What about Lavinia!

[jaijai23]

I’ve noticed the trend for most female babies born in 2023 is to end with an ‘a’ which I love but there are so many Mia’s, Emilia’s, Maya’s around. I think I adore Lavinia (from Downtown Abbey etc.) but I don’t actually know any babies with that name. What do you think - adorable or outdated!

I have a teenage cousin Lavinia and quite like it

Will be Lav as in lavatory

My great great aunt was Lavinia. Her sisters were Mary, Edith, Harriet, Alice and Lily, all born in the 1880s.

I know one in her mid 30s, nickname Vin.

Beautiful!

Could be shortened to Nia instead of Lav.

I know a Lavinia, in her 30s, known as Vinnie. Supercool lady and suits the name.
I say go for it.

If you like it then go for it. I think Cora would be a nicer Downton Abbey name to have.

Have a nickname you are happy to use when the inevitable 'Lav' comes round. Although I don't think children will particularly be making that connection with lavatory as its a very outdated word.

One of my best mates is Lavinia its a lovley name

I think it's nice, and I like the Cora idea too.

I know a Lavinia.
Really like the name.

My first thought is Titus Andronicus but I appreciate it isn't for most people.

Lavinia sounds like a thrush cream brand, sorry

I also think Titus Andronicus - the name therefore makes me think of the very tragic character. Sure most people will be more familiar with Downtown Abby though!

Definitely too close to “lav” or “lavvy” as a nickname. Also slightly sounds like a country

I really like it, with nickname Vinnie. I also love Lavender. I wasn't brave enough to use either though! The "lav" issue put me off.

Are you a classicist or a devoted fan of the Aeneid, OP? That would be my association.

Love love Lavinia. Was in my top 2 names for DD but I went with the other choice as I hated Lav or Vinnie as nicknames.

Aww love the idea of Nia for short!

It was my nans name, shortened to Vin. I really wanted to like it as it was unusual and meaningful but I couldn’t warm to it at all. It sounds like it should be a medicine or std or something

In itself it’s a nice name but it does have some not-so-great associations.

As well as the ones pps have mentioned there’s Lavinia the head mean girl in A Little Princess, although I guess that’s now obscure. I mainly remember her because Frances Hodgson Burnett uses ‘ejaculated’ as a dialogue tag, and ‘Lavinia ejaculated’ is so awkward that it’s lodged in my memory

I know kids will find anything to bully other kids, but I wouldn't be giving her a name that can easily be shortened to Lavvy.

I’ve only known one in her 30s and has never gone as this.Its a beautiful name.

People will hate on any name. There’s really nothing wrong with it. You could say that Mia sounds like “me, ahhh” or Amelia sounds like “meely” like measles.
Lavinia is a traditional real name. Go with what you love.

I think it sounds a bit prissy, plus she'll be called Lav and Lavatory etc at school. But it's also beautiful. I love a lot of old aristocratic names like that, and Clarissa, Arabella, Adelaide, Araminta, etc. The trouble is that I don't think they work in the real world. Outside a novel or a TV series, they just sound stuck-up. People will be likely to judge her as a spoilt little madam when hearing her name. People do judge others on their names, unfortunately. I also think that such names aren't very compatible with a career. Will people take a young woman named Arabella or Lavinia seriously at work? It sounds like the name of someone who should be wearing a corset and lying back thinking of England! 😂Maybe shoot for something that sounds pretty but doesn't have those out-of-touch connotations? I like Victoria, Elizabeth, and Alexandra, but I never used them because they'd always be Vicky, Lizzy, and Alex! Names like Laura, Nadia, Lydia, Vanessa etc are pretty but not overly aristocratic for the modern world. JMO.