Bryony vs Ottilie

[rubyred84]

Posting here for traffic, have name changed...we are totally stuck between these two names (baby is already here) and im almost too close to both of the names now and can't think properly.

So, my question is - is Bryony a lovely feminine, strong, underused name, or, is the reason it's underused because it's just not that nice, and more along the lines of Brenda/Angela/Sheila etc (it's 981 or something on the list for 2016 which really surprised me...what's wrong with it is what I'm asking...why is it sooooo far down the list)

And.... Is Ottilie really pretentious? I think it's absolutely beautiful, girly but strong, unusual but not unheard of, but is it only to be used by private school girls?

Please be gentle....like I say, I can no longer see the wood from the trees (possibly due to hormones) and have a 1 week old gorgeous little baby girl with no name 😢

I prefer Bryony. I'm not keen on Ottilie at all, it just reminds me of the word Otter, and I do think it's a bit of a pretentious name (sorry).

I love Ottilie and don't like Bryony at all.

Not keen on either of them, so many better names out there. But if you have to choose one then Briony (with that spelling) is the lesser of the two evils. Bryony spelling looks daft.

I've never heard of ottilie (and neither has my phone's autocorrect!)
Bryony now I have heard of (and so has my phone)

I like them both, prefer Brianna to Bryony but that’s neither here nor there. you should choose the one that feels most natural. Try calling her both names for a few days and see which sticks.

Bryony sounds middle aged to me. I only know one Bryony and she's in her late forties.

Ottilie conjures up the image of an old French lady with a top knot. Perhaps a retired teacher.

I really like them both. You can’t go wrong, just choose the one you like the most.

Ottillie is v popular in my part of London but not only with posh families. I know two, one known as Ottie and one known as Tilly.

Bryony is nice, although I prefer Brianna, Ottilie is lovely and unusual.

Prefer Bryony. Underused and lovely. Fear Ottilie might become overused, I already know 2. Plus it is a little pretentious.

Briony sounds to me like one of those names where you wanted a boy but had a girl - Tomasina / Nigella
It also sounds like the person is "a bit like Brian"

Ottilie is better imo - it's definitely increasing in popularity though.

Don't like Ottilie at all. I'd choose Bryony out of those.

I love Ottilie but all the hipsters are using it so that’s a downside.

I read your previous thread too, and I think you should go for Ottilie as you live it. It’s not pretentious (people just like to say that when rent haven’t heard of it). It’s quite a popular name at the moment and I know a few, so she won’t at all be always asked how to spell it. Although bear in mind if getting popular it might date a bit. But I think Bryony is a bit dated anyway.

Sorry for typos, hopefully you can understand my post!

I love Ottilie. Are you pronouncing it the German way? I believe it's 'Ot-tilee-uh' rather than 'Ot-ti-lee'. Both pronunciations are lovely though.

Also why is ‘a bit private school’ a bad thing? Talk about inverted snobby. Should be all be aiming for ‘a bit council estate’ instead? Is that more acceptable? They are just names and you should go with what you love.

I prefer otillie by far.

I don't like Ottilie much but I love Otilia. Bryony is OK. But you'll love the name whatever you pick. My husband and I ended up with a name that we both liked but we'd vetoed each other's favourites so it was a bit of an anticlimax for both of us.
But now we both love it because it's the name of the person we both love best. So there you go

I really don’t like Ottilie. I don’t like the way it sounds and I think it is pretentious

I like Bryony

I haven't heard of Ottolie for years, but Bryony is having a revival in my area at the moment (as is Bronya, which I think is lovely, too).

Bryony Frost is cool. Wins races, surfs in her spare time, is in hospital after getting stomped on by a horse (again- she nearly died when she was 15). Cheerful lass. So I vote Bryony.

Ottilie is lovely, but I know quite a few at my DC's schools (all private, if that's relevant). DH outlawed it for DD, and I'm now glad he did as we ended up with something less common (I mean that as in 'frequently used', not as in how my Granny would have meant it ). Ottoline? Odilia? Not sure they're as nice, though.

Ethel, Ottilie is pronounced Otilia!

Argh byrony is awful sorry! Ottilie is beautiful on the other hand..

I think they're both lovely but unfortunately Bryony was ruined by a Brian-y comment and then a 'As in tuna in brine' comment! Ottilie is really lovely.

Atonement is low brow?! [Hmm]