Olivia - too popular?

[CinnamonSummer]

Olivia has been my favourite girls name for years, but now I might finally get to use (if bump turns pink!) it I've been put off by how popular it is. I love the nicknames Livvy and Liv and keep returning to it. I've always thought I'd use names that were outside the top 50, but I can't help returning to it. What do you think, should I just go with it? Have thought of using Olive as an alternative with the same nicknames but it just doesn't sound as pretty to me. The middle name would be Primrose.

If you like it then use it. I know two Olivias. One been my little sister. She gets called Livvy by my son.

I only know one little one and she lives abroad!
Primrose is a lovely name, it was on our list for DD

I think Olivia is lovely and popular for that reason.

I know only one little one and then two others, one is in her mid 20's, the other late teens.

If you really love it then you should choose it. There is such variance in names being used now that even the most popular name will never be as popular as the number one name of say, the 70's was.

It's a lovely name, and even though it's popular, so are lots of other names. I only know of one Olivia under five.

Lovely name and I don't know any. It may be popular but imo is classy and feminine.

Lovely name but it is extremely popular common

There were 6 girls named Olivia in the class I taught today. That was just today. I had 2 yesterday. The day before I think it was 3.

I think Olive is far nicer and much more unusual :)

ooh no, not Olive - makes me think of Olive from On the Buses (know Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen have an Olive but not a nice name imo)

I met a "Liberty" the other day. It's unusual plus you could shorten it to "Libby" which sounds like "Livvy" so your DD could choose that if she wanted to sound a bit more conventional.

Liberty Primrose sounds awesome, like a Southern Belle...

Use the name if you love it.

I only know one Olivia-she's 5 & totally gorgeous!

Victoria Beckham's sister has a daughter called Liberty. Slightly makes me think of a panty liner sorry - was there one by that name??

I'd use it - I nearly talked myself out of DD's (equally classic but extremely popular the last few years) name for exactly the same reason but couldn't think of anything else DH and I both liked nearly so much. I still absolutely love her name, and have only come across one other child called it in 18 months of attending a LOT of toddler groups, nursery etc. And, for what it's worth, I don't know a single small Olivia.

brunette123 Now that would be awful - calling your DD "Bodyform"!

Livia instead?

I know it's very popular according to the statistic but I only know two. ONe is 11 and one is about four. And that's it. I like it.

I like it. I am hugely put off by names being "popular" but I wish I didn't care. It's lovely.

It's popular for a reason. I must admit I know a huge number of them, all teenagers, though having said that, you tend to become conscious of how popular a name is after you have used it for a child yourself, only to hear it absolutely everywhere . I don't know any Olivias under 15. I think it may have run its course in my neck of the woods, supplanted by Layla and variations.

No matter how popular a name is, once you use it for your child, he or she 'becomes' the name as far as you're concerned.

I know 2. 1 is 27 and 1 is 3. If you love it then use it or you will regre it.

I am in the same position as you with the name, oceansurfs comment really worries me, there are 3 Ellie's in my ds class at school which causes some confusion!

I have one, she's almost 6 and is the only one in either her school year or the one above it or below it - she's P2. But don't tell anyone as it seems to give people the rage when I tell them that

She gets Liv occasionally, usually from me, but never Livvy.

Very popular. Two in my eldest DD's class, one goes by Olivia and the other goes by Livia (but does not like it) but very lovely name.

Ophelia is about the same but rarer? Although tragic connotations, I guess.

Oh, use what you love!

I've never met a single Olivia.

But even if it's super popular where you live, if you really really love it, then I think that you shouldn't let the popularity put you off.

Wow - thank you for the replies!

I think I will go with it. Like some of you have said, if I don't I'll regret it. I love the suggesetion of Livia though, food for thought! Ophelia is lovely, too, but I'm not keen on Liberty or Libby, despite it soudning so similar. I also like Lydia, with the nn Liddy but Olivia is still standing out to me. Thank you all again

I have an Olivia and whilst I knew it was popular, it has always been my favourite name for a girl. Still love it. And don't think we have met any others. I also know an Olive.

We know quite a few Olivias under age 10. Wasn't it the no 1 most popular girls' name a couple of years ago?

I think Ophelia is really lovely, classic and not as overused. Or how about Ottilie?

Such a beautiful name. I too am disappointed by its recent popularity, but I guess that's because it's so lovely.