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Baby names

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

Original poster

Olive as a boys name?

118 replies

Gypsophiladaisy · 11/04/2022 12:30

I really love Olive as a boys name as a twist on Oliver thta I also like but is far too popular for me to ever use. However, I am aware its wayyyy more common as a girls name. Even though I have only ever heard of girls with this name, it sounds far more unisex to me and I would love to use it but wouldn't want negative reactions to it. Its so annoying that boys names can be used for girls but not the other way round!

I'm not sure why I like it so much (and I prefer it as a boys name than a girls name), but here are other names I like in case anyone has alternatives of suggestions for both boys and girls that would suit my style!

Eliza, Florence, Lottie, Tilliah, Grace (love the nickname grey for b+gs)
Greyson, Olive, Ezra

Thank you!!!

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mudgetastic · 12/04/2022 13:31

Have you listened to a boy called sue by Johnny cash

KirstenBlest · 12/04/2022 12:44

@Purpleroseas, I think Jack Monroe'grew up with the name Melissa Hadjcostas or something like that.

Maybe it's more acceptable for girls to have boys names than vice versa...?
We live in a patriarchic society. Trasditionally, sons were valued more than daughters. I think that giving a girl a boy's name smacks a bit of 'we really wanted s boy'. It won't be the case for everybody though, but I suspect that if this thread had been titled 'Can I call my daughter Stanley' the responses would not have been favourable

EmmaGrundyForPM · 12/04/2022 10:48

Also, Jack Monroe was always known as "A Girl Called Jack" so she made a point of the fact that she has chosen a male name.

OP, lots of people clearly aren't reading your OP properly.

Possible names could be

Rowan
Storm
Eden
Grayson

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 12/04/2022 10:37

Jack Monroe chose her name as an adult. It’s not her birth name.

Purpleroseas · 12/04/2022 10:24

Jack Monroe

Doesn't seem to have harmed her to have a 'male' name?

Maybe it's more acceptable for girls to have boys names than vice versa...?

Purpleroseas · 12/04/2022 10:22

Isn't there a famous woman cook called Jack?!

rahjama · 12/04/2022 10:08

@FelicityPike

Oh for goodness sake no. That’s like that poor wee girl called Richard I once saw on TikTok!!
You know she's not actually called Richard, right?
spearmynt · 12/04/2022 10:05

I really like it on both. Definitely unisex.

dementedma · 12/04/2022 07:54

American friend has a daughter called Avery, which I always thought was a boy's name.

Purpleroseas · 12/04/2022 07:46

Olive nickname Oli might work....

Tillsforthrills · 12/04/2022 07:45

Please don’t.

GinUnicorn · 12/04/2022 07:40

How about more unisex names?

Ashley
Lee
Lindsay

Blimecory · 12/04/2022 07:35

Avery
Clive
Basil

Jeelypieces20storeys · 12/04/2022 00:07

Dear god, olive is vile enough as a girl's name never mind lumbering a boy with it.

"Are you on glue?"

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 11/04/2022 23:03

How about Leif or Liev?

Luredbyapomegranate · 11/04/2022 22:15

I think the only place for Olives is in a salad..

But you might like Owen, Ethan, Otis, Arlo, Elias, Austin, Ivo, Arthur, Arnold, Leo, Theo,

Or names with closely related male/female versions - Alexander nn Alex, Sacha or Sandy, Alistair nn Ali, Philip nn Pip, Lucian, Julian, Justin, Cassian, Theodore, Gabriel

Rowan, Robin, both properly unisex.. must be a few more..

Tilliah is not a name I’ve ever heard, but Tilda short for Matilda is nice

Sarkymarky · 11/04/2022 21:43

Oh yes go ahead if you want your son to hate you and have the piss taken out of him for his life.

BritInUS1 · 11/04/2022 21:26

Watch out for this on the Daily Mail tomorrow !

Peony15 · 11/04/2022 20:55

is this a windup ? please don't give your male child a name that's an old fashioned female name. Cruel

Libertaire · 11/04/2022 20:52

Great idea, OP. Then you could have a little girl and call her Derek. 🙄

SpeedofaSloth · 11/04/2022 20:47

Er, not Olive for a boy or a girl, for that matter.

Peppapigforlife · 11/04/2022 20:47

How about Tortilla Chip and then you can use your Tilliah as a nickname?

Andacherryonthetop · 11/04/2022 20:44

No to olive but I’m sure you’ve got the message by now. It’s a shame it’s a definite girls name but there it is. Other boy ideas:
Taliesin
Orin
Ash / Asher
Kyran
Ezekiel
Quinn

Girls
Also Quinn
Blair
Elodie
Zoey
Leonie
Lia
Sadie

Feckaffoutofit · 11/04/2022 20:40

Nooooo!

Not cool OP.

MillenialInDenial · 11/04/2022 20:37

I second Olivier is definitely a better option if that's definitely the style of name I suppose you yourself could call him Olive with him actually having a stand alone name, although out of your list Ezra is the nicest not keen on Greyson.

Similar names for me would be something like Seb, Levi, Clark, Lucas.

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