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Baby names

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

Olivia - popularity?

32 replies

bluebabydinosaur · 05/11/2020 21:36

Google tells me that Olivia is the top most popular name right now. I don’t know if any but I guess I don’t know many newborns. Is it that common?

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Turtleturtle81 · 05/11/2020 22:18

It’s very common.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 05/11/2020 22:18

Yes it's very popular. However its also not faddy and has been around for years, so Its not likely to date.

MsTSwift · 05/11/2020 22:20

It’s dull now as overused. Nice enough but plenty of other nice names that are not so widely used

Joiningthegossip · 05/11/2020 22:26

So popular, lots of olivia's in my two DD classes

MikeUniformMike · 05/11/2020 22:43

Same as MsTSwift.
Dull and overused. Yes it's a classic but they are everywhere.

wintertime6 · 05/11/2020 22:49

It's not that common where I live, I know one or two children with the name. I think it's lovely. My dd has a really popular name, but I had liked it for a long time so we went for it, and have no regrets.

Flymetothestars · 06/11/2020 10:21

Its still the number 1 name, so obviously you're not expecting it to be rare, but it's numbers have been rapidly declining each and every year since 2016. The ones I know are all over 4. By the time the 2020 stats are released the numbers will be even lower.
Here's a graph showing the official statistics:

names.darkgreener.com/#olivia

Ickabog · 06/11/2020 10:24

Over 300 children in our school and not one Olivia. I agree with the previous poster it seems to be declining. Perhaps people are put off as they think it will be everywhere?

NannyR · 06/11/2020 10:25

It's not that common at all around where I live and work. I know a lot of children and only one Olivia under ten. I really like it.

MsTSwift · 06/11/2020 10:35

It’s kind of like Sarah for our generation at least one in most classes here

shesellsseashells99 · 06/11/2020 10:37

None in my dd school! It's such a pretty name.

Mousepad20 · 06/11/2020 10:43

Reliably popular without being too trendy. I knew one at school (prompting dislike for the name) and DP teaches primary and often at least one a year.

Siw2020 · 06/11/2020 10:46

Someone I know gave birth this week to an Olivia.

SenorFrog · 06/11/2020 11:00

It has been very popular for the past 20 years. A quick scan of my ds19's Facebook and he has loads of Olivia, Liv's. I know people say it's lovely and it is but, I have a name which was popular a few years before I was born, every other one I know is 10+ years older than me, I hate it, it's very ageing for me and considered so dull and boring.

MikeUniformMike · 06/11/2020 11:20

It is the Sarah of the current generation. I find it a bit too frilly to have the same quality as Sarah.

copperoliver · 06/11/2020 14:59

It's popular but I like it and the few I know are lovely. X

emilybrontescorsett · 07/11/2020 08:34

No it's not that common. More parents using unique names with various spellings and pronounciations which will feature the common names when we look back. Olivia is a timeless classic with inclusion about pronunciation of spelling. It was common in the 90s but I don't think it's that common now.

emilybrontescorsett · 07/11/2020 08:34

No confusion

Roselilly36 · 07/11/2020 08:37

I really like Olivia, timeless, classic name. I only know one little Olivia.

Carouselfish · 07/11/2020 08:44

It's still very popular though I know more Amelias in the younger age bracket. That aside, olives and liver are all I hear in the name so don't think it's very nice anyway.

Tfoot75 · 07/11/2020 08:49

Well it's the most popular name so clearly it is the most common out of all girls names at the moment! I agree with some pps though, I don't actually know any and not aware of any in dcs school - so maybe the popularity is polarised in certain areas? Amelia is the name that has at least one in every class around here (and I think was the most popular name 5-10 years ago when my dc were born).

I don't think there is an equivalent these days to Sarah or Rebecca of the 80s - there's a lot more variety in names so I doubt the number of Olivias registered in a year is anywhere near the number of Sarah's in any given year of the 80s!

cloverbug · 07/11/2020 09:00

I know of quite a few baby Olivia's. I had a name I loved but is way to common now, it's really such a shame.

ellenpartridge · 07/11/2020 09:10

I do know a few but I actually know more of some of the "up and coming" names like Ada, Clara... Olivia is a nice name.

MsTSwift · 07/11/2020 15:38

Personally would avoid Eve Emily Isabel Olivia Amelia Lily or any variant of them. Just utterly over used so rendered dull despite being nice enough names.

Why do the majority pick the same few names?! There are lots of lovely normal underused names - Miranda Zoe Tess off top of head.

mamablondie33 · 08/11/2020 18:47

It is really popular. I know quite a few plus the baby groups were full of them two years ago. If it’s something that bothers you then go for something else.