olive - love it or hate it?

[aroha77]

Found out today we're having a girl :)

Our favourite name is Olive, probably Olive Grace.

Both sets of grandparents-to-be HATE it cos it reminds them of character off 'on the buses'.

Wondering if I could take a poll on here of any lovers or haters of the name? Also how much should we take our parents' opinions into consideration?

And lastly does anyone have any better suggestions? Our criteria is nothing that sounds posh, or too cute or too quirky!

Thanks :)

[hoppinghare]

It's really nice. The only famous olive I can think of is Olive oil from Popeye. We let family put us off names. I regret that now.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

I was going to say "On the Buses" too. Olive was a really drippy character, and is the only Olive I've ever known. So "it's a no from me".

[Rosencrantz]

Love!

[JapaneseMargaret]

It's not to my taste - BUT - I do think you're slightly ahead of the curve in terms of the style of name. The current flavour of girls names is very frilly and feminine and I think increasingly there will be a move away from that style of name towards more, um, solid, names. Consonant-ending names, that sort of thing,

I reckon in another 5-10 years these sorts of names will be really on-trend.

If you both really love the name, don't let the grandparents' opinion put you off. For one thing, they've had their turn at naming babies; it's your turn now. And for another, they will no doubt come to love the name, as their association will be their beautiful grand-daughter rather than some random old TV character.

FWIW, in terms of other suggestions, I think Olive and Hazel are very much of an ilk.

[JapaneseMargaret]

P.S. are you a Kiwi?!

[TheZeeTeam]

I would never let my parents put me off a name and I came out with some scorchers!

Olive is a complex name regarding meaning, as it has the same basis as the name, Eve, which means life. That said, in modern interpretations, it just means a muddy green/brown colour or a muddy green/brown fruit with a stone in it. Only you can decide if that is what you want to call your DD!

[DramaAlpaca]

I hate it - sorry.

But if you like it, that's what's important. You really don't need to take the grandparents' views into account. Perhaps best you don't discuss names with them, just announce it when baby has arrived & you've decided for definite.

[Shnickyshnackers]

LOVE IT! I have a great aunty Olly, and a friend who has a great aunty Dolly.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Love it too

[HowAboutNo]

I love it. Really.

I want to use it but everyone has been really negative

[IsSpringSprangedYet]

I like it.

One of our boys has a name that is supposedly unisex, but I've only ever seen girls with it. Everyone was with it, but we went with it. They've got used to it. If you really like it, then go for it. You'll only regret it otherwise.

I think Isla Fisher has a daughter called Olive. And maybe Drew Barrymore.

[Bowlersarm]

Hate it.

Seems very dowdy.

Olivia is much more attractive.

[gruffalosfriend]

An olive will always be green and oily in my mind! Not a very elegant association for a girl.

[JapaneseMargaret]

Olivia is ubiquitous and dull. In my opinion, of course. Besides, the world has enough of them.

Olive at least has a point of difference.

[PavlovsCats]

Love it! Would consider it if we ever have a DD!

[salvadory]

Olive has a cooler feel to our generation than our parents who will always go on about on the buses. That means nothing to me and I'm 40 so it's unlikely to have an effect on anyone younger.
Ignore your parents, they will learn to love the name once it's attached to a darling grandchild, I speak from experience as my mum hated my second daughters name when she first heard it and has now forgotten all about her name reservations.
I love less frilly names that don't end in i or a though, so olive works great for me.

[Felix90]

When I was pregnant with dd I loved the name Olive and my Mum said exactly the same thing! I am 23 so had no idea what she was going on about...

I think it's lovely and a lot nicer than Olivia.

[Boxofbugs]

Love it.

One of my kids has a name that all our parents he station hate. Their reaction did slightly take the shine off our birth announcement.

[RustyBear]

David Tennant's daughter is also called Olive. It has got a bit more popular in recent years, if that's something that would bother you.

[SingingGerbil]

Not to my taste, it makes me think of Olive Oil/Oyle from Popye. Much prefer Olivia even though it's a bit more mainstream and probably wouldn't pick that either. My current favourite for a girl is Eleanor.

[Ihatepeas]

Love love love love love love LOVE!!!

[JanetAndRoy]

Hate it.

[mulberrybag]

Gorgeous name. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. An old friend of mine said to imagine the following statements being said with your chosen name in front. ..I.e
Olive is due for a promotion...
Olive will you marry me. ..
Olive why do you feel you deserve a payrise. ..
I guess to get a feeling of her name being used when she's older. It helped us anyway. Good k luck :)

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Don't let your parents influence you. We didn't tell ours until they met the baby, my Mum rolled her eyes when she met dd and looked like she was sucking a lemon, but it was outperform choice not hers.

My bf was put off a name by her bil, she still regrets not using it 10 years on.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Hate it. Ubiquitous as Olivia is, it has a much nicer sound. Far less plodding.

Oh, and On The Buses... :)