When did Octavia become chav?

[dauntlessoldie]

Just read about this in astonishment and didn't want my question lost on the thread.

My aunt's name was Octavia, and she was as far removed from that decription as possible!
I don't know much about this subject, have name trends really changed so much?

[Hassled]

I would never have said it was chavvy. I disapprove of its use unless the girl was born in October (originally the eighth month, until July and August were stuck in - or was it June and July?) or was the eighth child, though :o.

[usualsuspect]

Its not ..but then I don't think any name is chav

[dauntlessoldie]

That is an unfortunate word to use for anything.
So it is thought wrong if not used for an 8th child?

[NormanNorris]

I don't like the word chav but the only Octavia I know is about 7 years old and her mum would be classed as c*. However, I don't think of it as a typical C name.

[AlCrowley]

I think it probably coincided with the time Skoda named a car Octavia.

Although Skoda's are nice cars these days, for years they were Eastern Block skips with wheels and about as desirable as Reliant Robins.

[SmacsGonePotty]

Chav? I dislike the name but wouldn't consider it a chav name but I dislike the term chav too.

[ozmetric]

I don't think it is. One person on a thread thought so, but that's the first time I've heard it.

[thereisalightanditnevergoesout]

Octavia has very different associations in the US, but I can't see how it's chavvy in any way, either.

[onimolap]

I associate it with the social reformer Octavia Hill (after whom the baby was named in Margaret Drabble's The Millstone), or with the Jilly Cooper book. Neither chavvy.

[ValiumSingleton]

Who says it did? There was somebody a while back starting threads like 'is penelope chav?', 'is lucinda chav?'. One paranoid person.......... trying to pick a baby name and looking for a cast iron guarantee that nobody can ever give.

[meadowlarks]

The only Octavia I know is queen ponce of ponceville. So I wouldn't associate it with chavs.

[durga]

Surely if you like the name that is all that matters.

Heaven forbid that a "common" person would share a name with your precious child.

[A1980]

I don't think Octavia is a chavvy name. I consider names such as Chardonnay as chavvy (apologies if anyone has named their child Chardonnay on here!).

That aside even though I don't think it's chavvy, I don't like Octavia at all. It's harsh sounding and smacks of effort. Again apologies if anyone has named their child Octavia on here: it isn't personal :)

[TessOfTheBurbs]

I don't think that McDonalds is exactly echoing with screams of "Octavia! Put that down!", if that's what you mean. Maybe for some people reports of a single "chav" using the name is enough to taint it forever? Not to mention that the definition of "chav" is usually "one or two rungs down from me" and could therefore be anything from Mr. and Mrs. Bog-Standard to Mr. and Mrs. ASBO. I don't like the word either.

[yellowflowers]

In Freakonomics the authors say that chavvy people (sorry - do not like that word but can't be bothered to euphemise) copy names that upper classes use as an inspirational thing - so whatever is posh now will be chavvy in due course.

[TessOfTheBurbs]

re: Freakonomics, it has to be really popular among the upper/middle classes first to get enough exposure and to make them lose interest in it when all their friends have used it too. Also the situation in America is a bit different as made-up or 'new' names per se are not really seen as trashy in the first place, whereas here people are often choosing between completely different pools of names - those higher up the social scale reviving old classics, and those at the bottom innovating with hyphens and surnames-turned-first names. Though I do think that names like Alfie, Archie and Lola have trickled down (though they often pick up a hyphen and a Lee or Jay on their way).

[PocketP]

I certainly haven't heard of Octavia becoming 'chav' either, although I can understand why you're concerned ..... if a name isn't that commonly used it tends to be associated with one of the 'extreme' ends of the social spectrum - either upper class or lower. Names that a more commonly used fly under the radar and aren't as much of a cause for consternation.

I think any name has the potential to sound chavvy dependent on how it's said/area/accent/education/social etc. - and yes, if it's yelled in McDonald's that doesn't help!

If you like the name, then use the name - personally, I think it's a very unusual and beautiful girl's name ;-)

[LadyThompson]

Mmm. And the particular poster who thought it was on the thread in question didn't appear to be able to spell/read/punctuate correctly, so, um, I for one will be putting her opinion to one side.

[CheerfulYank]

I said that on the "what are posh names then" thread, just because someone mentioned Octavia and Tarquin as posh. I said that in the US they would be considered "chav", though we don't have that word here, and even if we did I wouldn't use it.

I like Octavia; I think it's pretty and I liked the character in 'Rome'. :) But the only ones I've known in real life have been a bit, well, not exactly posh. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, it's just the connotation in the US. I do think it's quite pretty though, especially with Annabel, zap. :)

[Cortina]

Are the traditional english names generally seen as frumpy and dated in the US?

My American friends wrinkle their noses at Jemima for example (but is this because of 'Aunt Jemima'). Imogen and names of that ilk seem practically unheard of?

I've heard Madison is the choice of a well heeled, educated, middle class American for example. In the UK it wouldn't be generally favoured by the uber posh.

[CheerfulYank]

No, Madison is "chav" now too. It's the trickle down effect (or is it affect? I cannot think at all today) that someone mentioned before. It seems to happen much faster in the US.

The posh names used to be Madison, Landon, Aidan, etc, about 15 years ago or so. Then it was all surnames: Parker, Carter, etc. Now all those names are "chav" (and you understand I say that unwillingly, I don't know how else to aptly describe it though) Now the "posh" ones are just solid old names, Elizabeth, William, Caroline and the like, with a few "old lady" names like Esther and Dulcie. Agnes and Agatha with Aggie as a nn are quite popular with the snooty upper class set. But yes, some names like Imogen, Tamsin, Tarquin, etc, I've never heard on an American kid.

Some names cross the lines frequently: Sam, Emma, and flower names like Lily. Rhys is posh but Reece is "common". Interesting...