Importance of initials?

[name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I are expecting our second baby in [name_f]October[/name_f], and we are really struggling to find a name for her that we love. We are both pretty set on [name_u]Scout[/name_u] being her first name, but any names we have liked don’t really flow with it as a middle name. The only contender we both really like is [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], but with our last name it would make her initials SOB. This immediately turned us both off, but I’m wondering what other people’s opinions are about those initials. If you have any more common/feminine suggestions I’m all ears for those too!

I don’t see it as a huge deal. [name_m]How[/name_m] often would she actually be using her full name? I don’t think it would be too noticeable.

[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Annabeth[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Cecilia[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Catrina[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Diana[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Emmeline[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_u]Marie[/name_u]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Noelle[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Primrose[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]

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This is tricky! I would say there are worse things a set of initials could spell–sob is obviously not a happy coincidence, but I don’t see as much teasing potential there compared to some other possible combinations. That said, if you’re finding yourself dwelling on it, I wonder if you might feel more at ease going with something else. One option I can see is adding a second middle to add a fourth initial. Another possibility would be using [name_f]Livia[/name_f]–very similar to [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], and Sc0ut L1via is really cute! I think that might be my favorite option for you! Here are some other names that remind me of [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], too:

[name_f]Amelia[/name_f]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_f]Caroline[/name_f]
[name_f]Isabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurora[/name_f]
[name_f]Ariana[/name_f]
[name_f]Juliana[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Eliana[/name_f]

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[name_f]Livia[/name_f] is actually another name we both really love! [name_f]My[/name_f] husband also likes it, but he’s mentioned that it sounds like a run-on name than a separate first and middle name when you say it all together. I find myself loving [name_f]Livia[/name_f] more every time I see it though!

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I don’t think SOB are the worst initials but if it turned you off, maybe look for something else

[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Elodie[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Lydia[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Emily[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Lillian[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Imogen[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Emilia[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Adeline[/name_f]

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I don’t think it’s a big deal, as long as the initials aren’t offensive or rude, and even then I think it is dependant on the word. I wouldn’t use a name if it spelled out FAT for example. SOB is fine imo. I really like [name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]!

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I personally wouldn’t use initials that spell something negative. “S.O.B.” immediately makes me think of son of a b*. It would be a deal-breaker for me.

For me, [name_f]Amelia[/name_f], [name_f]Emilia[/name_f], [name_f]Aurora[/name_f], [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f], [name_f]Elena[/name_f], [name_f]Helena[/name_f], [name_f]Arianna[/name_f], [name_f]Eliana[/name_f], [name_f]Lillian[/name_f], [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] and [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] have a similar style to [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] so I would suggest them.

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Since you like [name_f]Livia[/name_f], you should use that instead SOB is shorthand for son of a b*.

I like [name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Livia[/name_f] B, but I (and I may be in the minority on this) love [name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] B. If you choose to go ahead with the name, you could always monogram everything (sBo) instead, thereby breaking up the look of the dreaded initials. More often than not schools will write down her first and last initials (SB). The only time this may be seen as odd is if her full name is read off at her graduation, but how many people will be taking notice during the excitement of the day.

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I wouldn’t do it, for the reasons mentioned above. I use my initials a lot, and wouldn’t want them spelling or suggesting something negative. If you do want [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], what about [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Scout[/name_u] and calling her by her middle?

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I would definitely avoid it.

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This is exactly how I feel. [name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Livia[/name_f] is okay, but I love the way [name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] sounds. I’m not into monograms so that’s not a huge worry for me, I guess I’m more concerned about teasing from other kids as she goes through school. It seems like opinions are pretty split, which makes me think it could go either way depending on whether or not people notice or care. We’ve tabled the name for now but I just keep coming back to it.

I will add that I didn’t know most of my classmates mns in school. The only ones I knew were those of my closest friends, if those. Many of my classmates’ mns I found out at graduation or later as adults.

Also, most kids don’t know or understand what those initials mean until they are older. At that point, most knew each other pretty well and already knew what kind of person each of us were. The parents would be the ones to make comments when the kids are younger… not that we heard any from the parents in our area. Most were pretty supportive of the kids in our area, and most also didn’t know mns either.

I don’t think initials are very important. Mine sound close to the word “apple,” which I mentioned to a cousin once, and he picked me up and threw me around (gently), saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” and that was the only noticeable memory I’ve ever had of my initials being meaningful in any way.

Also, acronyms don’t always stand for the same thing—SOB can stand for shortness of breath in the medical field, and NB (common abbreviation for Nameberry) can mean nota bene, non-[name_m]Black[/name_m], nonbinary, not bad, etc.

Petsonallt, the initials SOB would be a deal breaker for me. SOB in my area is short for a swear word.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about …
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Astoria[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_u]Austen[/name_u]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Bethany[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_u]Cassidy[/name_u]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Eugenia[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Jacqueline[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Rochelle[/name_f]
[name_u]Scout[/name_u] [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f]

I stopped by to suggest [name_f]Alivia[/name_f]. We had a little girl at the child care I run with this name and it sounds so similarly to [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] and provides the extra syllable the [name_f]Livia[/name_f] lacks. Also, with the SOB initials I did not see sob, I saw S.O.B. So it would be a no go for me. Best of luck!

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Second vote for [name_f]Alivia[/name_f]!

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I also know a little girl named [name_f]Samantha[/name_f] [name_u]Scout[/name_u] who goes by her middle name. So darling.

Back when my sister was in middle school her art teacher assigned a class project- turn your initials into a piece of artwork to be displayed in the school hallways. It was then my sister realized that her initials were STD. Naming my kids now initials are a big deal so SOB would be a no go. As a former Preschool teacher knowing my kids middles so they could learn their full names themselves was actually kinda standard so initials could be figured out earlier then one might think. As a former teacher I also did have a kid at one point named [name_f]Alivia[/name_f] so my vote also goes with that one.

I remember having a class in middle school where we were given everyone’s initials and a list of middle names and had to try and match the middle names to each person. I think there is a little potential for teasing but not so much. But at work we all use our initials a lot. I don’t think I would say to someone else don’t use names that spell SOB, but I would probably not use it myself. It does have some effect on how I see a name.