The power of middle names is often overlooked, but middle names can add depth and originality to any name. More than that, plenty of people end up using their middle names as stage names or even as their first name.
Sometimes parents decide that the names sound better in a certain order (Eden Joy vs. Joy Eden), but they want their girl’s first name to be the one in the middle!
Whatever the case, parents agree that middle names play an important role in their child’s identity.
So how do you know which one is right for your little one?
Eden means “place of pleasure or delight,” and it is as unique as it is beautiful. It beckons images of paradise, a home filled with beauty and wonder. What a perfect name for your little one who is soon to arrive!
If you are settled on Eden as the first name for your daughter, then your next step is to unearth a well-loved middle name for Eden.
Should you go with something classic and traditional or a middle name that is earthy and uncommon?
Do you have ideas for a middle name for Eden from family, friends, or your travels?
Or do you need sources of inspiration?
We have created our middle name series to give you ideas of some beautiful middle name pairings for your first name of choice. If a name on the list below doesn’t feel like the right fit, consider some other sources of inspiration to find the best middle name for Eden!
Find Middle Name Inspiration For Eden
Here are some ideas and inspirations to come up with a perfect middle name for Eden.
Special People:
When I was in high school, an exchange student from Spain came to live with our family for six months. Her name was Isabella. She was smart, mysterious, and could dance like no one else! My younger brother had a huge crush on Isabella.
We ignored him most of the time, but it was unmistakable that he was always trying to weasel his way into our fun. When Isabella went home to Spain, she left a note for my brother. It wasn’t anything romantic, of course, but he never forgot about Isabella.
She still visits us in the States from time to time, and while my brother outgrew his crush and romantic ideals of her, he decided that he would always love the name Isabella. You can probably guess where I’m going with this – he named his daughter Isabella and gave her the middle name Marie in honor of my grandmother.
My brother’s name inspiration came from people he had known and cared for in real life. Is there someone like that for you? Do you have a relative or friend who made an impact on your life? Or is there a family member whose name you just love?
Family ties:
My oldest son is named after his dad and grandfathers. Fortunately, both my dad and my husband’s dad had the same middle name – and it’s one that we loved.
One of my friends named her daughter Ida Mae for the grandmother that she was close to all the while she was growing up.
Authors & Books:
My youngest son is not named after anyone in our family. Nor does he bear the name of a friend. We chose the name, Henry, because I just always like that name! His middle name, however, is inspired by my favorite storybook author. When I started saying the names together, it just clicked – that’s his name, I thought.
I’ll admit, I’m a book nerd, so I have a repertoire of character names from different books. For example, the name Kya comes from Delia Owens’ famous novel, Where The Crawdads Sing. I still am not entirely sure how this name should be pronounced, but I do know that its originality made an impression.
Shows & Characters:
If the name of an author or a character doesn’t inspire you, consider names of characters or actors from your favorite tv show. Or maybe you have another little one, soon-to-be big brother or big sister, who has a favorite character and you actually like the name.
My husband helped choose his little sister’s middle name many moons ago. If your toddler or preschoolers loves Disney movies or shows, consider these character names: Maribel, Luisa, Isabella, Nancy, Adelaide, Adella, Joy, Elena, Belle, Charlotte, Nala, Anastasia, Coco, Darla, Elsa, Anna, Jane, Jasmine, Nora, Jessie, Tiana, Willow, and Izzy.
Rhythm & Flow:
If you are partial to long names, Eden is a great name to pair with a long middle name since it is only two syllables. Of course, the overall flow will also be dependent on your last name.
Eden Elizabeth Hanover is different from Eden Elizabeth Kent, but both names have a nice flow because the middle name works well with Eden. It has both good flow, also known as cadence, and alliteration (the “e” sound repeated).
Some of the most memorable names (think of your favorite movie and book characters) are catchy because the names have special linguistic elements, such as flow, alliteration, or uniqueness.
Think Huckleberry Finn, Sherlock Holmes, and Scarlett O’Hara. None of their names are very long (not more than five syllables), but they are easy to remember!
Other names which have not waned from our memories have perfect elements of alliteration. Names such as Amy Adams, Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, and Steven Spielberg are noteworthy for their contributions in culture, but their names are also distinguished and hard to forget!
Complimentary Meaning:
Another thing to consider is finding a middle name that is complementary to Eden in terms of its meaning. If Eden means, “a place of pleasure or delight,” then which names have a meaning that complements Eden? This may not work perfectly, but it can be fun to try!
For example, my youngest son’s first and middle names mean “home ruler” and “a deep well,” respectively. They aren’t too complementary, but they also don’t clash. On the other hand, my oldest son’s names mean “God is gracious” and “valiant protector,” so it loosely translates as “gracious protector.” We love how fitting this meaning is for him as an older brother – and already a tenderhearted guardian for little brother.
Special Places:
Now, let’s talk about a final place of inspiration. Do you like to travel? Or are you a homebody?
Has there been a place or a city that made a lasting impression?
My friend, Sydney, is named for the city where her parents met – Sydney, Australia. There’s also Charlotte, Regina, Paris, London, Georgia, Helena, and more.
If you want a unique name, finding a geographical location with more obscure names might inspire you. My son loved the Frozen movies (Frozen I and Frozen II) from Disney and has told me countless times that he would like to visit Arendelle. I was tempted to explain the whole “pretend” thing in depth when, in a humbling turn of events, I discovered that the setting for the story is based on a real place in Norway called Arendal!
101 Best Middle Names For Eden
The best litmus test for your middle name choices is to say the names aloud with Eden and decide how they sound together. Her full name should flow easily enough and not feel awkward to you.
Avoid redundant consonants and vowel run-on (i.e. Eden Nevaeh), and aim for the syllables to be balanced with your last name.
Think also about what it will be like when she starts learning to talk and to write her name. (But be encouraged – no matter what name you choose, children learn these things in their own time! My son, whose name is William, called himself “Woom” until he was almost three. The truth is that we all learn to say and write our own names just fine!)
Now that we’ve covered some meaningful elements for choosing a middle name, let’s take a look at 101 lovable middle names for Eden and see if your Eden’s middle name is on here!
Congratulations and best to you on this wild ride called parenthood. We trust that whichever middle name you choose for Eden, it will be the best one for her because you chose it from a place of love, determination, and thoughtfulness.
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