Alliterative words--ones that share a particular sound (usually their first letters)--make attractive pairings because they are catchy and memorable. Jane Austen knew this, so she called two of her novels "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice"; Walt Disney also knew this, and accordingly named two of his animated couples Mickey & Minnie and Donald & Daisy.

We find the same thing for twin names--from the mythical Remus and Romulus, to the fictional Luke and Leia, to the fashionable Jacob and Joshua. In fact, a huge proportion (about 70 percent!) of the top twin names of 2005 employ alliteration. The majority of these names start with the same letter (as with Hailey and Hannah), while the rest have sounds that repeat elsewhere (as with Jacob and Caleb). Notably, 9 of the top 10 twin names in the U.S. are alliterative:

1. Jacob & Joshua
2. Matthew & Michael
3. Daniel & David
4. Faith & Hope
5. Ethan & Evan
6. Taylor & Tyler
7. Isaac & Isaiah
8. Joseph & Joshua
9. Nathan & Nicholas
10. Madison & Mason

The audible connection that alliteration provides is obviously a big draw for parents expecting twins, but...can it be taken too far? I think it can, in some cases.

For instance, some twins revel in their paired status. They enjoy spending time together, being the same age, sharing the same friends, and likely see 'accessorized' alliterative names yet another perk of being a twin.

Others twins, though, find it difficult to be inextricably tied to a sibling--especially against the backdrop of a society that greatly values individuality. They resent the constant comparisons and can't appreciate names that only serve to remind them of their twinned condition.

Alliterative names would not be a good choice for the latter type of twin (though, of course, there's no way to know in advance whether a certain set of twins will be cooperative or competitive). Just in case, here are two general points to keep in mind when searching for alliterative twin names:

1. Restrict the Resemblance
   
   Names that have too many sounds in common can seem cutesy and sing-songy. On the list of top twin names, several pairings seem to cross this line: Taylor and Tyler (#6), Brian and Brianna (#91) and Jada and Jaden (#96). I think it's smarter to choose names that share a specific sound but that differ in other ways (e.g., sounds, length, syllables, stress) so that the names are similar, but still distinct.


2. Note the Nicknames
   
   Longer names that incorporate the same word elements can be shortened into identical nicknames. From the list again, name-pairs that stray into this territory include Christian and Christopher (#33), Alexander and Alexis (#70) and Natalie and Nathan (#82). If you prefer formal or long names, just be sure the ones you select can't be truncated into matching nicknames and cause confusion.

Alliteration can be a good way to 'match' twin names, but (as with many things) it should be used in moderation. Ideally, alliterative twin names should be alike enough to demonstrate a connection, but not so alike that the echo-effect becomes farcical.