
Josiah + Lauren. The ABC theme. Honestly, this one makes me a little uneasy to speculate on because it makes it so obvious if/when they lose a pregnancy. If we ever learn the name of Lauren’s secret baby, and it’s a D name, then we know she had another loss. The whole thing just makes me a little bit sad, especially when they’ve gone to such great lengths to stay private.
Alyssa + John. Ok, this isn’t exactly a “theme,” but it’s a really obvious trend. All her girls have a two syllable first name and single syllable middle. The first names are usually kind of nickname-y, something cutesy that sounds great on a toddler but maybe not so much on a grown adult. If she has any more girls, I can see her mix-and-matching from the following: Ellie, Lucy, Annie, Betsy, and Belle, Kate, Sue, and Lou.
Josie + Kelton. Has Josie said whether her girls’ names were meant to be a matchy set? I’m not sure. If they want to keep up the pattern, I can see them using Rowan, Aspen, Rue, Iris, or Juniper. For boys, maybe Asher, Rowan, Sage, Forest, or Linden.
Dwain + Lana Swanson. The girls get L names, and the boys get D names. They didn’t try to keep it biblical, so there aren’t any wackadoodle names. (Though I think Duke is a pretty bad name, personally.) I wish we know the name of Baby10 or had any confirmation about him. He just kind of appeared.
John + Esther Shrader. Their boys get biblical names (which is barely a theme because there are just so many to choose from) and the girls get Greek virtue names. For my detailed thoughts on them, see here.
Priscilla + David Waller. The Wallers have had 6 kids in a boy-girl streak, making it unclear if they’re using P for boys and D for girls, or if they just want to switch between P and D from one kid to the next. I’m SUPER curious to see where this one goes because they’ve been pretty biblical so far. (Davia is just the female form of David, and Destiny Faith is a weird predestination-plus-trusting-in-Jesus thing.) But they’re running out of “normal” names from the Bible. If they keep up the biblical names, possible future kids include: Paula, Phoebe, Penninah, Phineas, Philemon, Persis, Daniel, Darius, Demetrius, Dinah, Dorcas, Drusilla.
Nathan + Nurie. I’ve written before about my thoughts on this theme, including totally not serious predictions.
Josiah + Abi Wissmann. They’ve done something similar to Priscilla + David, using the parents’ initials as a theme. Their kids are Joanna, Asher, Jennifer, and Andron. It’s unclear if they are doing a boy-girl thing or just alternating from child to child.
Chris + Courtney Rogers. I keep forgetting about them. I’m gonna be honest--I hate the name they’ve picked. The single syllable boys names drive me nuts. Clint, Case, Colt, Cash--they feel like dog names, not people names. As for the girls names, they’re... meh. Cambria is delightfully weird, but the rest aren’t good enough for me to like or awful enough for me to be entertained by.
Nathan + Melanie Maxwell. With the exception of their late firstborn daughter, they’ve been doing an alphabetical theme... with a twist. They restarted the alphabet for the boys. Abigail, Bethany, Christina, Andrew, Benjamin, Deborah. As far as sibsets go, I like it! It’s biblical but not “out there,” not super matchy, but still orderly.
Carson + Carolina Bontrager. Jubilee and Jemima--what weird choices. The Bowers-Bontrager couples delight me with their double wedding, their kids born so close together, their parallel name themes. I’m really curious what other names they’ll choose.
Joshua + Cassidy Bontrager. Wallace and Winston, not as weird as Jubilee and Jemima. These Bowers-Bontragers just tickle the part of my brain that likes patterns.
Curtis + Lauren Bowers. Much like the Rogers family, all their kids’ names begin with C. It’s led to some interesting choices, like Crockett and Crosby.
((Also Karissa Collins, but I'm too exhausted to talk about her. Plus, I think it was Jen of Fundie Fridays who said is feels like "kicking down?" Her baby name choices are awful, but she has much, much bigger issues going on.))
POSSIBLE, UNCONFIRMED THEMES
Jill + Derick. They haven’t outright SAID they’re using an “el” theme, but I hope they do. I see them trying for a girl after Baby 3 is born. Israel, Samuel, Gabriel, and Selah. (As for the theory that they’re trying to spell ISRAEL with the initials, I don’t buy it. I think “River Bliss” was the sort of name that they chose for catharsis dealing with loss, like Jinger and Halleli Grace, or even Michelle and Jubilee Shalom. It’s a name with significance, but not a name that I think Jill would have used on a child earthside.)
Joseph + Kendra. The double letters! Is it coincidence? Is it intentional? Who knows! If they keep it up, some possible names include Everett, Bennett, Emma, Charlotte, and Beckett.
NAMES THAT WOULD BE THEMES IF THEY DIDN’T MESS IT UP
Paul + Christina Caldwell. They were ALMOST doing an alphabetical theme. Kendra, Lauren, Micah, Nathan. Then Timothy ruins it, but they switch back to Olivia. Jesiah, Isaiah, and Moriah are so different from the other names (which could all pass as secular, even if they aren’t), I have no idea what they were thinking. Before Moriah, their girls all had non-biblical, popular names. What is with these choices?????
Daniel Beasley + Bethany Wissmann. Up until Felicity, they had a thing going where they went alphabetically, skipping a letter each time. Arianna, Caden, Everett, Gemma. I thought there was a pattern. And then Felicity happened.
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