Octavia sounds so amazing with H and A!! 
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I have been keeping up with this thread VERY inconsistently 
Octavia just has never really sounded right to me. It sounds ominous, almost evil (probably a random groundless association but…). [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f], pronounced the french way, is really nice. But it just doesn’t feel you to me… obviously it’s not my place to say what names are you or not, but to me, [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] feels delicate and insensible, not as bold and capable as your other names. I didn’t comment last week, but you’ve made me fall in love with Olympias! I should probably be giving feedback on just this week’s name, independent of how it compares to other names, but I think that [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] just can’t match Olympias [name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]’s brilliant beauty. I do like the connection with H and A about T being the only letter above the midline… but I still just don’t find the sound appealing. Well, this post probably wasn’t helpful because it’s literally just my opinion without anything to base it on, but there’s my two cents!
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Octavia [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] is lovely, but admittedly, it feels a bit plain for you, I’m afraid. It’s gorgeous, but as @SparkleNinja18 said, it doesn’t give me the [name_u]Baby[/name_u] [name_u]Bao[/name_u] vibes that I get from your other names. Maybe it’s because both names feel a bit more pedestrian than Olympias, [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f], H0rati0 and An@stasi0? [name_f]Octavia[/name_f]’s one I’ve encountered a handful of times out in the real world but my first thought is the elegant, yet famous [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_u]Spencer[/name_u], while [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] is incredibly popular where I live, so that could be what’s doing it for me 
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My favorites for you (so far) in order:
Olympias [name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Perpetua[/name_f] [name_u]Jule[/name_u]
[name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f]
[name_u]Tempest[/name_u] [name_f]Alcione[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f]
[name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Antigone[/name_f] [name_u]Jule[/name_u]
[name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
Octavia [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] is beautiful but I have to agree with some of the others that it just lacks a bit of the magic that your other combos have. I think that is because of the similarity to [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] and [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] like you mentioned.
I do love all the v’s though. And I also think [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] is gorgeous and definitely appreciate the fact that it’s an honor name for you. 
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Oh, no, each week is more and more difficult! First I thought [name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Apolline[/name_f] [name_f]Joy[/name_f] was the perfect sister to H. and A., but then, Olympias [name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] enter the game and it was awesome, but now it’s [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] turn! I love [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] for the same reasons I love Olympias but it has the extra point that [name_f]Vita[/name_f] is the cutest nickname 
However, I agree [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] lacks Olympias’ or [name_f]Perpetua[/name_f]’s or [name_u]Tempest[/name_u]’s ferocity and boldness.
Anyways, I do think if [name_u]Baby[/name_u] [name_u]Bao[/name_u] ends up being [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] she’ll have a very meaningful name.
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I’ve liked all of your choices the past three weeks! But after reading your Olympias description it seems like that has to be in there. I’m a [name_f]Petra[/name_f] partisan so [name_f]Petra[/name_f] Olympias [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] gets my vote. I haven’t been sold on any of the [name_f]Petra[/name_f] combos yet but I love this one. [name_m]Pom[/name_m] is so adorable
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I think I’m with you on the sounds of [name_f]Octavia[/name_f].
I think I’m with you on this, too. I definitely have much more ownership of and attachment to Olympias.
I want the comparisons! Thank you!
Yes, [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] is in the 130s where I live. I have never met one, here or elsewhere, however. [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] was in the 220s here last year… with about 40 born. That feels like a lot considering that neither of my boys’ first names have ever had >/= 5 in my state.
Thank you for the ranking. I think this is rather close to how I would rank them myself at this moment
[name_u]Love[/name_u] this! I definitely hope to win you solidly over to the [name_f]Petra[/name_f] Olympias/ Olympias [name_f]Petra[/name_f] team with another combo. I have a few on the shortlist.
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Here she is!!! I’ve been following along this whole thread just waiting for [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] to make an appearance. Paired with [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] and the meaning associated for you she just seems absolutely perfect imo. I’m definitely a fan of more recognisable names so this one strikes a really nice balance to me of gravitas and easy wearing. I love the balance with the boys too and the -ia ending for their -io. Anyway those are my preferences and as others have pointed out she may not be as exciting for you! But still plenty of meaning, beauty and power attached to the names 
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Week 11:
[name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] Menodora
[details=“[name_f]Thisbe[/name_f]”]
Underused, brilliant shorter first name. Mythology, [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m], poetry, all that good stuff in a bright and zippy package. Longtime favorite option for both myself and my husband that he approved this year for the first time as a first name and I kind of love it with H’s and A’s names despite the difference in length and somewhat vibe.
Reminds me of thistles, but not the really spiny ones. More like a bumblebee’s butt or an echinacea flower as it starts to go to seed… or both together… wow, this was the stock photo I never knew I needed:
You’ll likely recall that uncertain etymology is a slight pet peeve of mine, but here I’m willing to just say that [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] is “lover” or “beloved.” I kind of like the idea of her being “beloved” matching my in-laws’ names D@vid and M@bel (they’re divorced, so I think they would hate that their names basically mean the same thing, but it would be a nice connection to both).
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Menodora
Menodora has been such a strong love for me. I only came across her this year, making her the newest to my list overall. I think she takes on many of the qualities I have always liked in [name_f]Minerva[/name_f], but is so striking and unusual, yet the -dora ending makes her very approachable to me.
The meaning “gift of the moon,” ties into the [name_f]Olympiad[/name_f]/Octaeteris thing. She is the final of these names for me ([name_f]Olympias[/name_f], [name_f]Octavia[/name_f], Menodora). The Menae in Greek Mythology were the fifty daughters of [name_m]Endymion[/name_m] (Oh no, am I showing my boy hand too much here?? [name_m]Endymion[/name_m] is definitely my corresponding boy name on the table) and [name_f]Selene[/name_f] who represented the 50 lunar months of an [name_f]Olympiad[/name_f]. So I see it as a “gift of the Menae” for the completion of the olympiad cycle between my pregnancies/expected birth.
"There is also something soooo right about a name connected to the root of moon as menses as well. Crazy hippie rant ahead.
I have used Fertility Awareness Method and tracked my cycles my whole adult life, using them as a fifth vital sign to evaluate and better my health over time. This will be my final “use” of my fertility, the culmination of many years of work toward the family I envisioned. I have been lucky to never be pregnant when I didn’t want to be pregnant and to have always been pregnant precisely when I wanted to be (still hoping for the best outcome for this early pregnancy). For the past 3 years since H was born, I have used ‘lunaception’ alongside FAM (I didn’t ever know about it or about the effects of light on the menstrual cycle before H), using the light of the full moon and pitch darkness during the rest of the month to regulate my cycle toward 29.5 days of the lunar cycle. I KNOW I ovulated with the full moon when she was conceived and that the moon has been a guiding force in my life (I was born on a full moon with 100% visibility so I think it is strong with me)… [name_u]Bao[/name_u] is due on a full moon though who knows when they’ll arrive, but my boys both arrived at 70% waxing gibbous (a connection that I love that they share despite wildly different birth circumstances, birth stories, and mothers who bore them). Anyways… the final baby’s name also somehow celebrating fertility and abundance sits well with me. And my personal connection to the moon has never been stronger than during these years of my childbearing so it feels meaningful to me now in a way that it might not always have.
I think you all know I don’t consider myself [name_u]Christian[/name_u] or religious, but Menodora was an ancient martyr alongside Metrodora and Nymphadora (connection to Tonks!). The association is so obscure. It does not bother me at all, but it is instead a nice bonus that it is such an ancient name and unused gem of a find.
[name_f]My[/name_f] parents’ names, M@nny and [name_u]Deni[/name_u]$e also feel nicely cached in it for a very subtle connection.
The name reminds me of beach agates, the kind I used to collect growing up on the rocky [name_u]California[/name_u] beaches near my home. They’re colloquially called “moonstones” even though they have no connection to true moonstone. Brought in and tumbled by stormy tides, they always seem connected to the moon, too.
Menodora is one of those “man, I’ll be disappointed not to use this” names because I feel like it won’t be used otherwise and I have such good reasons for loving it. I truly love it so much! [name_f]My[/name_f] partner has always been on the fence about it, however, so it is only middle-approved.
I know it has gotten lukewarm response at best here on Nameberry when I have brought it up (I believe I’m the only one to have ever used it in combos), but hopefully reading why I love it gives you more reasons to love it, too.
[details=“[name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] Menodora”]
So, I love that together we slightly honor all the grandparents together but it doesn’t feel too pointedly honorific.
With any T.M. name there is the possibility of adding an A middle name in there for the TAM, but I just love these two together as is. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though the -a doesn’t come until the very end, I’d still be willing to say it’s a TAM honor for my MIL’s maiden name that isn’t otherwise being passed down. But tell me what you think [Aster, [name_u]Artemis[/name_u], [name_f]Alma[/name_f], etc. feel lovely but it just feels like a lot when they’re together, I guess].
Also… if you see this name and think: “[name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] + moon = [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f], Why aren’t you considering [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] at all?” It’s because my husband’s close coworker used the name a couple years ago… it’s a bummer cuz [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] is also an amazing ancestor of mine but not enough so to override the desire to not overlap names with people we know.
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WDYT? I’m not sure she has the glam power and staying magic of an [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] combo, but this has been a favorite for a while. I think [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] Menodora is really fun, smily and bubbly, and perhaps it would fit depending on who this kiddo is.
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I like the sentiment and the meaning behind [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] but I admit it’s the least favourite option of yours so far. Sorry to be a downer but [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] just doesn’t sing for me and I’m not a big fan of these two together. It just doesn’t feel as magical as your other options
.
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Thisbe Menodora is absolutely wonderful and such a you name. It’s magical, bright and bouncy
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I want to like [name_f]Octavia[/name_f], I just have no emotional response to it. It did grow on me a fraction with your idea of ‘[name_f]Vita[/name_f]’ as a nickname. It’s sharp and focused like [name_f]Petra[/name_f], but also vivacious. It’s fantastic. I can see the value in keeping [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] in consideration for the octaeteris, but I see the other aspects more as pleasing extras. I do like the [name_u]French[/name_u] pronunciation of [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] in this combination. It’s a relatively unfamiliar sound to my ears, but after rolling it around a great many times I’ve been converted. I think the [name_u]French[/name_u] pronunciation elevates the combination and what a delightful thing it is to unlock a whole other side to a name.
I like [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] Menodora. I think it’s a quirky combination as they give off such different feelings for me. [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] is effervescent, Menodora is ruminative. But then as a pair, I’m finding the more I look at them together, the less divergent they seem . ‘[name_f]Dora[/name_f]’ can be playful while [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] can be wise. [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] isn’t a snug fit with H and A. I wonder if that’s part of the appeal for you. The slight unevenness. I’m still on the fence with that. I love [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] Menodora, especially now that I know what you love about Menodora. Perhaps even Olympias [name_f]Petra[/name_f] Menodora. The subtle honours to all of her grandparents makes for a wonderful naming story overall. I like how their names would be symbolically passed onto this newest generation without feeling too heavy.
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I love it!! This one goes straight to the top of my favorites for you. It’s so sweet yet striking. I really think it goes well with your boys’ names too, despite being shorter. Her name would just be flipped (short-long instead of long-short).
[name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] and Menodora sound so perfect together. What a magical name!
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To go back to your comment from the other week, I like [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] [name_f]Petra[/name_f] Líadan a great deal. I don’t know the meaning it holds for you, but on sound, appearance and style, it’s very strong. I love the tailored quality of Líadan and the fullness of those final consonants. It feels sturdy, resolute. I’m particularly fond of the ‘d’ – they feature heavily on my own list. I also like that the name’s origin is direct. It is a leading feature rather than an afterthought in one’s mind. I think of A’s middle name in the same way so I really enjoy that aspect. Perhaps most of all, Líadan has this alluring complex that makes me want to know more. It is not a name I would hear, blink and forget.
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Thank you. I agree it feels very me.
Absolutely. Your analysis overall reinforced a lot of my qualms about [name_f]Octavia[/name_f]. I think she is losing favor with me but I’ll have to see how my partner is feeling about her.
This is definitely how I feel about them. And yes, part of [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f]‘s mismatch is what draws her to me next to her brothers’ names.
Wow! To be honest I wasn’t expecting [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] to be supplanted. You know I’m always looking for ways to sneak in Menodora, and I do love this one so much!
Absolutely. Líadan is a metal ox name. I agree that it is a much nicer use of an Irish naming heritage. [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] [name_f]Petra[/name_f] Líadan is still definitely sitting well with me and I think she is going to make an appearance on this list with the breakdown. I have been crushing hard on Líadan again ever since that original comment.
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I do still love [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] for you! But [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] is just so fun to say and with Menodora she seems perfect.
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Loving [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f], it feels so you. It also has something that reminds me about [name_f]Petra[/name_f]. It sounds solemn, slightly melancholic but strong and whole. I’m thinking that [name_f]Bee[/name_f] could make a lovely pet name.
But this time I’m not sure about Menodora. I do love what you have explained and I think there are enough reasons to use this middle name. However, I don’t really find appealing the sound of Menodora because it reminds me of “Inodoro” (spanish for toilet) and Menonita (spanish for “Mennonites”), so it’s like a mash-up of Menonita+Inodoro to my ears.
So, as much as I think [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] is perfect, my heart is with [name_f]Petra[/name_f] Appolline [name_f]Joy[/name_f] and [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] [name_f]Petra[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f].
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Tbh I’m not crazy about [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] or [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] Menodora. I like all of the names individually (except Menodora, sorry), but the former combo falls flat compared to your others and I don’t think the sounds of the latter flow well together.
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I have to agree, honestly.
I like [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] and [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] both as names and for you – especially LOVING [name_f]Octavia[/name_f] with your boys’ names. But there’s just too much ‘v’ in the combo, imho. But that’s not necessarily a huge issue/dealbreaker, so it could definitely still work!
I’m not super fond of [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f], personally, but I see the appeal and like it for you. However, Menodora…the sound of it is not very appealing to me. I just think of the word ‘menopause’, and that bothers me. Sorry! 
(I didn’t want to be the first to give negative feedback, obviously. Please, let me assure you that this is just my opinion, and if you choose one of these names, I am sure it will be the perfect choice!) 
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Breaking the mold a bit here:
I love Menodora, but I’m not the biggest fan of [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f]. I think it could definitely have a place and I don’t dislike it, but it just doesn’t sound substantial. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t get me wrong, I appreciate Metamorphoses and want to love [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f]… it just doesn’t feel as solid or demonstrative.
Menodora [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] would amaze, [name_f]Olympias[/name_f] [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] [name_f]Maeve[/name_f] would be lovely. I just can’t quite get into H, A, and [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f].
Obviously, because of this comment, I am now going to find myself obsessed with [name_f]Thisbe[/name_f] in a week but those are my thoughts at this moment.
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