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Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on the name Olive?

150 replies

OpenRobin · 30/04/2024 07:18

Hi,
Just wanted to hear people's thoughts on the name Olive?

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Stillfreezing · 30/04/2024 07:48

Awful. Must be younger people that like it.

Wasywasydoodah · 30/04/2024 07:48

I love it. My youngest would have been Olive if he was a girl.

UnpickThePockets · 30/04/2024 07:49

Drab and dull. Strong dislike.

Dillydollydingdong · 30/04/2024 07:49

Watch On the Buses and you'll see why it's a dreadful name.

ohtowinthelottery · 30/04/2024 07:53

I think it's probably going to lead to jokes about small green/black foodstuff. The only Olive I've ever known in real life would be coming up to 100 if she was still alive, and I doubt olives were heard of by most children when she was a child. I, too, am old enough to remember Olive in On the Buses, so it would be a no from me.

portaide · 30/04/2024 07:56

I know an olive and she's a lovely little girl.

ringoffiire · 30/04/2024 08:02

Not a fan. It makes me think of Popeye.

LetItGoHome · 30/04/2024 08:13

I like it a lot. Sounds quite cute to me. But then I do like eating olives so that may sway my opinion 😃

Bananadramallamas · 30/04/2024 08:20

It may be "retro trendy" now, but by the time she is 13 she will hate it.
Plenty of nicer names.

sunflowerlover282 · 30/04/2024 08:22

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 30/04/2024 07:18

It's nice but have you considered Jimberly?

HAHA 🤣🤣🤣

VillageGreenPS · 30/04/2024 08:24

I have heard of quite a few baby Olives recently but I don't much like it. It sounds frumpy compared to some other 1930s names to my ears.

Apollo365 · 30/04/2024 08:26

I love olives. Olive is a lovely name

JadeSheep · 30/04/2024 08:26

Moreteaandchocolate · 30/04/2024 07:25

I’m not too keen - I usually prefer shorter simpler names, but in this case I prefer the longer Olivia, even though it’s so overused. Olives are for salads or comedies / cartoons (on the buses / popeye)

I thought Popeye too.

Another vote for Olivia

swimsong · 30/04/2024 08:41

2Old2Tango · 30/04/2024 07:21

I also prefer Olivia. I'm old and to me Olive will always be that woman from On The Buses.

Just what I was going to say.

YukNo · 30/04/2024 08:41

Hideous.

Newgirls · 30/04/2024 08:45

I love it. It feels very north London trendy to me - is that a pro or a con?!

FrogTheWarrior · 30/04/2024 09:26

Her grandparents will find it hard to move beyond the previously mentioned On The Buses character.

Orangiople · 30/04/2024 13:37

I know 3 young Olives all chosen because their parents wanted something more unusual. I don’t really get this because it’s sooo close to the very very popular Olivia, it doesn’t feel unusual at all. It’s cute as a name though and I think the frumpy associations or ‘on the buses’ (I’ve never heard of this but always referenced in these threads!) won’t be there with the younger generations, it will be a normal name to them.

FlyingPizzaMonkey · 30/04/2024 13:43

Drab, ugly.

TheHumanSatsuma · 30/04/2024 13:48

MonkeyTennis34 · 30/04/2024 07:22

It's a lovely name but yes, the first thing that comes to mind is Olive from On the Buses.

My exact reaction!
Closely followed by Olive Oyl

pinkmags · 30/04/2024 13:48

Ugly sounding and greasy to my ears.

Also, it would be pronounced as 3 syllables Ol ee veh in several other languages. This may or may not matter to you.

pinkmags · 30/04/2024 13:49

, the first thing that comes to mind is Olive from On the Buses.

Surely the first thing is this 🫒 ?

JimPansy · 30/04/2024 14:21

Olive Oyl and On the Buses. I think it's popular because Olivia is.

TinaYouFatLard · 30/04/2024 14:34

Love it! Little Miss Sunshine!

TeamPolin · 30/04/2024 14:35

Love it! A nice change from Olivia....