Ottilie or Athena?

[Vixda]

We have narrowed our daughter's name down to Ottilie or Athena and can't decide which to go for! Older siblings are called Leo and Aria... help us please!

Not a fan of ottilie. It rhymes with too many things. Spotty Ottilie etc. I know a lot of Ottilie's in primary school.

Athena is lovely 😊

The only Ottilie I have ever know was German, and pronounced the name Oh-TEE-lya. I think the name is of German origin.

I think unless you have any ties to Greece/classics/mythology it might be strange to use Athena.

Ottilie is an up and coming name so there are going to be loads in schools, as it’s a lovely name, but I’d go for Athena as it will be a little more unusual.

Not Ottilie. Why this name has taken off is beyond me. There are lots of them where I live. Athena is better, but I do think posters too.

I really dislike Ottilie and it’s probably the baby name used most amongst my friends and acquaintances. I know of 7 born in the last 3 or 4 years. I thinks it’s going to have raced up the charts. Based on that I’d go Athena.

Athena. It's a good, strong yet feminine name and not heard often.

Ottilie is too twee and frilly for me, whilst also (IMO) being quite an ugly sound - I dislike Otto for a boy for the same reason (sorry to any Ottilies/Ottos or mums of!). Plus it's gaining popularity if that matters to you. I also always think it sounds too much like utterly - Ottilie Butterly etc 😬

I like Ottilie

Athena is my favourite girls name ever, definitely prefer it to Otillie

I prefer Ottilie but I think there's pronunciation variant as I heard it pronounce Ottilya

If I met an ottolie I would immediately know they had a Mumsnet parent! Seems to be the most popular girls name on here.

Otillie and all I hear is otters.

Athena is a great name.

I agree, Athena is much better. Plus, as a kid in the 80s, the posters were very aspirational!

Athena is a great name. I'm not a fan of Ottilie ; it has a slightly silly sound to me and I think it will date rather.

Ottilie

Athena.

most people in the UK with an Ottilie cannot pronounce it properly and it sounds ridiculous.

Isn't the correct pronunciation O -teal-ya? It shouldn't rhyme with bottily.

Every other kid is called Ottilie round by me and personally I think it sounds too try hard, although I do love Tilly. I think Athena goes with the other names better but not keen on that either sorry

@Fr7fr6 not only is it being pronounced to rhyme with bottily, I know one spelt Otterley.

Neither

From DD's Fortnite voice chats I can offer the advice that Athena sounds terrible pronounced in that exasperated tweenage strung out because they've not let you take the super duper uber rocket of doom tone of voice.

FEEEEENNNNNNAAAAAAAA-UHHHHH

😆 New to Mumsnet then!

Both lovely.

Would you pronounce Ath-ee-na or Ath-en-a? I’ve heard both. I prefer Ath-ee-na, but that’s personal choice.

Ottilie is really nice but as others have said is quite popular. I think Ottie and Tilly are both sweet, particularly for a child.

Another reason I don't like ottilie is it means "rich". Yuck! It's apparently now the most popular girls name here in London. A friend chose it because it means rich. I think it's used by newly fairly rich people thinking they're being trendy/aspirational for their offspring.