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Is Oliver too common?

46 replies

arolf · 10/06/2009 12:59

I'm scottish, and my other half is eastern european, hence has a tricky to spell/pronounce surname, so we've decided to go for names which work in both languages - and have pretty much settled on Oliver for a boy, or Alice for a girl.

However, several friends have told us 'Oh whatever name you choose, avoid Oliver, it's just soooo common these days', even though we've not told anyone our choice of name. Is it really so common?

Also, does a common first name matter when the surname is so unusual? (it's a pretty rare name even in his country - as in, anyone with that surname is probably related to him).

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MollieO · 10/06/2009 13:02

I have one of those. He was the only one at nursery and is now the only one in reception. We don't know any others. We are in the South East.

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myredcardigan · 10/06/2009 13:05

DS has 3 in his class of 15. But if you like it, go for it.

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Metella · 10/06/2009 13:08

I have one - at his old school he was one of two (in the whole school, not just his year) and in his current school he is one of two.

It's really not as common as you think!

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madwomanintheattic · 10/06/2009 13:08

only one in our school (6 x 30) but i think it is more common for teenies. not quite at the jack/chloe level of a few years ago though...
like both. well done

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goomum · 10/06/2009 13:13

yes hugely common. I know 8 all under one year. Four in our road. We are in London.

Oliver is tipped to be number one boys name in 2009 and Olivia the number one girl's name.

Oliver and Isabel are the most common names round here, along with Thomas.

Still if you like it go for it. Good job you have unusual surname

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mopsyflopsy · 10/06/2009 13:13

There are 2 in my ds's reception class of 28, so yes, I would regard that as common.

Have you checked the national statistics as to what rank Oliver had last year?

Alice is lovely by the way and I don't know any in our school!

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arolf · 10/06/2009 13:14

thanks - we're in the South East too just now, but no idea where we'll be by the time he (or she)'s off to school! was just starting to worry, as so many 'well-meaning' friends (none of whom have kids btw) have been warning us off Oliver!

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slowreadingprogress · 10/06/2009 13:18

I don't know a single Oliver - of any age!

DS is in a year of 90 kids and there are none in that year

We're down south too!

I think Oliver is a really lovely name BTW.

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Mintyy · 10/06/2009 13:21

I have an Oliver (aged 5)

3 doors up there is another Oliver (also aged 5)

3 doors down there is a 6 year old Oliver.

Over the road there is a 2 year old Oliver.

I wonder if I live on the same road as goomum?

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goomum · 10/06/2009 13:24

How about the French pronounciation and spelling Olivier?

This would be less ubiquitous.

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arolf · 10/06/2009 13:33

nope, has to be spelt same way in Czech and English, so Oliver is the only spelling we're considering - will probably 'shorten' it to Oli or Olichek, or at least that's what we're calling the bump :-)

thanks for all the comments!

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sophiesmummie · 10/06/2009 13:37

Yes, very common, at least in Surrey.

Love Alice though!

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tonysoprano · 10/06/2009 13:43

My DD has 2 in her classa and I know a couple of other Olivers but I still think it's a lovely, classic name that suits all ages.

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ohdearwhatamess · 10/06/2009 13:51

I don't know any here. Used to babysit for one, but he'd be in his late 20s now.

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jellybeans · 10/06/2009 14:23

I know of loads, it's very very popular, not far behind Jack.

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Sari · 10/06/2009 14:31

It depends really. There's only mine and one other in our school(large primary in London) and we don't know any more. However, my nephew (aged 5) only seems to know children called Oliver, and he knows very many of them. He has always lived in leafy middle-class areas in south east.

I think it's a lovely name and one that works well in many languages / cultures (that's why we chose it). The other Oliver at my son's school is Polish.

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Hongy · 10/06/2009 14:51

Don't worry about how common Oliver is - it'a wonderful name. My pet dog was called Olly when I was a child and when my son came along 12 years ago it was a no-brainer - he's also called Oliver!

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purpletiger · 10/06/2009 15:49

LOL - Oliver and Alice were our favourite names when I was PG, but there were three Olivers and an Olivia on the labour ward with me (we're in Surrey too), so my son ended up with an anglo-saxon name that nobody has ever heard of or knows how to spell. I still love it, but I do wonder sometimes if he will when he's older. One thing's for sure...there won't be three others in his class at school!

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Clary · 10/06/2009 16:11

Oliver is a very nice name but yes, it is very popular (round here anyway).

There are about 20 boys in DS2?s school yr and 3 are called Oliver. One each in DS1 and DD yrs; 1 in my football team; various others throughout the school (I can think of about 4-5 more off hand).

The Ollie in DS2?s class is on his own and is most relieved as last yr he was with another one and hated being ?Ollie T? all the time. Apparently.

But if you love the name, don?t let any of this bother you. Popular names are usually popular because they are errm nice and classic and can be spelled easily etc etc. (see James, William, Daniel, Jack etc which all are on a par with Olliver IME).

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arolf · 10/06/2009 16:21

thanks clary - that was our feeling - we like the name, both of us have unusual names (we are both ALWAYS being asked to spell our names, and it's a bloody nuisance!), so we'd prefer a more common name for our offspring - then, with the language issue too - we were beginning to give up hope!

Although I am worried we'll end up with the same situation as my mum - she was going to be called Elisabeth, but when my grandad went to register the birth, he saw that there were 9 other Elisabeths already registered just on that day, so he gave her a different name - but forgot to tell my grandmother. So for the first 6 weeks or so of her life, my mum was Elisabeth, until grandad mentioned that her real name was Jane. My other half has been warned not to let this happen with our child!

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herbietea · 10/06/2009 16:27

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BexieID · 10/06/2009 16:29

I don't know any little Olivers. Or big ones come to think of it.

Tell a lie, my brother went to school with an Oliver, but thats it.

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gladders · 10/06/2009 16:45

pretty popular round here (S London) - Of 20 boys in ds's year (age 4) - there are 4 Olivers - one is Ollie but the others are Oliver P, Oliver L and Oliver E

also know lots of littler Ollies and Olivers...

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BikeRunSki · 10/06/2009 20:51

Millions of Olivers around here (S/W Yorks). Every other boy in the village age between 10 and 10 days seems to be called Oliver or Finlay.

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angel1976 · 10/06/2009 20:58

DS was going to be Oliver till a month before he was born and I had a look at the list of popular names released by whatever department that I can't recall right now and Oliver has been in the top 3 for boys' names for the last 5 years! I had no idea it was so popular. Glad we named DS something else as in toddler groups in the area so far (SE London), I've met 3 Olivers/Ollies, but none with DS's name.

Agree with BikeRunSki! When DH's cousin's son was born and named Finlay 5 years ago, they were the laughing stock of the family as no one had HEARD of the name! Since then, I've met several (especially in the last few years...).

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