Octavia vs Emerald

[rejectedprincess]

I can’t decide between these two names for baby daughter. I love them both but my issue with Octavia is I don’t like any of the shortenings. Help me choose!

Octavia is much nicer

Octavia is the best of the 2 imo.

Out of the two I prefer Octavia

I prefer Emerald, unless she is your eighth child

Oh I much prefer Emerald of the two names. If you like Octavia best, Tavi is quite sweet.

Octavia is an amazing name

I love Octavia, not quite so keen on Emerald as a name.

Can I just throw Esmeralda out there?

Not Emerald

I know lots of Octavias that are not the 8th born. And Quentins that are not 5th borns. I don’t think the meaning is that important.

i prefer Octavia to Emerald

There are a lot of lovely 'Em' names like Emma, Emily, Emmeline, but not sure about Emerald. It sorts of blends in with those yet not quite as nice imo - the ending is less nice. If you want something unusual, I would go for a completely different sound.

Octavia, yes I like this, but it's going to be tricky if you dislike the usual short form, which I think is Tavy? I love Olivia which is similar, but you'll probably think there are too many Olivias already as you seem to be looking for something unusual.

My other children have unusual names so while Olivia is a nice name it wouldn’t fit

Both lovely but I prefer Octavia.

I prefer emerald so she can be Em. Octavia is stern.

Definitely Octavia. Emerald is what an 8 year old would name their imaginary horse.

Sorry, but I I feel these are Chav names for the affluent.

The whole ‘unique’ names trend in just that. Nothing is going to date as badly as this. Unique names stop being a unique thing to do when everyone does it. It’s rightly been coined the ‘eccentric sheep’ trend.

The Octavia we know goes by Ocky which so love.

The problem with Octavia is that although a ‘classical’ name often for most people is linked to a Skoda, I’m not sure it’s adventurous to have your name linked to a family car no matter how much your parents like it.
The classical link will be lost on most people

I think Octavia is rather ‘matriarch in Ancient Rome’, and Emerald just reminds me of the deeply silly Emerald Cunard, who was mates with Wallis Simpson and outraged by the abdication, as she’d expected to be Mistress of the Robes.😀

I find Octavia a teeny weeny bit pretentious, and Emerald doesn't have a nice sound to me

But weirdly I love pp suggestion of Esmeralda!

Octavia! Beautiful.

This is my thinking.

I wouldn't name my child after a type of Skoda.

Really don't like Emerald either. I mean, it is the name of our local Chinese Restaurant, which might be specific to people who live near me, but it is a jewel.

I much prefer Emily, Emma, or even the recently very popular Emmeline if you are after an 'Em' sound.

Emerald is fabulous. Octavia is not a beautiful name at all.

Octavia makes me think of a grumpy dowager from a period drama.
Emerald is marginally better.

I like Octavia best but agree about the shortenings. Ottilie maybe - Tilly is a lovely nn?

I’m not at all keen on Emerald, sorry.