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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Help!!!!!! Olivia or Harper????

106 replies

BettyBoo246 · 02/10/2018 20:58

I have one week till due date and have no idea which name to choose for our girl, Olivia or Harper 😐 Please help which one?! I know the inevitable beckham connection with Harper and also how common Olivia is but I do love them both

OP posts:
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Roomba · 03/10/2018 10:35

Olivia. I actually think Harper is a really lovely name, but it just makes you sound like a Beckhams superfan, sorry.

bellinisurge · 03/10/2018 10:32

For all Olivia's popularity, I know only a couple across a few years at school. I know several "trying to be original " ones.

Sparklyfee · 03/10/2018 10:29

Still prefer Olivia.

The other two she will spend her life spelling it for people. And the only reason for that would be for her parent to think they were a bit "different".

Original poster
BettyBoo246 · 03/10/2018 10:16

You all confirm my fears really Confused The more I say both names the more they start sounding... meh
My ds (5) actually hates Harper Grin and my dh is not so keen. My reserve names are Mila (mee-la) or Elisia? Maybe I’ve overlooked these two too soon!

OP posts:
Sparklyfee · 03/10/2018 10:05

Olivia. But I don't get why everyone has to be so "unique". It's annoying and ridiculous and chavvy

ChaosMoon · 03/10/2018 09:58

Names only really date when they become really common place for a time and then stop being used. I don't think Harper is common enough to do that. In fact, that's more likely to happen to Olivia if it falls out of fashion.

If you're worried about the association, think about the people you know and the schools she's likely to go to. If people are more likely to read a gossip magazine than a book, it'll be Harper Beckham. If it's the other way round, people will be thinking Harper Lee.

But honestly, within a year, they'll think of your daughter first and it won't even matter.

Personally I love Harper. It's a strong name but still lovely. I find Olivia a bit overly pretty. But I'd hardly judge a kid called Olivia for that.

Cbeebiesrehab · 03/10/2018 09:56

Great one can claim that they are ever so cultural and named their child after Harper Lee (I know such a woman, whenever she goes into the story of how she named her daughter she tries to make herself sound so culturally superior) but to everyone else-she copied the Beckhams. Her face when another mum came to baby class with another young Harper was an absolute picture as only an hour before she was saying how ‘she had picked something a bit different’ for her daughter.

TheDowagerCuntess · 03/10/2018 08:01

The only way Harper is in any way an OK name, is if you got in there before D&V.

And lovely as Olivia is, the world officially has enough.

You can do better, OP - there's a world of lovely girls' names out there.

carbuncleonapigsposterior · 03/10/2018 07:41

Olivia is overly popular but it is a beautiful classic name. Harper will always be associated with the Beckhams, and why would anyone want to copy their choice of names Confused it wasn't even a first for them Dave Grohl got there before with that name.

TatianaLarina · 03/10/2018 07:28

Or something less hackneyed?

1000s of Olivias and 1000s of other people copying Victoria Beckham.

Polkasq · 03/10/2018 06:02

Olivia

MeggyD · 03/10/2018 05:55

Harper! Everyone is called Olivia!

GreenMeerkat · 03/10/2018 05:04

If it's a vote between the two then definitely Harper.

Olivia has been no. 1 on baby name lists for years and years and that would put me off.

TheDowagerCuntess · 03/10/2018 04:52

Harper's a boys' name where I am (along the lines of Ryder, Hunter, Cooper, etc). DC are at school with 3 boy Harpers!

Having said that, they're all aged 8-10ish, so born exactly before the Beckhams gave it to their girl.

All of a sudden, I don't see ANY boys being given it any more. And I imagine those boys get a lot of, 'isn't that a girl's name?'

I would go with Olivia, if I had to choose (N.B. I would never choose Olivia as it's just too popular). Doesn't matter how classic a name is, if it's strongly associated with a particular time period, it will date.

MakeItStopNeville · 03/10/2018 04:31

Olivia is no more a classic than Harper is. It’s just an over used name that got popular in the mid 1990’s and has just kept going and going. Both have similar histories with the posh folk, if that’s what you’re after.

BlackBeltInChildWrangling · 03/10/2018 04:24

Sorry OP, but I wouldn't choose either of them, and for the reasons you and PPs mention. Too many Olivias already, and Harper seems copycat and 'trying too hard to be fashionable'.

You're not asking for options, so if I have to vote for either then it would be Olivia. At least it's classic, won't date badly, and doesn't have the obvious celeb link to V&D. Harper Lee - yes, fantastic link, but currently that's not who would spring to mind for many people.

Good luck 🍀

SallyVating · 03/10/2018 04:22

Neither. Both are too common

MrsFoxPlus4 · 03/10/2018 04:11

Harper I know none! Olivia is extremely popular

notangelinajolie · 03/10/2018 04:08

Harper will forever be associated with the Beckham's and dare I say it? It's become slightly chav.

Olivia wins hands down.

LittleFilly · 03/10/2018 03:52

Olivia

moredoll · 03/10/2018 01:07

Not keen on either tbh. Sorry.

Courtney555 · 03/10/2018 01:05

Harper Beckham. Stop it.

IVflytrap · 03/10/2018 01:03

Harlivia. Best of both worlds. Better than Olirper.

Marcipex · 02/10/2018 22:54

Olivia, though it's extremely over used, because I just can't say Harper. It will date like Shirley, Kylie etc.

BewareOfDragons · 02/10/2018 22:53

Oddly, 'Harper' makes me think of Menolly, who was a harper in the Pern series of books. I would go with Menolly. Grin

Olivia is lovely, but wildly popular and absolutely everywhere. I personally would avoid it due to popularity, but only you would know if that would bother you...

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