DD1’s middle is [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]. Predictably, she never uses it - she goes by her first name.
One of the only names we can agree on for this upcoming DS is [name_m]Oliver[/name_m].
Any objections, given the similarity, or is it fine because it’s a middle for DD?
Thanks!!
Hm, tricky one if there are only a few names you agree on.
I don’t think [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] should be totally off the table, as it’s only a middle name and few people will even know of the connection. But I personally wouldn’t want to give two such similar names, even as a first and middle. I’d be exhausting all other options first.
You say it’s “one of” the few names you can agree on - what others are you thinking about and what style are you going for? Perhaps we can make suggestions!
If you like [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] and [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], you might like:
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m]
[name_m]Gabriel[/name_m]
[name_m]Peter[/name_m]
[name_m]Julian[/name_m]
[name_m]Dominic[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_m]Emilian[/name_m]/[name_m]Emil[/name_m]
[name_u]Emmett[/name_u]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Asher[/name_m]
[name_m]Archer[/name_m]/[name_m]Archie[/name_m]
[name_m]Harrison[/name_m]
[name_m]Rafael[/name_m]
[name_m]Daniel[/name_m]
[name_m]Henry[/name_m]
[name_u]Tristan[/name_u]
[name_m]Christian[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m]
[name_m]William[/name_m]
[name_u]Elliot[/name_u]
[name_m]Fabian[/name_m]
[name_m]Thomas[/name_m]
[name_m]Samuel[/name_m]
[name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m]
[name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m]
[name_m]Matthias[/name_m]…
Any of those grab you?
I wouldn’t do it, but I don’t think it’s unusable if it’s the only name you can agree on.
Great suggestions above! I’ll add a few more~
[name_u]Arlo[/name_u]
[name_m]Theodore[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_u]Sawyer[/name_u]
[name_m]Edward[/name_m]
[name_m]Edmund[/name_m]
[name_m]Atticus[/name_m]
[name_m]Alastair[/name_m]/[name_m]Alasdair[/name_m]
[name_m]Alexander[/name_m]
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_m]Roderick[/name_m]
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]
[name_u]Theo[/name_u]
[name_m]Milo[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_m]Leon[/name_m]
[name_u]Lionel[/name_u]
[name_m]Leopold[/name_m]
[name_m]Otto[/name_m]
[name_m]Otis[/name_m]
[name_m]Ezra[/name_m]
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m]
[name_m]Vaughn[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Isaac[/name_m]
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m]
[name_m]Finnegan[/name_m]
[name_m]Bennett[/name_m]
[name_m]Beckett[/name_m]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m]
[name_m]Lewis[/name_m]
[name_u]Noah[/name_u]
[name_m]Jonah[/name_m]
[name_m]Tobias[/name_m]
[name_u]Elias[/name_u]
[name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
[name_m]Lucas[/name_m]
[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m]
[name_m]Leander[/name_m]
[name_m]Evander[/name_m]
[name_m]Lysander[/name_m]
[name_u]Lawrence[/name_u]
[name_m]Laurent[/name_m]
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps 
I don’t see a problem. I guess most people who feel very strongly about names want to expand and use as many great names there are to use, but it’s not like that for everyone. If there is a finite number of names you are interested on exploring, and [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] suits your taste, then it might be a fun, quirky connection between siblings.
Middle names are more of a statement of sentiment, formality, and eventually a space filler. They are very exciting when the baby is just born and we can’t wait to introduce him/her to the world, but when the baby ceases to be a baby, and they start introducing themselves, repeating their name or nickname, and filling their first name with their personality, the middle name is just “there”. At least that is my experience.
Is [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]/[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] a family honour name?
If you had a 3rd child would it bother you if they didn’t have this name connection to their older siblings?
I love [name_m]Oliver[/name_m]… but no, I wouldn’t do it. It comes off as uncreative and cliche.
Also, if you have another child, would they get an oliv- name as well?? I would steer clear of creating a pattern that you don’t plan to follow through.
Great alternatives! I love [name_m]Otto[/name_m]! 
[name_u]Orion[/name_u] is also gorgeous, but I think [name_m]Otto[/name_m] is closer in feeling to [name_m]Oliver[/name_m].
I have to agree that as lovely as the names are, doubling up does seem too much.
If you could make it a theme for any future children too and as a last resort of agreement. Pps have put forward some great alternatives.Let us know if you are still searching.
I think it’d be fine but only if you consider how it might look if you have a third or more child.
The similar names is a cute sibling connection if you decide to go with it.
Consider first if you would want to try connecting a third child by using a first or middle name similar to one of your other children’s names or perhaps a family name so that child can also feel connected to someone in a similar way.
It’s possible you don’t want a third or that your third might not care that they don’t share something in their name so it might not be a big concern to you and as long as you’re ok with it after considering it then I say it’s fine.
Most on here want to personally use every opportunity to pick fresh names and give their kids personalized individual identities but I understand how hard it can be to find even a few names you love and would like to use and you shouldn’t settle if you are both feeling [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] the most.
I think it’s perfectly safe to put on your short list.
I also think you shouldn’t go for it, especially if youre planning on having more kids
Not sure if anyone else suggested it but do you like [name_m]Olin[/name_m]?
I’m far from a name expert but I found this argument that could work in your favour:
[name_u]Ryan[/name_u] Gosling and [name_f]Eva[/name_f] Mendes named their first daughter [name_f]Esmeralda[/name_f] [name_f]Amada[/name_f] and their second [name_f]Amada[/name_f] [name_u]Lee[/name_u]. So, having two children share a name is not unheard of. Granted, the name [name_f]Amada[/name_f] holds significance for Mendes (it was the name of a character she portrayed that she considers to be her best performance, and it’s her grandmother’s name).
Honestly, it’s not the worst thing in the world for your kids to have similar names. [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] and [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] are both strong names. Considering that [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] is your daughter’s middle name, it’s not like the two will ever get mixed up.
If you want to continue the trend with potential future kids (even though, I’m sure that’s not necessarily on your mind right now), there’s always [name_m]Olivier[/name_m], [name_f]Olive[/name_f], and [name_f]Livia[/name_f], so that’s always an option.
If [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] is the name you and your spouse are ultimately set on, go for it! If not, then no need to worry. Either way, I’m sure you’ll give them the perfect name.
I guess, if you want any other suggestions (sorry for any repeats):
[name_m]Milo[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_m]Louis[/name_m]
[name_u]Dillon[/name_u]
[name_m]Colin[/name_m]
[name_m]Will[/name_m] / [name_m]William[/name_m]
[name_u]Owen[/name_u]
[name_u]Noel[/name_u]
[name_m]Eli[/name_m]
Anyway, to answer your original question, though I’m not a name expert, there’s no objections from me
I don’t think it matters. As you’ve said, she rarely uses her middle name.
I knew sisters where the eldest’s middle name was [name_f]Rose[/name_f] and her younger sisters first name was [name_f]Rosie[/name_f].
Although I do agree you should consider how you would feel if there were a third child that didn’t have a similar name, or if you would feel like you had to use something similar.
I don’t think it matters. Few people outside of family will know your middle daughter’s name is similar to her brother’s first name. [name_f]Nor[/name_f] is it an issue, in my opinion, for future children, since it’s the first names that most people want to match in a sibling set.
Personally, I don’t see the problem at all. Middle names are mostly used on forms and such and rarely called out, so it wouldn’t be confusing. And as @tricolor mentioned, middle names are new and exciting when the baby is first born but after that it barely registers at all. It’s rare for people to remember other people’s middle names- I could probably count on one hand how many people would know mine off the top of their head- so it would really only be noticed for thirty seconds.
Use [name_m]Oliver[/name_m] if it’s the name you love best. (But on the other hand, if there’s another name you love equally, this could be your reason to go for the other.)
It’s fine…
No one will ever know unless you make a point of it!
However, big sister may be delighted to tell the world that "[name_m]Oliver[/name_m] is named after ME! …which I think would be adorable. So I say… run it by big sis and see how she reacts.
I think it’s fine except I wouldn’t stress the point about her not using it. She should still feel free to use it. Kids do enjoy creating “new identities” and she may want to use it or a nickname from it at some point down the road. For example my daughter [name_f]Katharine[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] wrote her full name on all her 2nd grade papers though no one really ever called her by it. And now in 4th grade her sister will affectionately call her [name_f]Katie[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] because she thinks it’s pretty even though we usually call her [name_f]Kat[/name_f]. And based on my older kids experiences I could also imagine her choosing to use [name_f]Rose[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] as a fun camp name at some point. I think your daughter is still free to do something similar with her name even if her little brother’s name is similar.
Not only can I see absolutely no problem with it, I frankly think that all the objections raised here are nonsensical.
Personally I think it’s completely fine. In my family something similar happened with my 2 brothers. My first brother was called, let’s say [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_m]Harry[/name_m], and my second brother (let’s say) is called [name_m]Harry[/name_m] [name_m]George[/name_m]! It’s a running joke in my family that my parents are lazy, but apparently they just really like ‘[name_m]Harry[/name_m]’ and REALLY wanted to use it, so they did. People only know when we tell them and find it funny, and that’s the same name with 2 boys, so a similar name with a girl/boy is completely fine! They will probably find it as a really sweet connection too - I share a name with my best friend and I really like it!