Most people who write to me ask for help combining names. For instance, one reader recently asked for ideas about how to combine Malini and Cassidy into a unique baby name (gender unspecified). I wrote about her situation in the forum not long ago, but few people responded. Why? Because it isn't easy to combine names. :)

So here's how I would start brainstorming for a baby name that contains components of both Malini and Cassidy...

Traditionalist Method

Here are the starting names, broken down by syllable:

Malini - M, Mal, i, ni
Cassidy - C, Cass, i, dy

Some traditional names that incorporate (at least a few of) these elements include...

Female: Callista, Calla, Calliope, Camellia, Camille, Carmina, Cecily, Clarissa, Coleen, Cosima, Cosmina, Felicity, Malika, Malka, Mallory, Melissa, Sidony

Male: Callisto, Casimir, Cody, Cosimo, Malachi, Malcolm, Malik, Simon

Unisex: Casey, Sydney

Modernist Method

Here are the starting names, broken down a bit more creatively...

Syllables - "mal," "i" (long), "ni," "cass," "i" (short), "dy"
Similar syllables - "ee," "lee," "ley," "nee," "dee"
Letters - aacdiiilmnssy

When I start piecing those fragments together, I get names such as: Aidan, Alicady, Alidy, Alin, Cadi, Camini, Cassi, Cassney, Diasa, Dimal, Dylini, Dylis, Idy, Imal, Inmal, Issa, Lassida, Lisa, Leedee, Leeni, Malidy, Malcasi, Malissidy, Missy, Nadily, Nili, Nimal, Nissal, Salda, Sanili, Sidley, Sidyl, Ydni, Ylissa, Ymal, Yssini

One final thought I wanted to mention was that both names end with a long "e," so if no other combination methods work, perhaps a name with a similar ending (like Callie, Lesley or Mackenzie) will suffice.

I hope this helps both the reader who wrote to me and anyone else looking for ideas regarding name combinations. And remember: If you need help with a name, please feel free to post a note in the forum -- we'll see what I can do to help!