Liv/Olivia/Livia

[MrsMattie]

A friend is heavily pregnant with a girl and loves the name Liv. She likes Olivia / Livia, but she thinks Olivia is 'too popular' and besides, she loves Liv. What's the general consensus? Should she just name her baby Liv on her birth cert or give her a 'proper' name and have her known as Liv?

Baby Olivias and Olivers all over the place round here. Your friend is right.

Could she have Lavinia? Lily? Elizabeth? Lillian? Lydia? All just about justifiable to shorten to Liv, but I would assume (and I know I shouldn't) that Liv was short for Olivia.

most olivias are shortened to liv anyway so she'll end up with a popular name anyway..

I know someone who's sometimes calls her Olivia - Livi, which is cute and suits her

I always liked Olivia and the shortened form of Livvy but Olivia's are absolutely everywhere here now.. sighs and so OH has said no chance now.. it's turning up on too many Darren & Sharon birth announcements with weird spellings too..

I have seen

Olyvya
Olyvia
Oliviya

pukes

I know a Livia, think it is lovely, and not at all common I don't think.

Personally I would go for Olivia on the birth certificate.....but then I'm quite traditional.

Lots and lots of Olivias if that bothers her dont do it.

Generally i'm not too keen on Livia - because of the scary Roman Empress in I Claudius but it is actually a pretty name and she wouldn't be using it all the time. I would go for that over Olivia tbh.

I love the name Livia but I think I've seen it discussed before and people are put off by the evil 'I Claudius' woman.

My dn is a Liv - just Liv. Quite unusual I suppose but not outrageous imho

My DD name is Olivia and we call her Livi and her brother calls her Lily and her friends call her lilla! Actually I don't know anyone who calls her Olivia! Glad I have Olivia on the birth certificate though. We named her after Olivia de Haviland (terrible spelling I know!)so she doesn't give a damm!

That doesn't make sense though coz it was Rhet Butler (again terrible spelling sorry!!!) who said that wasn't it?! Embarassing what one glass of wine does!