All right, just how usable is [name]Ottilie[/name] today, particularly in the United States (and maybe [name]Canada[/name])? What about [name]Ottoline[/name]? I adore both, the same with [name]Otylia[/name], but [name]Ottilie[/name] is by far my favorite and is probably in my Top 10 for girl names.
Would you know or wonder how to pronounce it? Could you remember it well [[name]OTT[/name]-il-lee]? [name]Do[/name] you like it? Is it frilly? [name]Do[/name] you think a kid have problems with it not being on personalized things at stores, or being the only one around with an otherwise uncommon name? (At this point, I think [name]Arabella[/name] would fare better in 10 years, because of all of the -bel and -bella names going around, which is why I dropped it.)
Any combo suggestions? The only thing I have right now is [name]Ottilie[/name] [name]Debra[/name], which is pretty typical because [name]Debra[/name] is after my mom, but I want something fresh since it’s not my #1!
Thanks!
I should note that I’m not having kids anytime soon
Sorty but I don’t think it’s usable in the US and that’s mainly because I think Americans mispronounce it. I think “oh tee lee” is more attractive than “ott ilee”, “oh tilly” etc…but I think people have problems saying it here.
Sorty but I don’t think it’s usable in the US and that’s mainly because I think Americans mispronounce it. I think “oh tee lee” (the best I can describe it) is more attractive than “ott ilee”, “oh tilly” etc…but I think people have problems saying it here.
I don’t think it is usable in the US either. I know how to pronounce it but most would not, at first glance it looks more like it should be said “Oh-til”. I have never seen something personalized Ottile in a store. As a teacher I have never had an Ottile in class before, and not sure that I ever will. But if you love it go for it, it does not matter in the end whatever everyone thinks, just how special it is to you.
I really like [name]Ottilie[/name]. I wouldn’t use it on my own kid, but I think it’d be adorable on the right kid.
Would it get mispronounced? Probably, but you run that risk with any name. [name]Even[/name] people with so-called ‘normal’ names run that risk.
I say go for it, if it’s a name you really love.
I really like [name]Ottilie[/name] and I find the pronunciation pretty intuitive. I like [name]Ottoline[/name] as well but [name]Ottilie[/name] more. They are both quite frilly, girly names. Perhaps in [name]Canada[/name], where French is universally studied, they wouldn’t cause any confusion but they probably would in the US. That said, I prefer either to [name]Arabella[/name] which seems not nearly as original or sophisticated. Plus the “[name]Bella[/name]” nickname is going to be SO dated in 10 years!
My grandmothers name was [name]Ottilie[/name]. We said it the [name]German[/name] way [name]OTT[/name]-till-ia and actually, most people I know here in [name]America[/name] pronounce it Oh -till-ee…not Oh-tee-lee. Although that might be different in a different part of the US.
I think that [name]Ottilie[/name] is just as usable as any other name out there. It’s pretty and lyrical and my grandmother never had a problem with it. My family is actually pushing pretty hard to get me to use her name somewhere.
Use it if you live it. I’ll come up with some combos later.
I like both names. [name]Ottilie[/name] is more wearable than [name]Ottoline[/name]. I think [name]Ottilie[/name] is pretty tricky. [name]Odelia[/name] is a related form that I think is more intuitive to say and spell, the prn is pretty different but still a similar rhythm (quite like [name]Otylia[/name]…but different). It picks up on more familiar [name]Delia[/name] and [name]Ophelia[/name] and even [name]Amelia[/name], so that would be my pick if you were open to it.
I like Ottilie. Ottoline, not so much. It sounds like a carburettor cleaner brand or something, sorry.
About the pronunciation, I agree with what Dantea said.
It is not frilly. Ottilia is a bit frilly, but Ottilie in written form is just fine. I don’t think personalized stuffs matter. There are a lot of things you could order and personalize with any name.
I love it. There is a brand of tween skin care and haircare products called [name]Ottilie[/name] and [name]Lulu[/name]. Not sure how big it will ever get, it’s pretty pricey for tweens but it’s still adorable! (it’s sold on amazon) Anyway, if it does get big it would help a lot with the pronunciation and spelling. I say go for it!
Here are some pronunciations if youre interested, I like the [name]German[/name] and French ones, but Im not sure Americans would be able to say them well, maybe it would make a nice mn if youre really in love with it
I think it’s adorable, and I think pronunciation is pretty intuitive. And really I highly doubt anybody would bat an eye about a baby named [name]Ottilie[/name](except maybe because it’s so adorable :))
i didn’t know how to pronounce it (i’m american) i thought it might sound something like odelay (it made me think of that beck album). but i don’t think it would be a bad choice, she will probably just have to tell some people she meets how to pronounce her name. for the most part i think people like hearing different/unique names and she’ll probably like having one.
It might just be because I’m from Ottawa, [name]Canada[/name] and most “ott-” words automatically become “odd-” in sound, so to me [name]Ottilie[/name] doesn’t say “[name]OTT[/name]-ih-lee” in English or in French (“ODD-ih-lee” and “o-tee-[name]LEE[/name]” respectively.)
I definitely prefer [name]Ottoline[/name], and I like that one a lot, actually.
As for personalized things and having an uncommon name… I think it depends on the person as to whether or not it bothers them. I very rarely find my name on anything, and never did as a kid but it didn’t really bug me.
I know a girl whose legal name is [name]Cordelia[/name] and she goes by [name]Jenn[/name], which I find unfortunate but if [name]Cordelia[/name] doesn’t feel like her name then I can’t fault her for that (as I’ve been through the same thing with my legal name as well.)
[name]Ottilie[/name] [name]Debra[/name] is pretty! I like the idea of picking flower names to honour a [name]Debra[/name]/ [name]Deborah[/name], with the bee meaning connection.
Ottilie is one of my top 5 favorite names. I adore it and I definitely think it is useable in the USA. It reached it’s highest popularity in the USA over a century ago. Although it seems to be used more today in the UK.
To me nearly every interesting name has pronunciation issues. I have a name that was in the top 200 and have had to explain it all my life. (mainly because it is pronounced differently in Europe than in the US)- And people still get it wrong. It’s not something I personally worry too much about. People that are close to me say it right!
I like Ottoline too, but would probably only use it in the middle, as it’s not quite as wearable as Ottilie to me.
I agree that interesting names are always pronounced wrong, I like the look of [name]Ottilie[/name] but without knowing I would pronounce it [name]Ott[/name]-ihl-ee. [name]Otylia[/name] or [name]Ottilia[/name] would be much easier for people to get right.
