Very Big Problem: Middle name for Olivia

Girl Names
1

(this is for my friend who is expecting, not me. I am definitely not expecting, but I wanted to help her with this dilemma. Thank you! :))

My friend recently got pregnant with her first daughter, and has decided, beyond a doubt, to name her daughter [name]Olivia[/name]. I can hear every comment rolling in. “[name]Olivia[/name] is so popular, (really extremely popular) why that for a name?” Well, [name]Olivia[/name] wasn’t always as popular as it is now. In fact, 20 years ago, it was almost obscure as can be, and my friend has always loved the name since then, from helping take care of a girl named [name]Olivia[/name]. She has always vowed this would be her daughter’s name, and now that her child is due in the spring, she has no choice but to add one more [name]Olivia[/name] to the billion new Olivias born this year. This has really distressed her since she has always loved the name.

I gave her the advice of giving [name]Olivia[/name] a very special and obscure set of two middle names so she will always be set apart from the 5 other Olivias in class. But the trouble is, names I’ve always thought are obscure, aren’t. For example, [name]Aurora[/name] and [name]Isla[/name]: obscure names in my opinion, but they are not. They are in the top 1000 and on the rise.

I thought of posting here because you berries have a lot of experience and know the ins and outs of naming. I am asking this for my friend:

What is a very unknown and “not-in-the-top-1000-and-probably-never-will-be-for-a-long-time” middle name set for [name]Olivia[/name]. Please give names with substance, and that are also pretty. I am counting on you! If you would like to help, please do, and my friend and I would be very very very grateful :slight_smile: , because I am honestly lost. Here’s what I have thought of:

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Ismay[/name] Posia Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] Isola Avdel Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Eira[/name] [name]Gelsey[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Clio[/name] Susa Aymari

(Aymari is a similar name to the actual last name of my friend, so this could help with choosing names). Thank you all for helping me, baby [name]Liv[/name], and my friend and I apologize for any errors in this hastily written post!

2

I would say your friend still has a choice but if she feels differently then why not an alternative version

[name]Oliviane[/name]
Olivienne
[name]Olivette[/name]
[name]Olivine[/name]

[name]Isabelle[/name] sounds fine with the mn’s [name]Aurora[/name] and [name]Isla[/name] but the rest seem sort of madeup/trendy mess which doesnt help.

3

Thank you for your help! The problem is, my friend is not compromising on the name [name]Olivia[/name]. She’s ordered personalized stuff, etc.

:slight_smile: I guess the sample names I picked did seem sorta made up sounding which is unfortunate because they aren’t awful names, but I got them all from this site, from the actual data base and from comments on blogs.

4

There are lots of names that are uncommon, but not “obscure”, ie madeup/crazy sounding. Here’s some ideas I had, along with SS ranks for the middle names

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Reese[/name] (136 in 2010- which I find odd since I have never found another girl [name]Reese[/name]- it’s my younger sister’s name)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Loren[/name] (hasn’t been ranked since 2003 when it was 970) (also it’s not pronounced Lawr-in like [name]Lauren[/name], it’s [name]Lore[/name]-in)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Michal[/name] (hasn’t been ranked in 12 years) [McCall]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Jameson[/name] (277 for boys in 2010- I always considered this more of a girl’s name)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Mae[/name] (988 is 2010)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Cassandra[/name] (328 in 2010- going down from prior)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Calliope[/name] (not on it- pro. (kah-lee-oh-pee)) (A writing professor at my school just named her daughter this, I’d never heard it used before then)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Hope[/name] (245, but going down)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Flynn[/name] (not on it)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Rowan[/name] (327 for boys and going down- a friend of mine named her daughter this)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Deanna[/name] (712 and going down)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Cheri[/name] (not on it)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Leanne[/name] (881 in 1999)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Jean[/name] (791 in 2010 for boys)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Katriona[/name] (not on list)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Siobhan[/name] (not on it)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Justine[/name] (932, been going down for years)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Daaé[/name] (not on it- Last name of the main female character in Phantom of the Opera, I love its sound)

5

[name]Olivia[/name] is stunning! Why is it such a bad thing to have a popular name? I mean, sure all of us here would like to use less popular names, but there’s nothing wrong with [name]Olivia[/name]. It has the great association to [name]Olivia[/name] in [name]Shakespeare[/name]‘s Twelfth [name]Night[/name] (which is where it is rumored that the name came from, I believe)… it’s a classic. Girly, but still has nns to suit just about every personality. It’s so smart and fun and could even be princessy. It’s popular for a reason. It’s pretty much always been popular (it’s never been outside of the top 500, and it’s been in the top 200 for the past 21-22 years). My name was the second most popular girls’ name in the country when I was born, and four years later when my sister came along, it was the most popular girls’ name. I’ve never hated the popularity of my name. In fact, I’ve loved the popularity factor of my name, and little miss [name]Liv[/name] might love that about her name, too. It can give her a connection with other Olivias around her. Some of my best friends have been other Ashleys I’ve met in school. Using an unpopular name is nice, but sometimes it can be overrated. It sounds like it’s perfect for your friend, so I wouldn’t worry about it.

A few ideas I had:

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Maren[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Ariadne[/name]/[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Arianne[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Thisbe[/name] (considering this myself!)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Phoebe[/name] ([name]Phoebe[/name] is listed, but I think it spices up [name]Olivia[/name] nicely…)
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Zinnia[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Emmeline[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Aurelie[/name]/[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Aurelia[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Eleni[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Poppy[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Zenobia[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Ginevra[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Genevie[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Clementine[/name]

Good luck to your friend!

6

My first daughter is named [name]Olivia[/name] and it doesn’t bother me one bit that it is popular! I say if you like it, use it! Our [name]Olivia[/name]'s middle name is made up to honor both of her greatgrandmas. It’s [name]Olivia[/name] Maeann…

7

Thank you [name]Ash[/name], I never thought of that before! And yes, I suppose that’s why she is going on with this name, no matter what, and I almost admire her nonchalance towards the sway of popularity, because I am not so true. I know I would definitely be so influenced by popularity as to become crazy and hyper sensitive, but that is really nice!

I will show her the lists, thanks guys!

8

[name]Ashley[/name]'s got an EXCELLENT point. I named my daughter [name]Katherine[/name] and call her [name]Katie[/name]. Very popular name. There is no one in [name]America[/name] who hasn’t met about a billion Katherines and/or Kates/Katies of all generations. But why is that so wrong? Why does a kid have to be the only one in school with their name? My own name ([name]Martha[/name]) was wildly wildly wildly unpopular when I was born and still is. I got teased for having “an old lady’s name” for my entire childhood – to the point where when I had to intro myself to another kid, I eventually came to literally WINCE as I said my name because I knew what was coming. The reaction to it was ALWAYS negative and kids ALWAYS expressed that openly. (As if it were my fault for choosing this name!) As a shy kid to begin with, this only made my life a hundred thousand times worse.

Not saying that names that are unpopular are always going to be met with negative reactions. And some kids are so outgoing, they might just not care what their name is. But I’ll admit I am continually blown away by some nameberries’ drive to find a name NO ONE else has. Why not let the kid him/herSELF be original in his/her own way – and not b/c they were saddled with some obscure name? Because listen, I’ve never met a [name]Christine[/name] or [name]Linda[/name] or [name]Jennifer[/name] who was maladjusted because of her name. But I guarantee some of the maladjusted kids you and me grew up with, who had unusual names, that their name was part of the problem.

In fact, I’ve noticed it’s almost ALWAYS people with some of the most popular names themselves that often wind up giving their kids some of the most obscure/random, b/c they just don’t have the slightest clue what a liability it can be. Not saying that ALL the Robs and Lisas and Matts and Karens do that. But it’s nearly always parents with names like that that give their kid a name like [name]Tiger[/name]. Or [name]Tancredi[/name].

So I’m all for popular names. 1) They are popular for a reason: they’re beautiful. 2) They are not a liability – everyone knows how to spell them, pronounce them and accept them. And 3) – and this is the most important part – they let the KID be the impressive one, not the name.

9

Here are some ideas:

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Eloise[/name] [name]Poem[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Elspeth[/name] [name]Soleil[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] Azadeh [name]Pearl[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Amity[/name] [name]June[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Briar[/name] [name]Ismay[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Persephone[/name] [name]Lark[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Amaryllis[/name] [name]True[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Evangeline[/name] [name]Patience[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Calliope[/name] [name]Dove[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] Sassafras [name]Fay[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Temperance[/name] [name]Greer[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Persephone[/name] [name]Lark[/name] Aymari
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Amaryllis[/name] [name]True[/name] Aymari

10

Giving her two middle names that are obscure isn’t going to set her apart from any other Olivias in her class, since they’re only going to be called by their first names anyway. Also, as someone who works with kids, I can tell you that there will not be “5 other Olivias” in her class. There might be one other [name]Olivia[/name] in her class, but even the odds of that aren’t high. My suggestion for your friend would be just to name her daughter what she wants and not worry about how popular/rare the name is.

11

I was just sure there would be many negative responses to this thread because [name]Olivia[/name] is popular. No matter what the topic on this forum, there’s nearly always a bunch of people harping on about the nightmare of popularity. SIGH. It almost reminds me of a bunch of goth kids trying desperately to be different by looking exactly like all their friends. (I don’t mean to offend anyone because that’s probably how somebody would’ve described me in the 80’s.) Anyway, it’s refreshing to see such supportive responses. Please tell your friend not to worry one second about the popularity of her choice. As someone who has chosen several baby names and been a mom for 21 yrs, I can assure you that pretty much whatever seems unique/obscure today is likely to be tomorrow’s big trend anyway. [name]Olivia[/name] is pretty. That’s why so many people like it. Besides, I think kids like having popular names. I’ve only known one mom who chose [name]Olivia[/name], and she paired it with [name]Reese[/name].

12

It doesn’t sound like your friend thinks this is a big problem at all. [name]Olivia[/name] is a lovely, classic name that her child will have no problems wearing. I don’t think she needs a tongue-twister of unheard of names in the middle at all. I mean, I wouldn’t recommend [name]Olivia[/name] [name]Rose[/name] necessarily, but I think she is fine with most middle names.

13

Agree with what so many people have said here - [name]Olivia[/name] is a beautiful name and who cares about the popularity of it? It seems like your friend loves it and is 100% sure that it is her baby’s name, which is great (so many people, myself included have agonized for our whole pregnancies about what to name our babies). Some suggestions for middle names:

[name]Eloise[/name]
[name]Rae[/name]
[name]Simone[/name]
[name]Rosalind[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name]
[name]Juliet[/name]
[name]Esme[/name]
[name]Paloma[/name]
[name]Bay[/name]

14

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Beatrix[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Blythe[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Cadence[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Delilah[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Felicity[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Helena[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Lucille[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Matilda[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Primrose[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Seraphina[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Veronica[/name]

15

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Priya[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Paloma[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Thisbe[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Callista[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Cleo[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Apollo[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Aphrodite[/name]

16

I agree with the above, [name]Olivia[/name] is a terrific name, and nothing to scoff at. Here are my mn suggestions!

[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Sabine[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] Merigold
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Praise[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Harriet[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Shelby[/name]
[name]Olivia[/name] [name]Maude[/name]

good luck!

17

I absolutely love the name, [name_f]Olivia[/name_f]!
Here are some middle name options! [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] is a modern name so I like to pair modern first names with old middle names for a balance. But this is only my opinion. I’ll put some modern middle names down as well!
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Jane[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Elice[/name_u]/Elise (my middle name!)
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Nicola[/name_u]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Anne[/name_u]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Mae[/name_f]/ [name_f]May[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Sofie[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] Rechelle
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Renee[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Noelle[/name_f]
Some modern middle names that go well:
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Emerson[/name_u]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Presley[/name_u]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Courtney[/name_u]/ [name_f]Courtnie[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_f]Paige[/name_f]
[name_f]Olivia[/name_f] [name_u]Clare[/name_u]
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] these help you choose!

18

Welcome to Nameberry, @victoriaelice.

When replying to threads, please remember to check the dates for when they were originally posted. This one is from 2012.

Otherwise, enjoying reading threads and respond as you can. We’re excited to get to know you and hear your thoughts and opinions!

:blush:

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