Is Octavia pretentious?

[persephoneplum]

I have loved this name for a long time now and about 6 months ago, decided if I ever had a girl child, she would be called this.

I've got cold feet now and feel it might be a bit pretentious - and I have no problem with strong names,a lot of my favourites have cropped up in the other 'pretentious' thread - but I am considering if it would affect a child adversely.

Freya is my second choice and despite its extreme popularity in Britain, it doesn't even crack top 1200 in my state of Australia. Do you think this might be a better choice in terms of how a name affects a person?

I think it's a lovely name. I like Freya too. As to whether it's pretentious or not - no matter what you call your child, there'll always be someone who won't like it for any reason at at all. The only thing that's important is whether you like it.

I think its a great name. If I had had 8 children and the 8th was a girl I would have definately used it.

Octavia is gorgeous. With or without the 8th born connection. Beautiful, stylish yet not difficult or pretentious.

Yes it could be seen as pretentious, but if you love it, who cares?

Pretentious

What's pretentious about it? It's been around for centuries.

I think this harping on about names being pretentious is a bit insecure.

The Romans didn't use it for eighth children only, as anyone with a faint grasp of classics will already know. Though I imagine some will deem that a pretentious remark

Agree with Lady T - the Romans certainly didn't use it just for eighth children. It's a beautiful name, and has been around much longer than any stupid car!

LadyT I think you're absolutely right - it is a bit insecure of me to doubt such a marvellous name. I never bought into the eighth child thing anyway, as there's no way in hell I'm having eight, and not willing to throw the name out for such a superficial reason.

It's back on the table Thanks for the wake-up call!

Pleasure! Choose the names which give you the most pleasure and sod everybody else.

Oh yay, you actually have an Octavia?! I'd swoon with bliss if I ever met one I know a little Aurelia born a few months ago and I greatly admired the use of that name

I daren't hope for a girl next time though - he/she will be our last child after two boys and we've used the most perfect boys' names in the world (for us). We're in deep trouble naming-wise if it's another boy, but we'll cope.

Boys names are harder. FWIW I like...

Julius
Felix

But enough with the Romans.

I also like

Charles
Edmund
Oswald (Mosley connections put me off a bit here, also Octavia and Oswald a bit much, even for me)
Horatio (I know one but he is my age)
Ferdinand
Raphael
Salvador
Oleander
Hugh
Barnaby

which aren't to everyone's taste, I realise.

Absolutely love Octavia, I wish I'd used it for dd. Definitely go for it, and like LadyT says, sod everyone else.

Octavia - yes, gorgeous, really lovely.

Freya - wishy washy.

One of dd's friends is Octavia, known her since she was a baby, and never heard it shortened. Lovely name.

Gosh LadyT, you sure hit the nail on the head with some of those names. One of my sons is Felix, and Julius has been in my top 5 for years.

Charles and Edmund are out because of family members, but I love Ferdinand and Raphael (pity my husband doesn't.

On my boy list are:

Sebastian
Magnus
Otto
Augustin
Casper
Alasdair

Also on my girl list:

Cordelia
Clementine
Ursula
Agatha
Tabitha

Freya is out this week, not even making my top 10. Fickle beast am I.

Octavia is miles ahead of any of your other girl choices imvho

Ah, we are most in tune!

Magnus is fab. I like Marcus as well but Magnus is even better. Love all your names, actually, but DP is Alistair so Alasdair would be no good for me (better spelling than Alistair!) Augustin is lovely. And Otto.

As for the girls, DP wanted to call DD Clementine. It's not been ruled out if we wever have another one. Augusta is nice. Also like Theodora and Christabel. DP likes Primrose...but drew the line at Daffodil (I know it's a little eccentric but I really like it...)

I always liked Marcus too... but I went out with one for five years, so most definitely out!

My only gripe with Theodora is that I can't have one - it would be right up there if I didn't already have a Theodore Isadora is also now off-limits for us - one of my all-time faves. Clearly I like the 'door' sound.

They are wonderfully eccentric flower names! I like them I also love Dahlia, but there are problems with it when said in a broad Australian accent.

Dahlia is actually my number 1 choice if I have another girl But DP isn't sure.

Lovely name - I would go for it!

Are you kidding me? Amazing! It keeps coming up for me - on the list, off the list etc etc. I don't actually have a broad Australian accent - a bit more English-sounding as my Dad is English, so the kid's family would be pronouncing it how I love it... just not sure about other types of accents!

Uncanny how similar our tastes are

Thanks to others who are also inputting whilst this conversation is going on

is it your eight child?? if not then YES i think it is pretentious....sadly tho, cos i actually think it sounds lovely....

We have an Octavia. Everyone remarks on how beautiful her name is and how it suits her (she is not in the last pretentious incidentally...). We generally shorten it to Tavie.

With re to the Skoda, we named her before the car came out. But she LOVES spotting Octavia cars - gets terribly excited lol.

Of all our daughters' names it is my favourite

If you end up living in Australia then Octavia might be fine, but if you called out "Octavia" in Sainsbury's over in the UK I think she and maybe you might get sniggered at. It's the only name that my sons (who are used to lots of different names) have giggled about at when hearing it called out whilst stopping at an M&S service station on the M4. If you end up sending her to a UK boarding school, then she'll probably be OK. Its a name with aspirations of upper middle-class.

Exremely pretentious sorry.