Missy writes:

　　We are expecting a girl in December. We thought we had the perfect name picked out for our little darling: Easton Brennan LastName. We loved that Easton is not expected for a girl and Brennan is my best friend’s last name. Our son Nash Anderson‘s middle name is my husband’s last name.

　　Then Kim and Kanye have to go and get pregnant! It’s rumored their boy will be named Easton and I just can’t get over it! Our kids will be born at similar times and I don’t want announce that my new baby has the same name as this celebrity babe.

　　The problem is we can’t agree on other names! I like Vivi, but it’s so common.

　　Help! I want something as fun and unique as Nash!

　　The Name Sage replies:

　　Celebrities can change the way we think about a baby name, and you’re absolutely right – if North West’s little brother is named Easton, it’s easy to imagine the name feeling forever tied to the Kardashians.

　　There are two ways this could play out.

　　Scenario One: Kim gives birth first. They do not use the name Easton. You breathe a deep sigh of relief, and happily write your first-choice name on your daughter’s birth certificate.

　　Scenario Two: You’re in the hospital, cradling your newborn daughter, while simultaneously scanning Twitter to see if Kim is in labor yet. Meanwhile, the birth certificate application is waiting, and friends and relatives are starting every conversation with, “Congratulations! Did you choose a name yet?”

　　Let’s say that Scenario Two is impossibly stressful, and best avoided.

　　The good news? You still have plenty of time to find an alternate name for your daughter. And, since it’s perfectly possible Kim might deliver first and not use Easton, you’re not necessarily looking for a new favorite name.

　　It sounds like you are looking for a name that’s a little bit different. Based on Easton and Vivi, I’d say that you would prefer something modern, possibly gender neutral, certainly not in the US Top 100 for girls, and nothing that shares sounds with Nash Anderson.

　　I’d suggest:

　　Brennan – The easiest option? Promote the middle name to the first place, and name your daughter Brennan Easton. Since Brennan is an honor name, I’m not sure if that works – or if you like the name Brennan enough to use it as a given name. But it seems very much your style, and I think the influence of fictional, whipsmart scientist Dr. Temperance Brennan on Bones makes this name very wearable for girls.

　　Langley – To some parents, Langley might be all US Air Force base. But for the rest of us, Langley has great potential as a girl’s name. It shares the stylish L of Lily and Layla, and the –ley of Ashley, Riley, and Hadley. The name was at an all-time high as of 2014, but that translates to just 35 girls given the name. I love the sound of Nash and Langley together.

　　Reeve – I tend to think of Reeve as masculine, but that’s not necessarily so. Blending the sounds of Reese and Eve, Reeve was the name Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh gave to their youngest daughter. It’s also the name of a female character in Gena Showalter’s Alice in Zombieland. Just like Nash, Reeve is a strong sound, short and complete and nicely unexpected. Plus, Reeve Brennan is a great combination!

　　Sloane – Much as I like Nash and Reeve, I like Nash and Sloane even more. Maybe it’s lingering affection for the character from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, probably the first time most of us heard the name. My only hesitation? At Number 370 in the US as of 2014, I’m not sure Sloane is rare enough to meet your criteria.

　　Beckett – Rebecca was a Top 100 favorite from the 1940s into the new century, and many a mom answers to Becky. Surname name Beckett is popular for boys, but could also be a refreshing update to Rebecca. Television powerhouse Shonda Rhimes has three daughters: Harper, Emerson, and Beckett.

　　Veda – Because Vivi also appeals to you, let’s look at some names that aren’t surnames at all. Veda means knowledge in Sanskrit. It’s an unexpected word name with an appealing meaning. If Veda isn’t quite the right fit, there’s also Vega, as in the star, or Vita, the Latin word for life.

　　Coco – Vivi reminds me of Coco. I think Coco has more substance than Fifi or even Lulu, thanks to legendary designer Coco Chanel. Nash and Coco are both short, high-energy names.

　　Carys – Another meaningful possibility is Carys, from the Welsh word for love. Carys is every bit as tailored as surname names like Easton and Reeve, but is slightly more feminine. While the name is familiar in the US, it’s never cracked the Top 1000.

　　I think any of these names would feel distinctively different, and would all pair beautifully with big brother Nash Anderson.

　　My favorites are Langley and Carys. I think they hit the perfect different-but-not-confusing note, and they’re feminine without being frilly.

　　Of course, I really hope that the rumors about the new Kimye baby are wrong, and you get to use Easton!

　　Readers, what would you suggest to Missy? Do you think she should use Easton even if it’s possible that Kim and Kanye will choose the name? Or would you suggest something different?