Newsflash: There has been a whopping increase (36 per cent!) in the birth of twins in Ireland since 2004.
Even with no twins in your immediate family, the chance of conceiving a double bundle of joy in a natural conception is one in 80. Add In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) into the mix and the chance of conceiving twins rockets to one in five.
Win when you're twinning by browsing our pick of the sweetest names for girl/girl sisters:
Lee and Lyn: Sometimes billed as The Wilde Twins, Lee and Lyn Wilde are twin sisters who appeared in films of the early to mid-1940s.
Emily and Charlotte: The Brontë sisters (and third sister Anne) are the most famous in literary history. Charlotte's
Jane Eyre, Emily's
Wuthering Heights and Anne's
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall are all accepted as masterpieces.
Elinor and Marianne: Another literary choice, these two sisters embody the “sense” and “sensibility” of Jane Austen's book title.
Alice and Freya: Modern-sounding but history-laden names that have become popular again since 2003, both of these choices mean 'noble'.
Ella and Emma: The first means 'beautiful fairy', while the second means 'whole' or 'universal'. A magical pair of names for two girls.
Lily and Poppy: Two floral names that are blooming gorgeous.
Odette and Odile: The lead characters in Swan Lake, Odette is sometimes known as the Black Swan to Odile's heroine, but for the ballet fan these are both special names indeed.
Kellie and Kim: The Breeders lead guitarist Kellie Deal is the twin sister of the band's lead singer Kim Deal, also a former member of the Pixies. Rock and roll.
Dora and Cora: The Webber twins, Dora and Cora (born in California in 1958) were the first twins to actively participate in women's boxing in the USA.
Esta and Tara: Ideal for a pair of heavenly sisters, both of these names mean 'star'.
Mary Kate and Ashley: The famous Olsen twins are not only TV and movie stars, this duo have grown into major fashion players with their brand The Row and are now worth an estimated $1 billion.
Hope and Grace: Virtuous names are making a comeback and these two are among the sweetest.
Main image: QuarryDesigns
