Marion and Tabitha. Marion and Tabitha. They have such a nice ring together.
These are the names chosen by Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick for their healthy newborn twin daughters, born yesterday.
The full monikers are Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick and Tabitha Hodge Broderick. Hodge and Elwell are family names of Parker’s.
The obvious qualm is that one twin was given three names and the other four. This makes me think that as parents Sarah and Matthew subscribe to the philosophy that twins are individuals and ought not be thought of as a set. It makes me think that they won’t dress alike and that they will be encouraged to express their creativity and independent thought at every turn. I myself might have liked to have seen each girl get four names. Tabitha Fern or Tabitha Enid perhaps. Totally different from Miss Marion Loretta yet compatible.
We’re almost straddling a British upper crust feel with your great-grandmother’s birth announcement in her local Midwestern Gazette. And Sarah is at heart a good Midwestern girl.
Loretta is one I’ve been anticipating in the city for a while now. Lots of little ladies sport a kind of country chic. Nellie Rae is pretty adorable on a six-year-old in checkered vans and a vintage Members Only jacket.
But back to Marion and Tabitha. Totally unexpected, under appreciated (almost) gems. I say almost because they are not quite to my taste. Tabitha has always seemed a bit prim and is usually reserved for the Telegraph, while Marion strikes me as somewhat masculine with this spelling especially. But this is really getting nitpicky. Overall the names deserve an ovation. They balance one another nicely and neither outshines the other. James Wilkie must be a proud big brother.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve loved Marion ever since Ms. Cotillard embodied Edith Piaf, garnered numerous accolades for the performance, and captivated me with her European charm and elegance.
I’m also positively smitten with Loretta.
Yes, I agree about Tabitha. I want to like it, and I sort of do, but it just seems a little stiff. And what would you call her? Tabby? But, it’s still a fresh-sounding name, and I like it for that.
I’ve been waiting to see what your response to Marion and Tabitha would be. Interesting choices from SJP. I’m feeling pretty meh about both names, but I bet they’ll grow on me the more I hear them. Loretta, though? I thought maybe that was a family name also, why else would you throw that in there and then not balance out the other twin name. To me it screams “Hot Lips Hoolihan.” Oh well. No inspiration here to help me with my own struggle.
Now, where is the Rachael Griffiths baby name announcement? I’m dying to see what she pairs with Banjo and Adelaide.
Like you, I’m pleased with the names but would have liked to see Tabitha get another middle.
Tabitha Lois Hodge would have my vote!
Elisabeth I think you are spot-on with Tabitha Enid – it would be a perfect complement to Marion Loretta. I do find it odd that one twin has 4 names and the other has 3. I am in favour of treating twins as individuals, but I wouldn’t even give non-twin siblings an uneven number of middle names. Hmmmm.
I can see the granny chic appeal of Marion and Loretta. (Hence my thinking that Enid would be a great match.) Tabitha I actually find very cute, perhaps because living in London (England) I met a couple of gorgeous little Tabitha’s, so I totally can’t relate to the stiffness/primness vibe that some of you mentioned.
One of my friends has long had Tabitha at the top of her baby names list. She told me yesterday that she has scratched it. Can’t be done now, she says, or she’ll just look like an SJP copycat. It’s gutting when that happens to your favourite name, isn’t it!
I am not a huge fan of Marion. I find her to be a bit drab and frumpy. I have always liked Tabitha. She carries a mystical and mysterious vibe for me, probably thanks to Bewitched where I first heard the name as a child. I don’t think either really go as a sister set, but as a far as celebrity names go, they aren’t bad.
I’m conflicted with these name choices. While I appreciate that both names are unusual and work quite well as a sibling set, I wanted to tear my hair out when I realised that one twin had three names while the other had four. Additionally, while I like Tabitha by itself, it always makes me think of Dorcas, which I don’t like. Also, I agree with those who find Marion a bit too masculine.
I adore Tabitha. Tabitha Enid – that would have been perfect!
Overall I am happy with these choices.
Tabitha ENID!? You should have your driving, voting, and drinking rights taken, in addition to your naming rights, with that suggestion!
If I were Marion, I’d be angry my whole life that my sister got such a hip, sassy name, and I got stuck with Marion. Marion calls to mind aprons, curled hair, and bright red lipstick, a la 1950′s housewife. Ick!