Is Octavia pretentious?

[persephoneplum]

I have loved this name for a long time now and about 6 months ago, decided if I ever had a girl child, she would be called this.

I've got cold feet now and feel it might be a bit pretentious - and I have no problem with strong names,a lot of my favourites have cropped up in the other 'pretentious' thread - but I am considering if it would affect a child adversely.

Freya is my second choice and despite its extreme popularity in Britain, it doesn't even crack top 1200 in my state of Australia. Do you think this might be a better choice in terms of how a name affects a person?

[LilyBolero]

I have a Skoda Octavia car.

[Tidey]

Personally, I prefer Freya because Octavia does sound like a very posh person's name. But for all I know, you might be very posh, in which case, go for it.

That probably didn't help did it? Sorry.

[dingledangle]

I am afraid I am with the previous poster that an Octavia is a car.

[MamiBabi]

Not sure it's a great idea to name a baby after a car!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

it is certainly a big and formal name, so is bound to be shortened, if not by you, by her mates as she gets older. I do like it though.

If you like it, then go for it

[persephoneplum]

Hehehe, no cars by that name where I live - still, if that's your association, that's that! Does it seat eight by any chance?

We're not all that posh - somewhere in the middle really. My husband comes from a posh upbringing but is definitely more of a leftie than his family.

[PuppyMonkey]

It is yes. Pretentious.

Reminds me of Octavia the Ostrich from Pipkins too.

[ConFuschias]

Lovely name, but Skoda made it unusable imo.

[womma]

Octavia is a nice name - it's my friend's name, although it is shortened to Tave.

[MmeGoblindt]

I would have liked it if I had not heard of the car. Fab car btw.

Freya is lovely, I actually prefer it.

[RnB]

I like it - but the car does ruin it imho. Would be on my list otherwise

[largeginandtonic]

I love it

If i have another baby (would be #8) the Octavia/Octavius is top of the list.

No one will remember the car in years to come.

[persephoneplum]

I agree largeginandtonic. The car issue is a total non-issue for me, especially seeing as we don't even see Skodas on the road here.

Now an eighth baby certainly calls for one of those fantastic names!

[Tidey]

The car would not enter my head hearing the name. My first thought was the Jilly Cooper book

[largeginandtonic]

Oh i love Jilly Cooper

[womma]

Freya, on the other hand is just awful

[GrendelsMum]

If anyone comments on the car, you can just raise a (posh) eyebrow and say 'a type of car? I don't remember a Bentley Octavia. Is it new?'

I think it's a lovely name, and I think the car will be gone before too long. The only Octavia I knew of was called Twiggy for short!

[JulesJules]

Octavia is a beautiful name. If you like it, you should go for it.

I knew an Octavia who was V or VV for short, I think that's really pretty too.

[aarghhelp]

Best if you have another 7 little plums I think!

[Thissideofchannel]

I love Octavia! And the car certainly won't be around in another 5-10 years anyway.

I don't really like Freya at all.

Should also add that I don't get the whole 'pretentious' issue either, perhaps because I'm not British .

[Kwini]

Go for it if you love it! Octavia is a Latin name - it was around for thousands of years before the car came along, and it will be around for a long time after we stop using cars altogether!

Similarly, if people think that a child called Clio was named after a car, their ignorance is their problem, frankly! She'll always be the muse of history to me

[jasper]

Yes it is but it is also lovely

[ChilloHippi]

Yes it is pretentious.

[KembleTwins]

I like it. I know what you mean though. I really wanted to call my daughter Ophelia, but was put off by thinking it would be pretentious. She ended up having it as her middle name, but I still wish I'd been a bit bolder and just gone for it!