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Baby names

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

Original poster

Which baby name!

39 replies

meltingalways · 28/12/2025 21:49

I had a baby girl a few weeks ago and we have called her poppy as we love all of the nicknames pops popsy etc. and it goes well with our other children names. However I have always ADORED olive. Should I change it?! I think I could convince my husband…

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Norastroud · 30/12/2025 22:38

Poppy is lovely!

Jeschara · 30/12/2025 21:52

Olive on the buses, and Olive oil in the Popeye cartoon. Not a name I would care to use, but it's your choice.

Trishyb10 · 30/12/2025 18:17

Oh its a great life “on the buses” …..

Lemonlimonade · 29/12/2025 16:04

Poppy Olive sounds like a Focaccia’s topping of poppy seeds and olives!

user1492757084 · 29/12/2025 16:01

Both are nice names.
Do you prefer Green or Red?
Poppy Olive is a good choice

You could join them up and call her ..
Polive - Polly
Olippy - Olly
Polip - Lippy
Oppively - Oppy
Lopilve - Loppy - Ilvie
Eviloppy - Evi or Evil

Calliopespa · 29/12/2025 14:39

Olive is a perfectly sensible, respectable name op, but in truth, I don't think "Ol-iV" is actually a very nice sound. I'd stick with Poppy.

Calliopespa · 29/12/2025 14:38

TheaBrandt1 · 29/12/2025 08:07

I’m not saying you can’t be professionally successful and be called poppy 🙄.

I just personally find ditsy names on women with gravitas cringe. Remember a senior expert on the news 50 something in a serious job being introduced as “Daisy Duke” or similar and remember thinking how daft it seemed. A name is for life not a toddler. Op did ask.

I tend to think they work better as a nickname for something a bit more grown up. So Poppy for Penelope etc.

Calliopespa · 29/12/2025 14:37

meltingalways · 28/12/2025 22:07

It definitely has meaning for a family member that passed away. But it might settle my doubts to slot Olive in there too!!!

I think both Poppy and Olive are a bit too "flora and fauna" so I wouldn't try to solve this dilemma by putting them together. It sounds like Primrose Willow for example. Just too much like a nature encylopedia or a Brambly Hedge mouse character.

Personally I prefer Poppy by a smidge.

CrostaDiPizza · 29/12/2025 11:54

'Olive 🫒 is oily and an ugly sounding name.' This.
Olive Oyl and On the Buses. Olive Rudge | On the Buses Wiki | Fandom

I know an adult Poppy, and other than it being unusual in her age group, it's fine.

We have MPs with names like Daisy and Rosie.

When OP's baby will be an adult, there will be people in responsible senior roles with names like Evie, Ellie, Alfie, Archie, Teddy, Poppy etc.

user665178392470 · 29/12/2025 08:29

I’m not keen on either, Poppy being too twee, Olive too harsh, but if pressed I’d go with Olive.

Lemonlimonade · 29/12/2025 08:21

Poppy is a little cutesy and twee sounding. Like Poppet.

TheaBrandt1 · 29/12/2025 08:07

I’m not saying you can’t be professionally successful and be called poppy 🙄.

I just personally find ditsy names on women with gravitas cringe. Remember a senior expert on the news 50 something in a serious job being introduced as “Daisy Duke” or similar and remember thinking how daft it seemed. A name is for life not a toddler. Op did ask.

bluebella79 · 29/12/2025 08:05

Poppy is way better! Olive is boring sounding. Plus olives are disgusting lol

doglover90 · 29/12/2025 08:00

I know several Poppys from uni. One is an extremely successful psychiatrist. One is high up in the foreign office. One is high up in the oil industry. People saying that Poppy is just a name for toddlers and children are talking nonsense really. It's been in the top 100 names for about two decades now. Olive is a much more 'Marmite' name and there is a real chance that they will grow up to hate it.

Lemonlimonade · 29/12/2025 07:56

Olive 🫒 is oily and an ugly sounding name.

OliviaFlaversham · 28/12/2025 23:50

I know some older Poppys and it has aged well and doesn’t feel babyish. Olive is ok but does make me think of, well, an Olive. More than Poppy makes me think of poppies.

Moreteaandchocolate · 28/12/2025 23:42

I much prefer Poppy! :)

DramaAlpaca · 28/12/2025 23:26

Olive is much nicer name to my ears.

SuziQuinto · 28/12/2025 23:22

Olive is lovely, I agree with pp, Poppy is one of those ditzy names that have been fashionable recently.
It sounds as if you're torn though - so it's tricky.

agirlandherdog1234 · 28/12/2025 22:53

I'm a fan of Olive here!!
Plus I think Poppy is too baby-ish for when she becomes an adult. Go for Olive if you love it!!

LizzieSiddal · 28/12/2025 22:18

I know a couple of little Olives, they are 3 and 5, it’s a lovely name and is very close to Olivia.

Edinburghdaze · 28/12/2025 22:15

Poppy is lovely 😻

ilovepixie · 28/12/2025 22:14

Olive is a horrible ugly name. Reminds me of olive in on the buses.

Marcipix · 28/12/2025 22:13

Olive is terribly dull and stolid.
Poppy is sweet but there are a lot of them.
Poppy Olive is okay depending on your surname.

mumofb2 · 28/12/2025 22:12

Unless you refer her to your little olive! I have a middle name that I never ever use. You don’t want her not using hers because she can’t be bothered writing 4 names down (including her surname) haha

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