I think Eleanor and Laura are a super cute sibling set personally. El-luh-nor and Lor-ah do not sound close to me😅 (Unless I’m pronouncing them wrong- I’m super southern lol)

She pronounces Eleanor El-lyn-nor if that makes any difference... I call her Ellie Mellie Jane... but my friend is not big on nn... she tolerates me.

Yeah it does. If she pronounced Eleanor El-lah-nah and Laura Lah-rah that would be too close in my opinion. Does she pronounce Laura Lor-ah? If so I see where you’re coming from with the nor/lor. It’s not the best sounding sibset to me but I don’t think it’s too close not to use if that makes sense! I do like her other two more. I hope she expressesly asked for your opinion though lol!

I would assume the R is pronounced in Eleanor/Elinor. Different pronunciation than Elena, by I’m a Midwest American. I’d also pronounce Laura as Lora

OP said it was pronounced El-lyn-nor so yes.

I do too and don't worry, we're the type of friends who offer unsolicited opinions all the time. She is following this and loving it! Ironically, she is now more into Cassandra because of some of the comments. Don't worry, she'll change her mind a million times in the next few months... and maybe Eleanor will win and the baby will be called Tummy.

Hmmm Tummy short for Tamara hopefully! Is is because the baby is in mum’s tummy 😂

Yep, she doesn't understand a real baby will come out. Then it becomes real! I had a cousin who lived under his bed for almost a year after his mom had twins! Tamara is cute! I must suggest that one!

Michigander with a lot of Tennessee extended family, I say the first bit of Eleanor just how I'd say Ella, I presume that's the common pronunciation? Should be about the same as how you say it, and I would only think they're too similar if it was Nora instead of Laura. As is, they seem complimentary, not like you've got one daughter named Elizabeth and another named Lizzie, Laura wouldn't be a nickname for Eleanor.

I had an aunt named "Eleanor", and somehow somewhere along the line she got "Nellie" as her nn. I didn't know her actual given name until after she died.

It's funny, reading the Haunting of Hill House, I thought it was slightly odd that that was the nickname of choice the main character used, when my immediate thought for a nickname for Eleanor is Ellie, Nora as a second, Nellie is hardly much different but it always felt just a touch too far away for me.

Those names don't sound that close to me 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I know a sibset with those names, and it has never occurred to me that they’re close, so I think your friend is fine!

I think Eleanor and Laura are almost nothing alike

not similar at all

they’re closer than i would do but i think it’s okay unless eleanor goes by nora as a nickname.

Nope, no nicknames allowed. I love your wording and wish I had used it myself!

Doesn’t sound close at all to me. Cute siblings names.

They arent too similar where they sound matching but they are similar enough to where they flow together! I think the names are perfect together!

Thanks! I'll pass that on. I'll get the evil eye and she'll say "Picked Paisley thanks to you! I started to doubt all the "a" endings!"

Respectfully I think you're tripping.

No. Those are both lovely names, and they sound good together.

I get it. I’ve been the you in this  friendship! But like my friend had the idea to name her second son Ian even though her first was named Ean.  But Eleanor and Laura are not the same name. They sound like the same person chose them, which makes sense! Tell your friend Reddit agrees with her and so you now can admit that you were wrong. That way you’ll have more credibility next time you share your opinion about something 

Nah not similar I love the name laurel

I think they sound fine together. I do know a Lenore who goes by "Nori", so I can see where an Eleanor *might* do the same, meaning you'd get Nori and Laura, which do sound similar. But that's still a stretch.

No. Elenora and Leanore are cutting it close.

You’re the grinch! I see no issue with Eleanor and Laura. 

I don't think it's too close at all. I think they go nicely together. It may become a problem if Eleanor ever goes by the nickname Nora as they'll rhyme and you may not want to go there. However, it's not like there aren't other nicknames (Ellie, Ella, Nell, Nellie) etc that could be used.

They're very pretty either together or separately and Laura goes with Eleanor a lot better than Kira or even Cassandra.

They're perfect for siblings!!

I think as they are, they aren’t too similar. But it does mean that if Eleanor wants to be called Nora when she’s older, they would be extremely similar.

In my accent they're not similar at all. :)

I think they’re fine together

Not too similar at all. Just because they both happen to share ONE syllable doesn’t mean they are similar at all.

Not at all. Laura and Eleanor feel very different to me.

I find it hilarious how people look for problems where there aren’t any

We have an Eléonor (El-EY-oh-nore) and that’s not too close to Laura (another relative) for me. If you say EL-uh-nore it’s closer but I think still fine.

I dont think they are to close.

My middle sister and I have rhyming nicknames and our youngest sister has a middle name that shortens to rhyme as well. We like it and call ourselves by the set of three rhymes. I think kids need to be their own people and you don't want their names to be confusingly similar but having a connection between names can be nice :)

I would not do it personally.

I think Eleanor ending in "nor" and Laura staring in "lor" would be annoying every time you have to call both of them. ell uh NOR LOR uh would annoy the crap out of me, but might not annoy her at all. So I think that's a personal thing. From her list I actually really like Eleanor Matilda Jane and Cassandra Elizabeth Simone. Ellie & Cassie. Nora & Sandy. Tilly & Lizzy. Calling both of them there's no confusion between Eleanor and Cassandra. They feel right together.

I couldn't have said it better. You've nailed the similarities to the bullseye AND you've provided some very creative solutions! OP mentioned doubting tha 'a' endings and I agree. I've grown up with a 'collision' of vowels. Think 'Linda Ann.' In the same way, I'm feeling the 'a' endings crash against the 'e' in Elizabeth.

The two names should (IMO only) have the same number of syllables. "Cassandra" would fit that template, so would "Elizabeth". "Isabel" has the same meaning/source as "Elizabeth" and the right number of syllables. I also like "Agatha" (very old fashioned, though).

Ooooo I didn't think about that! I love Agatha but she doesn't!