We are torn between [name]Oliver[/name] - my favorite, and [name]Nico[/name] - DH’s favorite. The issue at hand is that our last name is [name]Olson[/name]. Does [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] sound like a joke or something for him to be teased about? I hate the idea of him being called [name]Ollie[/name], much less [name]Ollie[/name] [name]Olson[/name]. We live in a very Scandinavian part of the US, where the [name]Sven[/name] & [name]Ole[/name], and [name]Ole[/name] & [name]Lena[/name] jokes are well known. I want my son to be taken seriously!
[name]Do[/name] you think [name]Nico[/name] is better? I really do like [name]Nico[/name] and have no reason not to use it except that I also love [name]Oliver[/name].
We have added Knox to the mix (See below comment). I’m really liking Knox Oliver Olson and Knox Henry Olson. We would love your opinions of these combinations.
I dislike alliteration most of the time, and it’s not so much the alliteration here, it’s the repeated [name]Ol[/name]- sounds. [name]Oliver[/name] was the number one boy’s name here in the UK and I know loads and loads of [name]Oliver[/name]'s and 99.99% of them are nicknamed Oli/[name]Ollie[/name] so I personally don’t think you get away from that nickname.
[name]Nico[/name] [name]Olson[/name] is much better [name]IMO[/name], although I’d slightly prefer [name]Nicolai[/name]/[name]Nikolai[/name] nn [name]Nico[/name]/[name]Niko[/name].
[name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] is not too bad, [name]Ollie[/name] [name]Olson[/name] is not good, and overall I would be more concerned with the ‘[name]Ole[/name]’ jokes than anything. [name]Nico[/name] is sweet, I really like it ^^
If you use a longer version of [name]Nico[/name], like [name]Nicolas[/name], you could use [name]Oliver[/name] in the middle. [name]Nicolas[/name] [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] is wonderful [name]Nico[/name] [name]Oliver[/name] works as well, but the back to back O’s are a little difficult.
I think it’s too much. If only the first letter were repeated ([name]Oliver[/name] O’Toole) it would be fine, but when it’s the entire first syllable it makes the name sound like a children’s book character.
If you want longer versions of [name]Nico[/name] (and perhaps to save [name]Oliver[/name] for the middle slot, as @dearest suggested, since the [name]Olson[/name] problem isn’t going away for future kids):
Okay, that was what I was afraid of. As much as I thought it could be kind of cute, what boy wants his name to be cute? Especially if he could be teased for it. [name]Oliver[/name] is being saved for a middle name option.
[name]Nico[/name] is still in the mix, but I don’t like any longer versions of it. I think the mixture of me being overly hormonal and an overly anylitical baby name perfectionist has me worried about [name]Nico[/name] as well. I can’t get myself to love the name [name]Nico[/name]. Believe me, I’m trying. I even spent the last few days calling the baby [name]Nico[/name] - I just don’t know if it feels right - and I tend to go with my feelings rather than my head.
I’m annoying my husband I’m sure just as much as I’m annoying you patient, and helpful berries. I’m sorry for being so indecisive, and for taking so much room on the boards!
DH did suggest [name]Knox[/name] this morning! I hadn’t thought of that before, but I actually quite like it. It has a cool edge to it. Opinions of [name]Knox[/name]?
[name]Knox[/name] [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] sounds wonderful! It’s a cool name, and your son will like bearing it. It is a Brangelina name (one of their twins), but like [name]Maddox[/name] has spread far beyond them.
If you’re going to put [name]Nico[/name] on the back burner:
I think [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olsen[/name] sounds great and simply calling him O would be a more serious & cool nn than [name]Ollie[/name]. It seems like you gravitate toward the O like [name]Nico[/name] & [name]Knox[/name]. I think it works.
I’m not 100% sure but doesn’t [name]Olson[/name] mean ‘son of [name]Oliver[/name]’? If it does I don’t think [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] is the best idea. On the other hand I really love [name]Nicholas[/name]/Nicholai ‘[name]Nico[/name]’ [name]Olson[/name]. : )
I know you already said you’re saving [name]Oliver[/name] for a mn spot, but personally, I love the way [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] sounds. I love alliteration and I don’t think it’s too much. And even if you call him [name]Ollie[/name] (or Olle (O-lee), which I love!), when people say his full name, chances are they’ll be saying [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name], not [name]Ollie[/name] [name]Olson[/name]. But even so, I don’t think [name]Ollie[/name] [name]Olson[/name] sounds that bad. It definitely rolls off the tongue! I can’t say the same for [name]Nico[/name] [name]Olson[/name] – the back to back "o"s really stop me up when I’m saying that. [name]Knox[/name] [name]Olson[/name] does sound better, but I’m just not personally a fan of the name [name]Knox[/name].
Also, I’m not sure what you mean about the [name]Sven[/name] & [name]Ole[/name] and [name]Ole[/name] & [name]Lena[/name] jokes. I find myself fascinated and very curious. No one else seems to question this though. Are these super common name pairings that I’m unaware of?
@catheyc: it’s a holdover from when the world was less kind and regional immigrant prejudices were still alive. [name]Just[/name] like the Irish were called micks, and people told “dumb polock” jokes, there was a variety of “humor” regarding ignorant Swedish / Norwegian immigrants. They often turned on the heavy Scandinavian accent.
Thanks, blade. Wow, I had no idea. It’s funny because Olle (I may be spelling this wrong since everyone else is saying [name]Ole[/name], but a Scandinavian friend of mine just named her son this, spelled this way) and [name]Lena[/name] are two of my favorite names right now – and I have no Scandinavian heritage. Very interesting!
I think [name]Oliver[/name] [name]Olson[/name] is alright. I don’t mind alliteration. I usually feel like the people with alliterative names tend to be more outgoing and memorable… not sure why, though.
I think alliteration is a bad thing when the last name is more of a word and makes it sound like a character in a children’s book, like [name]Jillian[/name] Jiggs. It’s bad when it’s redundant, too, like [name]Ricky[/name] [name]Ricardo[/name].
I think the difference in O sounds makes a difference to me, too. I’d say no to [name]Orlando[/name] [name]Olson[/name], but [name]Oliver[/name] has a different beginning vowel so while it’s noticeable, it isn’t as awkward as it could be.
I prefer [name]Oliver[/name] a thousand times over [name]Nico[/name].
I usually enjoy alliteration but you will not be able to prevent people from shortening it and making it a little too ‘cutesy’ [name]IMO[/name].
I would probably avoid [name]Nico[/name], as it ends with the same letter your last name starts with. For those reasons, I like [name]Knox[/name] the most, and it seems to have the best flow paired with your last name.
[name]Nico[/name] [name]Oliver[/name] works as well, but the back to back O’s are a little difficult.