Sometimes, sisters become sort of famous by association. They're pulled into the shadowy limelight of their better-known sister's fame. But not these women. Each and every one of them stands on her own accord:
Abigail Van Buren and Ann Landers: These twins were known as Dear Abby and Ask Ann Landers, respectively. Their given names were Pauline Esther Friedman and Esther Pauline "Eppie" Friedman.
Anne, Emily and Charlotte Brontë: Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre, Emily penned Wuthering Heights and Anne is best known for The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
Anne and Mary Boleyn: Queen Anne was one of the many wives of King Henry VIII, while her elder sister Mary was merely his mistress.
Ashley and Wynonna Judd: One of Naomi Judd's beautiful daughters opted to become an actress while the other chose to sing with her mama.
Barbara and Jenna Bush: Barbara and Jenna are the fraternal twin daughters of former President George W. Bush.
Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears: Britney Spears is one of the most popular female pop stars of all time, and her little sister Jamie Lynn starred in Nickelodeon's Zoey 101 before becoming a real-life teen mom.
Christine and Léa Papin: The young French maids were abandoned by their mother and became lovers before brutally murdering their employer's wife and daughter.
Dakota and Elle Fanning: Dakota (20) and Elle (16) have been lighting up the big screen since they were little.
Haylie and Hilary Duff: 7th Heaven actress Haylie is the elder sister of The Disney Channel's Lizzie McGuire.
Janet and La Toya Jackson: Janet followed in her big brother's footsteps with a long-running music career, while sister La Toya opted for less conventional roads to fame.
Joan and Jackie Collins: Actress Joan is best known for her portrayal of Alexis Carrington on TV's Dynasty. Jackie is New York Times best-selling author of 29 novels.
Kate and Pippa Middleton: Elegant Kate captured the heart of England's future king, but Pippa has the British paparazzi watching her every move.
Malia and Sasha Obama: The daughters of President Obama were born in 1998 and 2001, respectively.
Mary-Kate, Ashley and Elizabeth Olsen: Identical twins Mary-Kate and Ashley took turns playing Michelle Tanner on TV's Full House before embarking on careers in fashion design. Younger sister Elizabeth received accolades for her performance in Martha Marcy May Marlene.
Paris and Nicky Hilton: The great-granddaughters of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton are famous because... they're the great-granddaughters of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton.
Patricia and Rosanna Arquette: Patricia moved from the big screen to star in TV's Medium. Sister Rosanna soared to fame when she starred with Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan.
Rooney and Kate Mara: Rooney is best known for her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, while Kate's greatest fame is attributed to the TV series 24.
Tia and Tamera Mowry: These identical twins entertained us with Sister, Sister and Twitches.
Venus and Serena Williams: The super-athletic sisters have dominated the professional world of tennis.
Zooey and Emily Deschanel: Zooey stars in films, while sister Emily favors television.
Musical sisters, duos and groups
Female musicians and girl groups have run the gamut from jazz and indie to pop and country.
- The Andrews Sisters: LaVern Sophia, Maxine Angelyn and Patricia Marie Andrews
- Beyoncé and Solange Knowles
- The Breeders: Kim and Kelley Deal (with Tanya Donelly)
- The Dixie Chicks: Martie and Emily Erwin (with Natalie Maines)
- Heart: Ann and Nancy Wilson
- Jessica and Ashlee Simpson
- Kylie and Dannii Minogue
- The McGuire Sisters: Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis McGuire
- The Pointer Sisters: Anita, June and Ruth Pointer
- The Shaggs: Dorothy, Betty and Helen Wiggin
- Wilson Phillips: Carnie and Wendy Wilson (along with Chynna Phillips)
Sisters from literature
- Cinderella: Cinderella, Drizella and Anastasia
- The Hunger Games: Katniss and Prim
- Little House on the Prairie: Mary, Laura and Carrie Ingalls
- Little Women: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March
- Practical Magic: Gillian and Sally Owens
- Pride and Prejudice: Elizabeth and Jane Bennet
- Ramona the Pest: Beezus and Ramona Quimby
- Sense and Sensibility: Elinor and Marianne Dashwood
- Sweet Valley Twins: Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield
- The Virgin Suicides: Cecilia, Lux, Bonnie, Mary and Therese Lisbon
- The Weird Sisters: Rose, Bean and Cordy Andreas
Sisters from movies and television
- The Brady Bunch: Marcia, Jan and Cindy Brady
- The Cosby Show: Sondra, Denise, Vanessa and Rudy Huxtable
- Downton Abbey: Mary Josephine, Edith and Sybil Crawley
- Full House: D.J., Stephanie and Michelle Tanner
- Hannah and her Sisters: Hannah, Lee, Holly
- Hocus Pocus: Winifred, Mary and Sarah Sanderson
- Keeping Up with the Kardashians: Kourtney, Khloé and Kim Kardashian and Kylie and Kendall Jenner
- The Parent Trap: Hallie Parker and Annie James
- Petticoat Junction: Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo Bradley
- The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Kim and Kyle Richards
- The Waltons: Mary Ellen, Erin and Elizabeth Walton
More baby name ideas
Use genealogy to choose a baby name
Exotic baby names from around the world
Offbeat baby names for girls