Some parents really like sibling sets such as "Jason, Jasper and Jasmine," or "Tracy, Stacy and Casey." They like that these names are not only connected, but connected in a very obvious way.

Other parents like the idea of their children's names having something in common, but they don't want a connection that's as conspicuous as having the same first letter, or rhyming. These parents would prefer something more understated.

If you're in the latter group, why not look at definitions instead of letters and sounds? It's a subtle way to connect sibling names that very few people will pick up on. Here are some examples of names with similar meanings:

• Irene and Salome (both mean "peace")


• Bruno, Tawny and Duncan (each is related to the color brown)


• Estella and Citlali (both mean "star")


• Lloyd and Graham (both are related to the color gray)


• Iris and Keshet (both mean "rainbow")


• Chloe and Midori (both are related to the color green)


• Leonard, Ariel and Haidar (each is related to lions)


• Deborah and Melissa (both mean "bee")


• Luz, Uri and Jyoti (each has to do with light)


• Columba, Jemima and Paloma (all mean "dove")

How can you find names with similar definitions? There are two very easy ways.

First, you could scan lists of baby names grouped by definition. Most baby name books and websites offer pre-sorted lists like these. I've seen lists of names that mean (or are associated with) "famous," "bold," "smart," "beautiful," "animals," "colors," "cowboys," and plenty of other things.

Second, you could do a search for names with particular meanings. You could do this either at a baby name website or with a baby name program/app (perhaps one that you've downloaded to your computer or phone). If you try this, I recommend starting with very general search terms so that you get as many results as possible. For instance, before of typing in words as specific as "dove" or "green," try "bird" or "color," just to see what pops up.