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Baby names

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

Original poster

Otto or Ivo?

59 replies

Peaboddy · 03/12/2021 19:42

Which do you prefer and why?

What do you think of each name?

Thanks in advance!

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timestheyarechanging · 08/12/2021 16:11

Otis

TatianaBis · 08/12/2021 14:33

We know what the word means. In what way are these names pretentious?

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 08/12/2021 14:12

@blubells

Both pretentious

What does this even mean Hmm? Pretending to be what?

Pretentious means attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed e.g. "pretentious art films"
blubells · 08/12/2021 12:34

Both pretentious

What does this even mean Hmm? Pretending to be what?

blubells · 08/12/2021 12:32

Otto is terribly old fashioned in Germany. Worse than Nigel or Keith!

Ivo is lovely!

Original poster
Peaboddy · 08/12/2021 09:57

Sorry, that was to @RebeccaNoodles and @malovitt

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Original poster
Peaboddy · 08/12/2021 09:56

Wow, that’s a lot of Ottos and similar names!

Ivo is winning out at the moment. Thanks for sharing the song too Smile

OP posts:
Ceramide · 08/12/2021 07:36

I understand Otto is becoming trendier again now but to me it's still a comedic sounding old-fashioned German stereotype of a name

Agreed

I quite like Ivo although prefer Ivor.

malovitt · 08/12/2021 07:35

@malovitt

I have an Ivo, named him after a Cocteau Twins song. He’s now an adult and I still love his name.
Here is the song if you're interested..... Ivo

I still (try to!) sing it to him.

RebeccaNoodles · 08/12/2021 07:10

@Peaboddy

Thanks for all the opinions, it’s pretty divided by the sounds of it! My main concerns are that Ivo is unclear in terms of pronunciation (eye-vo vs ee-vo) and that Otto is a bit trendy at the moment. Love both names though.

Any thoughts on this? How many Ottos do you know? How would you pronounce Ivo?

How many Ottos: in my Dds Year 1 class we have two Ottos, one Otis and an Ottilie. Don't know any Ivos!
EishetChayil · 07/12/2021 23:41

Both pretentious.

Anystarinthesky · 07/12/2021 22:50

I like Ivo, like SwumMum I first heard it on the 'Child of our time' series and liked it.

hivemindneeded · 07/12/2021 22:40

I like both but slightly prefer Ivo.

Leeloo1233 · 07/12/2021 22:31

Ivo is so cool! Makes me think of Ivar the great viking. I know two Otto babies just recently been born, to me it also seems German and somehow a bit nazi still, but of course no one would think that once he is here!

SwumMum · 07/12/2021 22:31

I much much prefer Ivo.

There were twins in the "Child of our time" series and one was Ivo.

I can hear it being said in a Scots accent and really like it

I know 2 baby Ottos and it's too trendy for me. I think it will date.

Longdistance · 07/12/2021 22:26

Otto. My db was nearly an Otto. It’s a pretty cool name.

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 07/12/2021 22:21

Ivo is ok but neither really appeal.

I know two Otto dogs and three Otto boys so it is certainly popular around here at the moment.

MsTSwift · 07/12/2021 17:30

Dd1 would have been Otto my German mil was horrified it’s a name for a “farm boy” apparently 😁.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 07/12/2021 17:24

Otto makes me think of General Von Klinkerhoffen.

RestingStitchFace · 07/12/2021 17:19

Ivo - I knew one once and he was a really decent upstanding kind of guy. So it's got positive associations.

The only Otto I know is a Labrador...

CouncilHousedAndViolentBaby · 07/12/2021 14:29

No and no

Original poster
Peaboddy · 07/12/2021 11:36

Thanks all! Nice to see some positive comments!

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SevenSteps · 06/12/2021 19:15

Like Ivo, pronounced eye-vo, very much. Unusual but with a solid medieval history.

Otto sounds more clunky/potential pet name.

TatianaBis · 06/12/2021 19:00

Ivo is just a really cool name. Underused, unassuming yet striking.

TatianaBis · 06/12/2021 19:00

Ivo.

Otto is very Cherman. I know one Otto: he’s a dog.

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