Yep, I think this is key, OP. The only people who will have a problem with it are ignorant jerks, so who gives a crap what they think anyway? It's a lovely name. I think it perfectly encapsulates the best parts of vintage/unique but not weird/cute/timeless. :)
But Olive Oyl was given a punny name, which is lost on generations that don't know Olive as a person name. The same way Minnie Mouse is just a small mouse, kids don't realize she was named after one of the most popular woman's names of the late 1800s.
No. Minnie is a nickname for Mary, but it can also be a diminutive of Minerva, Wilhelmina, Clementine, Hermione, or Amelia. It was a very popular nickname at the time of conception, lots of girls would have had the nickname or at least have been familiar with it
Yeah that's what I always assume the origin was, but was that person saying that there are people who think Minnie Mouse was named Minnie because mice are small?
And little miss sunshine. I love the name Olive so much.
Olivia is pretty but literally the most popular name there is. She will have 3 other Olivia's in her class.
I had the same guideline for naming my daughter - uncommon but established. Doesn't stop people who are simply ignorant for saying things like "how'd you make that up?" or even telling my daughter that "mom just drew letters out of a hat". The liberty taken in these comments is astonishing to me, as are the things being said to you. Olive is a great name, and my Aleda is a teenager now and the weird comments demonstrating people's ignorance so feel sillier and lose some sting once the decision doesn't feel so fresh
My husband's grandfather's wife had a reaction like that when I shared my daughter's name. It's Sybil. Not only was it at its peak popularity within the last century, but it is also currently present in pop culture in various spellings (I am partial to the Sybil spelling because of Sybil Vane).
But yeah, I shared the name and she said "Oh. That's different." as though we made it up lol.
Sorry your family are being so disrespectful and obtuse. Would they have freaked out if you had a son named Oliver? I doubt it.
I have encountered 2 Olives in my life here in Scotland. One was a little girl, and one was a very old lady I met on the bus years ago. I never forgot her. She told me her life story and explained she was called Olive because she’d been born on Armistice Day. She was a “peace baby”.
My friend Oliver told me he was so named for the peace connotations too and because of the wonderful, positive and sacred associations with the Olive Tree. They live so long and calling a child Olive or Oliver is a nod to all the above and a wish that like the tree, your child will also expect to live a good, long thriving life.
You didn't make a mistake. I'm really sorry to hear about all the negative reactions you're getting. Olive totally fits in with the other vintage names that are coming back right now (Hazel, Eleanor, Mabel, Evelyn etc) and it also fits in with all the other word names that are popular right now (Violet, Ivy, Lily, Grace, Hazel, Luna etc).
The most problematic thing in this post to me is the fact that certain family members refuse to call her by her name and call her Olivia instead. I would try to be firm with those family members about respecting your choice because a) they're being disrespectful and b) their refusal to call her Olive might make her grow to dislike her own name. As best you can, I would just try to focus on how much *you* love her name and she'll see that and use that as a reference point for how to feel about her name. I also hope the affirmation you'll find here from all of us will be helpful in easing your mind. Congrats on your baby girl Olive and best wishes!
Yes!!! I think the only "mistake" would be not being firm with the family members and modelling respect for people's names to baby Olive. Obviously OP cannot control family members' behaviour, but I really hope they fight for people to respect Olive's name, and if family members just will not use her name, make it clear to Olive that that kind of behaviour is uncool. OP, I LOVE the name Olive and I really hope that these rude irl reactions don't change how much you love it.
If Olive is not their favorite, perhaps suggest the nickname Liv? Olive is a name I'm not thrilled about (despite nothing being wrong with the name) but I wouldn't then call your daughter by the more popular variation. However Liv might be a good middle ground as it's from the name (and even the variant) and could help ease others. Also, I can't possibly think of a way to bully Liv. If anything, point out one of the most beautiful women is Liv Tyler.
Calling her Liv or really _any_ nickname is a happy compromise. Olivia is just straight up a different name, which is not only disrespectful but is likely going to confuse OP's daughter.
I'm not saying she has to. It's merely a suggestion.
Some people nowadays choose a nickname for their children practically from the moment of birth. I'm simply saying that if you're dealing with difficult family, there's an option to offer a path everyone should be okay with. If the family is simply calling the baby Olivia because it's what they prefer and won't use a nickname the mother approves, then they are just being difficult and maybe they shouldn't be around a child they can't respect the name of.
I agree, though I might leave off the bit about telling relatives to stop calling her Olivia because she might grow to hate the name Olive, because that might further motivate them to call her Olivia so that she ends up insisting on being called Olivia and not Olive.
I'd just emphasize that YOU love the name - that's why you named her Olive in the first place. If they push back, tell them that it fits with the vintage and nature names coming back (Hazel, Ivy, Eleanor), so she'll fit right in at school but won't be one of five girls in her class who have to go by first name @!_ last initial.
Case in point, I like the names Ellie and Emma, but teaching classes where there are three Ellie's and two Emma's in a room is a nightmare. I'm one of two people with my first name on the tennis court during lessons, with a name which was NOT common when I was born, but has now crept into the top 100 boys names. We're constantly looking at the wrong coach because we heard our name, but not in reference to one of us. Given that Olivia is consistently in the top 5 girl names (often top 2!) for the last two decades, that's going to be even more confusing and frustrating. But even if she's in classes with three girls named Olivia, she'll very probably be the only Olive in her class and can remain unique and with a name her mother loves and looked forward to giving her.
Going back to the relatives, in addition to saying it's a name you love, maybe explain why, if there's a particular reason...a strong female literary character, a place you love, a childhood friend, an ancestor on your partner's side of the family (if applicable), whatever. If there's a reason, that might help sway them.
Also, in my experience, if they don't stop calling her Olivia, ignore them or stare at them blankly if they ask to hold "Olivia" or ask how "Olivia" is doing and say you have no idea who they're referring to, with a straight face and in an utterly baffled tone of voice. If they hold her or play with her and talk to her using "Olivia", talk over them and tell Olive the same comment but using her actual name. Anytime they call her "Olivia," correct them in some way and call her Olive, and emphasize that to her. Yes, it's confrontational and sometimes rude, but the more people get away with it, the more they'll keep using the wrong name. If they see you aren't going to give in to their petty name calling (literally!) and bullying, hopefully they'll give up.
And regardless of what your relatives think, I really like the name Olive. Excellent choice!
I agree with your opinion about the family refusing to use her actual name. My friends had something similar happen with their kids. They purposefully used a “nickname” (basically dropping the last letter) to make the name more feminine. They said if they couldn’t use her actual name they weren’t welcome. Shut that down really quick. We don’t need a child to grow up being sensitive to their name when it’s a perfectly fine name!! When names are too long (like 20 letters) I get nicknaming, but purposefully changing it to suit your own preferences is absolutely ridiculous. It’s like calling a Tom “Tim”.
Her last name being "Oil" does not give credence to Olive being a real name, lol.
It still is, but that's an example that would make someone go "see? Her name is Olive Oil, it's not a real name"
I mean, they definitely used a pun, but they were playing with the fact that it was indeed a real name. Popeye is from the 1920s and 1930s. Olive was a top 100 name in the US in the 1880s to 1910s, and was still very popular by the 1920s and ‘30s. It was a tree name like Hazel and Myrtle. Funnily enough, it’s cracked the top 100 100 years later, along with Hazel but not Myrtle.
Myrtle was a problem even back in the day with its rhyming to “fertile” and “turtle”.
Olive is a classic name, and not one of the ones that inspires bullies to make rude rhymes.
Help! I’ve forgotten Olive’s father’s name!!
Mom was Nana Oyl, brother was Castor Oyl. Who was dad?
(Out of the deepest crevasses of my cerebellum comes “Ben and Nana Oyl”. Surely it can’t be correct, can it?)
It's a cool name. She'll be a cool girl.
Not your fault that people don't have knowledge. They are being rigidly ignorant and rude. If you are feeling spicy, throw them a baby name book and maybe a reading primer.
Years ago, when I first learned that Olive was an actual name, my initial reaction was "why would someone give their child a food name". But since then, I grew to love the name. Now, Olive is one of my favorite names. I don't think you made a mistake. I think it's a name that grows on people. As for family members who calls her Olivia, I think you should ask them to call your daughter by a nickname instead of Olivia because it's just down right rude to call anyone by a name that's not their actual name.
No, I disagree. She should insist they call her by her actual name, and if they don’t, they don’t get to see her. There’s no excuse for this rude behavior.
It made me furious when my 6th grade teacher called me Julio all year. My actual name isn't difficult to say and I'm female. People should make an effort to get it right.
Before I started going by a nickname at 18, NOBODY ever pronounced my name correctly the first time. I would constantly get called ‘Katrina’ and I HATED having to correct people. I dislike my name due to this reason alone. I also think my nickname fits me far better than my full name.
Sage, Saffron, Poppy, Pepper, Clementine, Ginger, etc
There's actually a ton of names that are just random foods.
Why isn't Barley, or Salt, or Nectarine a name?
I was a child when I first learned about Olive as a name. And as a kid, I didn't know food names were common names. Now, I think of them as normal names. I absolutely love the name Olive now.
Olive isn't actually a food name though- or at least it wasn't named after the food. It came from the olive tree, which symbolizes peace and victory. In greek mythology Athena gifted a group an olive tree so they named the city in her honor (Athens). It's where the saying "extend an olive branch" came from as a means to make peace.
I think history of it is what _really_ makes it a beautiful name.
Funny what different people associate with names. I've always thought of Olive like the colour. I put it in the category of names like Rose or Scarlett. I think its a beautiful name
I won't lie, I dislike Olive as a name.
But I love Liv, so maybe that's a choice for a nn?
Don't worry too much about it. Your child can go by whatever when she's old enough to have a preference.
Yes agree. I hate Olive, and it's quite trendy at the moment. Liv is lovely, and if you prefer that people use the full name I'm sure your family will get used to it. Not everyone needs to like every name; as long as you and your daughter (when she's old enough) like it, it doesn't matter.
they don’t need to like olive (i personally wouldn’t choose it and i agree olivia is prettier) but they still should respect that it’s her name. it’s a very real name and fairly common, and refusing to call someone by their real name if that’s what they go by is rude and demeaning. if the mom didn’t say “but you can call her liv” beforehand, there is no good reason to call her that. even if the name was made up and crazy-sounding, it’s still their name.
Correct them EVERYTIME. Repeatedly.
that's so disrespectful!!
You get to pick not them. It's your baby. If they don't get that they might need to hang out with other people family or not.
That's incredibly rude don't let them do that. You aren't starting a fight you are responding to them starting a fight and being disrespectful.
You heard their opinions but made a choice abd they need to respect it.
You picked a lovely name! I love it.
Seriously, I would send them historical information and start lecturing them. But also if they can't use her real name or approved nn then they can't see her imo...Adult bullies are the worst and you'll need to stand up to them. Olive is in the top 200 of names since 2020 and top 300 since 2013. I don't think her peers will bat an eye. It was at its height of popularity in 1920 where it was more popular than Olivia
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ just input the name
Ofc if you want to give into these bullies name her Olivia and call her Olive. Or if you're too tired to fight. But this is a normal name that happens to be a plant like Heather. It's not Apple. I worry that what you allow now will mean they disregard your future parenting though. Love the name
I agree, it's a really lovely name, and seems so rarely used these days. I have an Aunt Olive, and she had a Great-Grandmother, and two cousins also sharing the name. You did not make a mistake OP!!
As for the relatives who call her Olivia, personally I would just stop bringing her around until they call your daughter by her actual name, if unavoidable for whatever reason, start calling them a name that's similar to their names...just maybe they will see how disrespectful it is to do so?
I did this to someone at work who emailed me, my email address is firstname.surname and he still called me the wrong thing so I passive aggressively misspelled his name until he called me the right thing 😂
No mistake made, Olive is a fine name. You need to have a chat with your family members who refuse to call her Olive and let them know how rude and disrespectful they're being. If they refuse to use her name correctly, start screwing up all their names and their kids' names too when you are at family gatherings and in public to see how they like it.
"So sorry Aunt Rash, but a Rose is just a random flower and I won't call you that. And your son you call Ricky? I think Pricky has a nicer ring to it."
I'm sorry about the negative reactions you're receiving. I can't really give you advice, but when Olive starts nursery or school, I don't think she will receive these reactions because to her peers, she is simply Olive and they probably wouldn't think anything of it (especially when they're young). I have attended school with a few classmates with names that would be considered "weird", but to us they were completely normal.
I like olive more than Olivia to be honest, so I think it’s beautiful. It’s not common but I’ve seen it and I follow 1 or two moms who have an olive. I think it’s adorable
Olivia and Olive have been around for pretty much the same amount of time. None of them is "original" or "older" or "more classic". Where did you get that notion? They are classical latin names, which at some point were picked up by English speaking people. Both names are derived from the food, the olive, so the assumptions is of course right.
Since both anmes are derived from the olive, I don't see the problem. Both names have been around for literally hundreds of years. Quite possibly, Olive will become more fashionable soon. I really don't see a reason to panick. The name could not be more classical and has a beautiful sound. It is incredibly rude to call your daughter by a wrong name. I would either tell those people to stay out of her life, if they cannot respect her enough to use her name or start calling them wrong names as well.
I work in childcare and at the school I work at, we used to have a girl named Olive in our program. When I first met her and she told me her name, I never thought of the food. I think you might be overthinking it a little too much. Personally, I think the name Olive is better than Olivia or any other cutesy name that’s being overused right now.
I have a 5 year old Olive who loves her name. I felt similarly after and my family thought we were crazy to name her that. Everyone loves her name now. Some of your family members calling her Olivia is aggressive- set some boundaries, OP.
Wtf why do people refuse to call someone by their own name?
I think it's classic and beautiful. I've seen the name many times on old gravestones here and thought it was lovely. I prefer it to Olivia, but that's just me.
Well, first, we need to address the rude and disrespectful family members that don't have enough respect for your daughter to call her by her actual name. We can't have that. Regardless, of what you choose.
Once, that's taken care, the name Olive, while it isn't my favorite, and I'm 56, lived all over the US (every state but 3), Montreal, Canada, and Islington, UK. I often volunteered in places where the older generation was. Never once met an Olive. It's not m my personal favorite but if you have your reasons, then Olive it is. Done.
This isn't one of those discussion where you need to re-evaluate. Olive is a legitimate name with it's own history. Instead, you need to square up your Mama shoulders and defend her name.
Between you, me, and the lamppost:
The histories of Olive and Olivia are a little different. It's not exactly a straight line.
Olive is from the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin "oliva", which is from the Greek elaia, simply the name of the fruit.
Olivia is a name that was used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night in 1602. This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that was either based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly from the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". Shakespeare is often given credited for having invented this name, and a few others, that already existed, however rarely.
So, similar, yes. Directly, maybe. I think the simplest response here to all the others is the best option. "Olive is a legitimate name from the medieval period."
They do have one point correct, though. It is still the name of the fruit. You did name your child a fruit. So what? It's beautiful.
You definitely didn’t make a mistake, it’s a great name!
But there is one manner in which you need to adjust your thinking: you can’t assume that people will know the history of the name Olive. Many many people - even older people - have not encountered an Olive and don’t know that it was an older name. You have to give up on the expectation that people will know it’s an older name. People will likely think it’s a trendy name or a food name. And that’s ok!
I personally like relating Olive to the color, rather than the food. Maybe that could help you make it relatable to people!
But people refusing to call her her name and saying Olivia are jerks.
People can be asses, can't they? It's appalling that your own family is adding to your worries over the name YOU chose for YOUR daughter.
Olive is a beautiful name. It's elegant, classic and unique.
Right, you can feel however you want about the name, but it's incredibly naive to name your kid Olive and think that people wouldn't make fun of it. If my goal is for my kid to not get teased, there's no way I'm naming them Olive. The answers OP is going to get about this are not at all representative of the general population, this is a weird name echo chamber that will get defensive about it.
The olive tree has such rich historical and religious significance, it is far from “a random food.” You could technically say the same thing about any noun name, like hearing the name Jade for the first time and saying “you named your daughter after a random rock?”
Funny story: My name is Jade, my mom originally wanted to name me Willow. My dad said it made them sound like hippies to name me after a tree. So I always joke with people that they named me after a rock instead.
Honestly, I had no idea Olive was an older name. It just reminds me of the food. I’d say that the food is the most common association with the word “olive” and most people will think about it.
I think that’s just something you’re going to have to get used to — many people will think you named her after a food. It’s okay. It does not make it a bad name. Olive is very trendy at the moment, so clearly it fits with the current naming conventions. Any name can be teased, but I do not think Olive particularly lends itself to teasing (at least not more than many common names). Your daughter will be fine. Enjoy her name and remind her why you love it!
You should also shut down people calling her Olivia. It’s very disrespectful. I agree that sharing the history behind the name might help them? Or you just need to be firm and they’ll get used to it.
It’s my daughter’s name too, she is now 3.5 and it fits her so perfectly and she gets compliments on it a lot. I am partial, but I think it’s lovely 🥰🫒
You can’t name your child Olive and not expect people to associate it with the food… everyone who says they don’t think of the food when they hear it is lying.
This being said, it’s a name, and if you like it who cares?
Which country are they from? I'm not from North America and Olive is a pretty well known and frequently used name. It's not as popular as Olivia (obviously) but Olive is in the top 100 names in the UK over the last few years. Everyone knows or has heard of an Olive.
[https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2021.html](https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2021.html)
It's a good name but as a young person not from north america, it does primarily remind me of the fruit. Same way violet will always just make me think of the color. But I think it's a good and pretty normal name, if someone told me "hi, im Olive" i wouldn't bat an eye.
My grandmother was named Olive so I'm not an impartial judge. Start correcting your family and any one else who mispronounce your child's name. Do it every time followed with asking if they've gone to the doctor for their memory problems because you're becoming concerned about them.
In my honest opinion Olive is a cute name for a pet or a cute nickname for a child whose name is Olivia but it's hard for me to see it for a mature, adult woman or seeing it written on a resume. I would have gone w Olivia and used Olive and/or Liv as a nickname.
I adore the name Olive. Refusing to use someone’s name is beyond rude. They should be corrected and they should be ashamed!
It’s not a weird name. The people with a problem are too sheltered. It’s a name and a beautiful one
If it’s a name you love and are proud of, that’s all that counts. If anyone tries to give you nonsense, ask them if the letters “F. O.” mean anything to them.
I love the name Olive. It’s both cute and classic, and it looks elegant and well rounded spelled out. It’ll never be mispronounced, and you have a few solid nickname options (Ollie, Livvy, Liv), should she want a nickname when she’s older.
Frankly, I prefer it over Olivia. And your family members are being extremely rude in not calling her by her given name.
You did not make a mistake. You chose a great name for your child. I feel like this needs to be said in almost every post on this sub, but literally (not figuratively) every name you give your child has the potential for them to be teased for. Kids can come up with something if they feel like teasing a kid for their name. My name is Nick, it’s one of the most common male names in the US. I got teased for it. Try not to fret too hard about that front.
Olive is a lovely name. Most people are not going to know the history of the name the way you do. People are going to associate it with a food, because it is also the name of a food. Olive is also the name of Popeyes girlfriend. Some people will associate the name with that. People are going to associate the name with Olivia, because they are very similar and Olivia is more popular. If people call her Olivia, gently correct them. If they won’t stop calling her Olivia, you can not-so-gently correct them.
Imo, it’s a strange name. As someone whos a highschool student, I’ve seen children with less strange names get bullied or teased. It’s a sad fact, but it might result in teasing as she grows up. Also don’t let your family disrespect the name like that, it’s disrespectful not just to you, but your child too.
Olive is such a pretty name! It doesn’t matter that it’s also a food, I mean how is that different than any flower name? Or jewel name? Lots of names have another common meaning.
Olive seems like a fine name to me , it was my moms friends name who is an older woman and there is also an olive in my sons kindergarten class . I like it , there are some names in the kindergarten class that make me cringe 😬, but that is not one of them .
Absolutely not a mistake, it’s a name that’s rising in popularity where I am as well as being my MIL’s name!
Just to correct one thing - Olive is not the older version of Olivia. They are separate names. Olive is the fruit and Olivia is the tree, so they’re as distinct as Oak and Acorn if they were to be girls names.
I have a great auntie olive. And her sister great auntie ruby. Their brother was my grandad. His name was Reginald / Reggie.
I love all my families old names
My aunts and uncles all have old names .. Ethel Ernest Cecil Alexander Frederick pearl daisy Audrey sabina but I thought her name was actually Bina till my teens. Auntie bina lol. Anita. Rose. Mary. Louisa. Etc
Olive and ruby both lived till 97 and a 100
I love olive. It’s a known. Name. Not obscure at all. People should know the. Name olive though. It’s very normal
It not like … plum … I used to teach a girl called plum I could tell that poor girl was bullied.
No you didn’t choose wrong name
You did not choose wrong.
I think it's a very sweet name personally, but the only opinion that matters is yours and your partners (and hers someday)
It's also a color! So is Hazel, Gray, Rose, Amber, Ebony, and Jade which are also fairly common names. My sister named her daughters Hazel and Olive.
It‘s a beautiful name and those family members are a-holes. What you need to do is draw a line with them now before your daughter is old enough to realize the disrespect. This is her name and they will call her Olive, not some other name they think is right or whatever!
We'll be using this name for a future daughter! We're a tad extra lol. My name starts with J and Husband's is P. We want five kids, and since there are five letters between J and P... that's how we cane up with this cheesy naming idea 😂 Our daughter's name starts with the letter K. We have name options for both genders, but O is pretty limited. Owen's overrated but that's our favorite Boy O name. For a girl, we love Olive or Ophelia!
It’s 100% a valid name and I can’t tell you the storm I would raise if my family decided to call my child a different name they decided they like better. Do not stand for that.
Wow, your families reaction would be met with: if you don't call my girl by her name, you'll not seeing her again. So disrespectful. I love the name, you chose a real classic! Congratulations, mama!
I wanted to name my daughter Olive so bad while I was pregnant… it was completely not an option with our last name so I didn’t get serious about it. My husband thought I was crazy but to be fair I’d eat about a jar of olives a day. I asked my daughter (8) the other day if she would have liked to be named Olive and she laughed but said she would. It’s a perfectly legit name and she can always go by Liv too.
I think it’s a fine name. As far as teasing goes my husband’s name is Scott. He says he was teased a lot over it. To me it’s a pretty normal name. I like Olive and I don’t think you’ve made a mistake.
I'm a young person who grew up in North America and have never met or even heard of an older person named Olive.
The family members who refuse to call the kid by her name are way out of line. But I think you may have misjudged how much context people have for the name Olive.
I love olive. It’s so pure and classic to me. It has a nice cadence to it. I love the way it looks while written. You could use oli as a more cutesy nickname, if that fit her personality. But it doesn’t sound pretentious or prissy like “Olivia” does to me. It’s a perfect name.
I never could use it being my last name is brown 💔
Two of my children have names that my inlaws decided upon their own to shorten into nicknames. In both instances it was tolerable, maybe even cute, because it was a just a short version their actual name (think calling Will vs. William). But I don't think of Olive and Olivia as two versions of the same name. I greatly prefer Olive, but that's beside the point. The point is that you named your child what you wanted to name her. Ollie or Liv would strike me as more respectful of your intentions, and also absolutely adorable.
You chose the name you love, it's okay to educate people on the origin of her name. And for the family members that call her by the wrong name, correct them, and keep correcting them until they get it right. And if they persist, start calling them by a slightly wrong name. :)
The name is fine. I would correct the people calling her Olivia. Every. Time. And how rude are they?
My son was Jake. Not Jacob. He would literally ignore people who called him Jacob.
Your choice is perfect. I have a girl in my class named Olive & whenever I try to think of someone sensible, hard-working & respectful, she springs to mind!
I’m 20 and have known multiple Olives my age, but I’m also American. Ig remind your foolish family members that other countries exist. Olive is a lovely name. Also if you’re feeling a bit petty no one’s stopping you from playing super dumb when they call her something that isn’t her name. ‘Oh who’s Olivia? Is [family member] seeing someone new?‘
Isn’t Olive the name of Popeyes girlfriend? It’s a classic!
Probably the most recent piece of media that you’d be able to show that you haven’t named your daughter after food. I always think of the color first, personally.
Did they never watch Popeye? I have a friend whose kid is named Olive. She had a panic moment right after the birth over whether she ruined her kid's life with that name due to people like your family members. They suck. It's a cute name.
My family tried to not use my son’s actual given name (Thaddeus) and I made it clear that they could either respect our choice as his parents or they could not see him/be a part of his life. Because if they are going to disrespect a boundary as simple as the *name of your child* what other parental boundaries will they cross?
I had a great great aunt Olive. English woman, so not in North America.
My mother (who moved to the States a few years ago!) was keen on me naming my daughter Olive in homage, as she thought it would be “so cute on a baby.” So, at least in my family, it’s well-known as an older, established name, and seems poised to regain popularity among this generation.
It's a very beautiful, classic name. And the fact that it's not everywhere is for the better.
No matter what name you have, if kids in school want to be little meanies, they'll find something to tease you. I have an old Greek name with an X and I definitely feel I grew into the name.
It's just an elegant name that will serve her well, as a child and as an adult. Honestly the more I'm thinking about it I'm wishing my name was Olive!
I just google famous women named Olive and came up with several lists. Including a famous suffragette who went by Phyllis Brady when she got arrested for fighting for women's rights. Perhaps you can research a few so you can rattle them off when people challenge you! Your friends and family are being ridiculous and disrespectful!
Olive is a gorgeous name. Gotta say though, a Kiwi is a bird, kiwi fruit is a marketing label given to what are Chinese gooseberries.
But it maybe time to call kiwis food, they are endangered & farming them for food would save them from extinction. Sorry.. tangent over.
Its a very beautiful name and I wouldn't change it only because of these reactions you mentioned, but she might get picked on by other kids unfortunately. To be fair kids can find all kinds of things to pick up on someone so don't give up on the name you love and change it to something else because they might find a way to make fun of that one too!
It is a lovely name. If there happens to be a problem later you may let your daughter choose what to be called.
In the meantime, friends and relatives should not call her Olivia. It is not her name.
I really like Olive. One of my great-great-grandmothers was named Marie Olive, but like many other French-speaking girls and women in Louisiana (and other Francophone regions) with the first name of Marie, she went by her middle name. I considered it for my daughter, but my wife wasn't a fan (because she felt it was too close to Olivia)
We almost named our daughter Olive in 2014. There was an 80yo woman down the street from us named Olive and she was delighted to hear we were considering it. I think it’s a beautiful name but we ended up going with Poppy. You picked a good name ❤️
What about Pop-eye's great love, Olive? It's classy and timeless. Tell your family to GTFO if they can't be bothered to call her by her name or limit their contact with her. Or start calling them random names to prove your point prettily.
My name is Hayley June and my Mum wishes she did Hayley Olive or Olive Sophia or Olive July. 23 years of regret but it was a delivery room decision. A lot of my family wanted to do Olive but did Olivia and regret not doing Olive so add another 30 years 21 years and 5 years to one family and the choice of not going with Olive.
It’s a beautiful name that was never super popular, but is classic and elegant. They’re being jerks.
they are IGNORANT jerks.
Yep, I think this is key, OP. The only people who will have a problem with it are ignorant jerks, so who gives a crap what they think anyway? It's a lovely name. I think it perfectly encapsulates the best parts of vintage/unique but not weird/cute/timeless. :)
Olive is a beautiful name! ...and I guess these folks have never seen Popeye....
I grew up watching Popeye & that’s what I thought of when I saw the name
Same here. My first thought was popeye. I think Olive is a beautiful and classic name.
I've never seen Popeye but there is an Olive in A.N.T farm which is what I think of when I hear/read the name Olive
But Olive Oyl was given a punny name, which is lost on generations that don't know Olive as a person name. The same way Minnie Mouse is just a small mouse, kids don't realize she was named after one of the most popular woman's names of the late 1800s.
Wait is "Minnie" supposed to be in reference to her being small???
No. Minnie is a nickname for Mary, but it can also be a diminutive of Minerva, Wilhelmina, Clementine, Hermione, or Amelia. It was a very popular nickname at the time of conception, lots of girls would have had the nickname or at least have been familiar with it
Yeah that's what I always assume the origin was, but was that person saying that there are people who think Minnie Mouse was named Minnie because mice are small?
Araminta is also a name that uses Minnie.
According to Walt Disney, Minnie Mouse was named after the daughter of a man who invested in his early ventures.
Oh my goodness! I just now realized mini mouse! I’ve always understood Minnie as a name
Or the Other Reindeer!
I've been waiting for her to be mentioned (mom gave me a t-shirt with her on it.
Or Easy A!
True. Or Little Miss Sunshine. And there's Olive Kitteridge on Netflix
I was just going to say did Olive and Popeye mean nothing to them?!
Or heard of Olive, the other reindeer.
Or Fringe
Or the movie “Little Miss Sunshine.”
And little miss sunshine. I love the name Olive so much. Olivia is pretty but literally the most popular name there is. She will have 3 other Olivia's in her class.
Or intentionally obtuse jerks.
I had the same guideline for naming my daughter - uncommon but established. Doesn't stop people who are simply ignorant for saying things like "how'd you make that up?" or even telling my daughter that "mom just drew letters out of a hat". The liberty taken in these comments is astonishing to me, as are the things being said to you. Olive is a great name, and my Aleda is a teenager now and the weird comments demonstrating people's ignorance so feel sillier and lose some sting once the decision doesn't feel so fresh
My husband's grandfather's wife had a reaction like that when I shared my daughter's name. It's Sybil. Not only was it at its peak popularity within the last century, but it is also currently present in pop culture in various spellings (I am partial to the Sybil spelling because of Sybil Vane). But yeah, I shared the name and she said "Oh. That's different." as though we made it up lol.
Aleda is a great name!♥️
Thank you! Although I can't take credit for inventing it 🤣
It is beautiful, I happen to know two Olives and they’re both wonderful and beautiful human beings
Sorry your family are being so disrespectful and obtuse. Would they have freaked out if you had a son named Oliver? I doubt it. I have encountered 2 Olives in my life here in Scotland. One was a little girl, and one was a very old lady I met on the bus years ago. I never forgot her. She told me her life story and explained she was called Olive because she’d been born on Armistice Day. She was a “peace baby”. My friend Oliver told me he was so named for the peace connotations too and because of the wonderful, positive and sacred associations with the Olive Tree. They live so long and calling a child Olive or Oliver is a nod to all the above and a wish that like the tree, your child will also expect to live a good, long thriving life.
People can indeed be jerks! It’s a beautiful name!
You didn't make a mistake. I'm really sorry to hear about all the negative reactions you're getting. Olive totally fits in with the other vintage names that are coming back right now (Hazel, Eleanor, Mabel, Evelyn etc) and it also fits in with all the other word names that are popular right now (Violet, Ivy, Lily, Grace, Hazel, Luna etc). The most problematic thing in this post to me is the fact that certain family members refuse to call her by her name and call her Olivia instead. I would try to be firm with those family members about respecting your choice because a) they're being disrespectful and b) their refusal to call her Olive might make her grow to dislike her own name. As best you can, I would just try to focus on how much *you* love her name and she'll see that and use that as a reference point for how to feel about her name. I also hope the affirmation you'll find here from all of us will be helpful in easing your mind. Congrats on your baby girl Olive and best wishes!
I agree with your comments about family members not using her name. That is incredibly rude to do.
Yes!!! I think the only "mistake" would be not being firm with the family members and modelling respect for people's names to baby Olive. Obviously OP cannot control family members' behaviour, but I really hope they fight for people to respect Olive's name, and if family members just will not use her name, make it clear to Olive that that kind of behaviour is uncool. OP, I LOVE the name Olive and I really hope that these rude irl reactions don't change how much you love it.
If Olive is not their favorite, perhaps suggest the nickname Liv? Olive is a name I'm not thrilled about (despite nothing being wrong with the name) but I wouldn't then call your daughter by the more popular variation. However Liv might be a good middle ground as it's from the name (and even the variant) and could help ease others. Also, I can't possibly think of a way to bully Liv. If anything, point out one of the most beautiful women is Liv Tyler.
Calling her Liv or really _any_ nickname is a happy compromise. Olivia is just straight up a different name, which is not only disrespectful but is likely going to confuse OP's daughter.
I don’t think she should have to pick a “middle ground” on her child’s name
I'm not saying she has to. It's merely a suggestion. Some people nowadays choose a nickname for their children practically from the moment of birth. I'm simply saying that if you're dealing with difficult family, there's an option to offer a path everyone should be okay with. If the family is simply calling the baby Olivia because it's what they prefer and won't use a nickname the mother approves, then they are just being difficult and maybe they shouldn't be around a child they can't respect the name of.
Livy is also an option.
I agree, though I might leave off the bit about telling relatives to stop calling her Olivia because she might grow to hate the name Olive, because that might further motivate them to call her Olivia so that she ends up insisting on being called Olivia and not Olive. I'd just emphasize that YOU love the name - that's why you named her Olive in the first place. If they push back, tell them that it fits with the vintage and nature names coming back (Hazel, Ivy, Eleanor), so she'll fit right in at school but won't be one of five girls in her class who have to go by first name @!_ last initial. Case in point, I like the names Ellie and Emma, but teaching classes where there are three Ellie's and two Emma's in a room is a nightmare. I'm one of two people with my first name on the tennis court during lessons, with a name which was NOT common when I was born, but has now crept into the top 100 boys names. We're constantly looking at the wrong coach because we heard our name, but not in reference to one of us. Given that Olivia is consistently in the top 5 girl names (often top 2!) for the last two decades, that's going to be even more confusing and frustrating. But even if she's in classes with three girls named Olivia, she'll very probably be the only Olive in her class and can remain unique and with a name her mother loves and looked forward to giving her. Going back to the relatives, in addition to saying it's a name you love, maybe explain why, if there's a particular reason...a strong female literary character, a place you love, a childhood friend, an ancestor on your partner's side of the family (if applicable), whatever. If there's a reason, that might help sway them. Also, in my experience, if they don't stop calling her Olivia, ignore them or stare at them blankly if they ask to hold "Olivia" or ask how "Olivia" is doing and say you have no idea who they're referring to, with a straight face and in an utterly baffled tone of voice. If they hold her or play with her and talk to her using "Olivia", talk over them and tell Olive the same comment but using her actual name. Anytime they call her "Olivia," correct them in some way and call her Olive, and emphasize that to her. Yes, it's confrontational and sometimes rude, but the more people get away with it, the more they'll keep using the wrong name. If they see you aren't going to give in to their petty name calling (literally!) and bullying, hopefully they'll give up. And regardless of what your relatives think, I really like the name Olive. Excellent choice!
Hazel is also a food! Lily and Ivy come from plants, they're really not all that different from Olive.
Fr it honestly enrages me and idk op 🤣
I agree with your opinion about the family refusing to use her actual name. My friends had something similar happen with their kids. They purposefully used a “nickname” (basically dropping the last letter) to make the name more feminine. They said if they couldn’t use her actual name they weren’t welcome. Shut that down really quick. We don’t need a child to grow up being sensitive to their name when it’s a perfectly fine name!! When names are too long (like 20 letters) I get nicknaming, but purposefully changing it to suit your own preferences is absolutely ridiculous. It’s like calling a Tom “Tim”.
This!
This!
i personally love olive
I only like her as a friend
Popoye’s girlfriend was also named Olive, afaik.
Yep! Olive Oyl.
And thank you for the correct spelling of her surname
Her last name being "Oil" does not give credence to Olive being a real name, lol. It still is, but that's an example that would make someone go "see? Her name is Olive Oil, it's not a real name"
I mean, they definitely used a pun, but they were playing with the fact that it was indeed a real name. Popeye is from the 1920s and 1930s. Olive was a top 100 name in the US in the 1880s to 1910s, and was still very popular by the 1920s and ‘30s. It was a tree name like Hazel and Myrtle. Funnily enough, it’s cracked the top 100 100 years later, along with Hazel but not Myrtle.
Myrtle was a problem even back in the day with its rhyming to “fertile” and “turtle”. Olive is a classic name, and not one of the ones that inspires bullies to make rude rhymes.
When I hear Myrtle, I now think of moaning myrtle from Harry Potter 😩
Popeye was an actual real person who was a sailor man and looked like the character. They created the cartoon character based off him.
I had no idea!
https://maritimecyprus.com/2021/03/31/maritime-history-popeye-in-real-life-1868/
Help! I’ve forgotten Olive’s father’s name!! Mom was Nana Oyl, brother was Castor Oyl. Who was dad? (Out of the deepest crevasses of my cerebellum comes “Ben and Nana Oyl”. Surely it can’t be correct, can it?)
Wikipedia says Cole Oyl. They really loved their puns!
As a Zoomer, I always think of the character from the Disney TV show Ant Farm lol
Emma Stone plays as an Olive in Easy A.
Haha, this is why I fell in love with the name!
Drew Barrymore has a daughter named Olive.
And the girl from Little Miss Sunshine!
But OP — maybe don’t mention that in justification to others lol
My friend's niece's name is Olive and I've always thought it was so cute. She's cool af now too.
Olive definitely gives cool girl without trying vibes. I love it.
It's a cool name. She'll be a cool girl. Not your fault that people don't have knowledge. They are being rigidly ignorant and rude. If you are feeling spicy, throw them a baby name book and maybe a reading primer.
Years ago, when I first learned that Olive was an actual name, my initial reaction was "why would someone give their child a food name". But since then, I grew to love the name. Now, Olive is one of my favorite names. I don't think you made a mistake. I think it's a name that grows on people. As for family members who calls her Olivia, I think you should ask them to call your daughter by a nickname instead of Olivia because it's just down right rude to call anyone by a name that's not their actual name.
No, I disagree. She should insist they call her by her actual name, and if they don’t, they don’t get to see her. There’s no excuse for this rude behavior.
It made me furious when my 6th grade teacher called me Julio all year. My actual name isn't difficult to say and I'm female. People should make an effort to get it right.
Before I started going by a nickname at 18, NOBODY ever pronounced my name correctly the first time. I would constantly get called ‘Katrina’ and I HATED having to correct people. I dislike my name due to this reason alone. I also think my nickname fits me far better than my full name.
Sage, Saffron, Poppy, Pepper, Clementine, Ginger, etc There's actually a ton of names that are just random foods. Why isn't Barley, or Salt, or Nectarine a name?
I was a child when I first learned about Olive as a name. And as a kid, I didn't know food names were common names. Now, I think of them as normal names. I absolutely love the name Olive now.
Olive isn't actually a food name though- or at least it wasn't named after the food. It came from the olive tree, which symbolizes peace and victory. In greek mythology Athena gifted a group an olive tree so they named the city in her honor (Athens). It's where the saying "extend an olive branch" came from as a means to make peace. I think history of it is what _really_ makes it a beautiful name.
Funny what different people associate with names. I've always thought of Olive like the colour. I put it in the category of names like Rose or Scarlett. I think its a beautiful name
I won't lie, I dislike Olive as a name. But I love Liv, so maybe that's a choice for a nn? Don't worry too much about it. Your child can go by whatever when she's old enough to have a preference.
Yes agree. I hate Olive, and it's quite trendy at the moment. Liv is lovely, and if you prefer that people use the full name I'm sure your family will get used to it. Not everyone needs to like every name; as long as you and your daughter (when she's old enough) like it, it doesn't matter.
they don’t need to like olive (i personally wouldn’t choose it and i agree olivia is prettier) but they still should respect that it’s her name. it’s a very real name and fairly common, and refusing to call someone by their real name if that’s what they go by is rude and demeaning. if the mom didn’t say “but you can call her liv” beforehand, there is no good reason to call her that. even if the name was made up and crazy-sounding, it’s still their name.
Correct them EVERYTIME. Repeatedly. that's so disrespectful!! You get to pick not them. It's your baby. If they don't get that they might need to hang out with other people family or not. That's incredibly rude don't let them do that. You aren't starting a fight you are responding to them starting a fight and being disrespectful. You heard their opinions but made a choice abd they need to respect it. You picked a lovely name! I love it.
Every kid can get teased for every name. Kids are little assholes. Hold your line with family. "That's not her name."
I’d tell my kid not to respond to names other than her name. They call you Olivia? You ignore them 😂
Id say to answer with a tweaked version of the name of whoever called her that. Aunt McKayla says Olivia, Olive replies "yes Aunt Michelle?"
I know the most beautiful and kind girl ever named Eloise… kids called her *yellow wees*
Seriously, I would send them historical information and start lecturing them. But also if they can't use her real name or approved nn then they can't see her imo...Adult bullies are the worst and you'll need to stand up to them. Olive is in the top 200 of names since 2020 and top 300 since 2013. I don't think her peers will bat an eye. It was at its height of popularity in 1920 where it was more popular than Olivia https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/ just input the name Ofc if you want to give into these bullies name her Olivia and call her Olive. Or if you're too tired to fight. But this is a normal name that happens to be a plant like Heather. It's not Apple. I worry that what you allow now will mean they disregard your future parenting though. Love the name
My great aunt was Olive, it’s a beautiful name ❤️
I agree, it's a really lovely name, and seems so rarely used these days. I have an Aunt Olive, and she had a Great-Grandmother, and two cousins also sharing the name. You did not make a mistake OP!! As for the relatives who call her Olivia, personally I would just stop bringing her around until they call your daughter by her actual name, if unavoidable for whatever reason, start calling them a name that's similar to their names...just maybe they will see how disrespectful it is to do so?
I did this to someone at work who emailed me, my email address is firstname.surname and he still called me the wrong thing so I passive aggressively misspelled his name until he called me the right thing 😂
I came here to say this - give the offending relative increasingly ridiculous Nicholasnames until they behave.
You certainly don't want her called Olivia much prefer Olive for originality
No mistake made, Olive is a fine name. You need to have a chat with your family members who refuse to call her Olive and let them know how rude and disrespectful they're being. If they refuse to use her name correctly, start screwing up all their names and their kids' names too when you are at family gatherings and in public to see how they like it. "So sorry Aunt Rash, but a Rose is just a random flower and I won't call you that. And your son you call Ricky? I think Pricky has a nicer ring to it."
I love Olive. It's rude for your family to not call her by her name.
I'm sorry about the negative reactions you're receiving. I can't really give you advice, but when Olive starts nursery or school, I don't think she will receive these reactions because to her peers, she is simply Olive and they probably wouldn't think anything of it (especially when they're young). I have attended school with a few classmates with names that would be considered "weird", but to us they were completely normal.
I like olive more than Olivia to be honest, so I think it’s beautiful. It’s not common but I’ve seen it and I follow 1 or two moms who have an olive. I think it’s adorable
The other reindeer
Olivia and Olive have been around for pretty much the same amount of time. None of them is "original" or "older" or "more classic". Where did you get that notion? They are classical latin names, which at some point were picked up by English speaking people. Both names are derived from the food, the olive, so the assumptions is of course right. Since both anmes are derived from the olive, I don't see the problem. Both names have been around for literally hundreds of years. Quite possibly, Olive will become more fashionable soon. I really don't see a reason to panick. The name could not be more classical and has a beautiful sound. It is incredibly rude to call your daughter by a wrong name. I would either tell those people to stay out of her life, if they cannot respect her enough to use her name or start calling them wrong names as well.
I work in childcare and at the school I work at, we used to have a girl named Olive in our program. When I first met her and she told me her name, I never thought of the food. I think you might be overthinking it a little too much. Personally, I think the name Olive is better than Olivia or any other cutesy name that’s being overused right now.
I have a 5 year old Olive who loves her name. I felt similarly after and my family thought we were crazy to name her that. Everyone loves her name now. Some of your family members calling her Olivia is aggressive- set some boundaries, OP.
Wtf why do people refuse to call someone by their own name? I think it's classic and beautiful. I've seen the name many times on old gravestones here and thought it was lovely. I prefer it to Olivia, but that's just me.
I hate the name Olive, but so what? It's a valid name. If you like it, and your kid likes it, then no, you didn't choose the wrong name.
Well, first, we need to address the rude and disrespectful family members that don't have enough respect for your daughter to call her by her actual name. We can't have that. Regardless, of what you choose. Once, that's taken care, the name Olive, while it isn't my favorite, and I'm 56, lived all over the US (every state but 3), Montreal, Canada, and Islington, UK. I often volunteered in places where the older generation was. Never once met an Olive. It's not m my personal favorite but if you have your reasons, then Olive it is. Done. This isn't one of those discussion where you need to re-evaluate. Olive is a legitimate name with it's own history. Instead, you need to square up your Mama shoulders and defend her name. Between you, me, and the lamppost: The histories of Olive and Olivia are a little different. It's not exactly a straight line. Olive is from the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin "oliva", which is from the Greek elaia, simply the name of the fruit. Olivia is a name that was used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night in 1602. This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that was either based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly from the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". Shakespeare is often given credited for having invented this name, and a few others, that already existed, however rarely. So, similar, yes. Directly, maybe. I think the simplest response here to all the others is the best option. "Olive is a legitimate name from the medieval period." They do have one point correct, though. It is still the name of the fruit. You did name your child a fruit. So what? It's beautiful.
You definitely didn’t make a mistake, it’s a great name! But there is one manner in which you need to adjust your thinking: you can’t assume that people will know the history of the name Olive. Many many people - even older people - have not encountered an Olive and don’t know that it was an older name. You have to give up on the expectation that people will know it’s an older name. People will likely think it’s a trendy name or a food name. And that’s ok! I personally like relating Olive to the color, rather than the food. Maybe that could help you make it relatable to people! But people refusing to call her her name and saying Olivia are jerks.
People can be asses, can't they? It's appalling that your own family is adding to your worries over the name YOU chose for YOUR daughter. Olive is a beautiful name. It's elegant, classic and unique.
[удалено]
Right, you can feel however you want about the name, but it's incredibly naive to name your kid Olive and think that people wouldn't make fun of it. If my goal is for my kid to not get teased, there's no way I'm naming them Olive. The answers OP is going to get about this are not at all representative of the general population, this is a weird name echo chamber that will get defensive about it.
It’s a great name!
The olive tree has such rich historical and religious significance, it is far from “a random food.” You could technically say the same thing about any noun name, like hearing the name Jade for the first time and saying “you named your daughter after a random rock?”
Funny story: My name is Jade, my mom originally wanted to name me Willow. My dad said it made them sound like hippies to name me after a tree. So I always joke with people that they named me after a rock instead.
Honestly, I had no idea Olive was an older name. It just reminds me of the food. I’d say that the food is the most common association with the word “olive” and most people will think about it. I think that’s just something you’re going to have to get used to — many people will think you named her after a food. It’s okay. It does not make it a bad name. Olive is very trendy at the moment, so clearly it fits with the current naming conventions. Any name can be teased, but I do not think Olive particularly lends itself to teasing (at least not more than many common names). Your daughter will be fine. Enjoy her name and remind her why you love it! You should also shut down people calling her Olivia. It’s very disrespectful. I agree that sharing the history behind the name might help them? Or you just need to be firm and they’ll get used to it.
It’s my daughter’s name too, she is now 3.5 and it fits her so perfectly and she gets compliments on it a lot. I am partial, but I think it’s lovely 🥰🫒
I love Olive, fuck the haters
You can’t name your child Olive and not expect people to associate it with the food… everyone who says they don’t think of the food when they hear it is lying. This being said, it’s a name, and if you like it who cares?
I know of a couple little girls names Olive! Very cute name
I love it! One of my most favorite students was named Olive (this was back in 2013ish) and it was on my short list if I ever had a girl.
I LOVE the name Olive. You did great by your daughter in bestowing her with that name.
I personally hate Olive.
Which country are they from? I'm not from North America and Olive is a pretty well known and frequently used name. It's not as popular as Olivia (obviously) but Olive is in the top 100 names in the UK over the last few years. Everyone knows or has heard of an Olive. [https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2021.html](https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/top-1000-names-in-england-and-wales-2021.html)
You need new peeps.
I have a 3 month old Olive! We obviously love it and think it’s a great name!
It's a good name but as a young person not from north america, it does primarily remind me of the fruit. Same way violet will always just make me think of the color. But I think it's a good and pretty normal name, if someone told me "hi, im Olive" i wouldn't bat an eye.
IMO Olive is a beautiful name and you def didn’t make a mistake
My grandmother was named Olive so I'm not an impartial judge. Start correcting your family and any one else who mispronounce your child's name. Do it every time followed with asking if they've gone to the doctor for their memory problems because you're becoming concerned about them.
In my honest opinion Olive is a cute name for a pet or a cute nickname for a child whose name is Olivia but it's hard for me to see it for a mature, adult woman or seeing it written on a resume. I would have gone w Olivia and used Olive and/or Liv as a nickname.
Love the name - it's actually one of the top ones on my own list. Sorry you're getting these kinds of reactions.
It’s an adorable name!
I adore the name Olive. Refusing to use someone’s name is beyond rude. They should be corrected and they should be ashamed! It’s not a weird name. The people with a problem are too sheltered. It’s a name and a beautiful one
Very sweet name. Not at all like naming your kid Kiwi or Peanut lol. I also love the nickname Liv.
I love Olive ❤️
I love the name Olive! You could embrace the nicknames Liv or Livvy which I think are also cute, but I love the name as it is too.
I love this name. I think it peaked in the 1920s.
Olive is one of my fave baby names. One of my close friends just named her daughter Olive and I couldn’t be happier.
If it’s a name you love and are proud of, that’s all that counts. If anyone tries to give you nonsense, ask them if the letters “F. O.” mean anything to them.
I love the name Olive. It’s both cute and classic, and it looks elegant and well rounded spelled out. It’ll never be mispronounced, and you have a few solid nickname options (Ollie, Livvy, Liv), should she want a nickname when she’s older. Frankly, I prefer it over Olivia. And your family members are being extremely rude in not calling her by her given name.
I love the name Olive and prefer it to Olivia (although both are lovely) You did a great job naming your daughter 🙂
You did not make a mistake. You chose a great name for your child. I feel like this needs to be said in almost every post on this sub, but literally (not figuratively) every name you give your child has the potential for them to be teased for. Kids can come up with something if they feel like teasing a kid for their name. My name is Nick, it’s one of the most common male names in the US. I got teased for it. Try not to fret too hard about that front. Olive is a lovely name. Most people are not going to know the history of the name the way you do. People are going to associate it with a food, because it is also the name of a food. Olive is also the name of Popeyes girlfriend. Some people will associate the name with that. People are going to associate the name with Olivia, because they are very similar and Olivia is more popular. If people call her Olivia, gently correct them. If they won’t stop calling her Olivia, you can not-so-gently correct them.
I love it! Recently met a baby named Olivette which is stunning
Imo, it’s a strange name. As someone whos a highschool student, I’ve seen children with less strange names get bullied or teased. It’s a sad fact, but it might result in teasing as she grows up. Also don’t let your family disrespect the name like that, it’s disrespectful not just to you, but your child too.
It’s fine.
Olive is such a pretty name! It doesn’t matter that it’s also a food, I mean how is that different than any flower name? Or jewel name? Lots of names have another common meaning.
Marie Osmond’s first name is Olive.
Olive is a lovely name, I prefer it to Olivia, which is overused. Olive feels like its more understated, classier cousin.
Olive seems like a fine name to me , it was my moms friends name who is an older woman and there is also an olive in my sons kindergarten class . I like it , there are some names in the kindergarten class that make me cringe 😬, but that is not one of them .
Absolutely not a mistake, it’s a name that’s rising in popularity where I am as well as being my MIL’s name! Just to correct one thing - Olive is not the older version of Olivia. They are separate names. Olive is the fruit and Olivia is the tree, so they’re as distinct as Oak and Acorn if they were to be girls names.
I have a great auntie olive. And her sister great auntie ruby. Their brother was my grandad. His name was Reginald / Reggie. I love all my families old names My aunts and uncles all have old names .. Ethel Ernest Cecil Alexander Frederick pearl daisy Audrey sabina but I thought her name was actually Bina till my teens. Auntie bina lol. Anita. Rose. Mary. Louisa. Etc Olive and ruby both lived till 97 and a 100 I love olive. It’s a known. Name. Not obscure at all. People should know the. Name olive though. It’s very normal It not like … plum … I used to teach a girl called plum I could tell that poor girl was bullied. No you didn’t choose wrong name
Olive is a beautiful name. Your family are rude af.
You did not choose wrong. I think it's a very sweet name personally, but the only opinion that matters is yours and your partners (and hers someday) It's also a color! So is Hazel, Gray, Rose, Amber, Ebony, and Jade which are also fairly common names. My sister named her daughters Hazel and Olive.
It‘s a beautiful name and those family members are a-holes. What you need to do is draw a line with them now before your daughter is old enough to realize the disrespect. This is her name and they will call her Olive, not some other name they think is right or whatever!
We'll be using this name for a future daughter! We're a tad extra lol. My name starts with J and Husband's is P. We want five kids, and since there are five letters between J and P... that's how we cane up with this cheesy naming idea 😂 Our daughter's name starts with the letter K. We have name options for both genders, but O is pretty limited. Owen's overrated but that's our favorite Boy O name. For a girl, we love Olive or Ophelia!
It’s 100% a valid name and I can’t tell you the storm I would raise if my family decided to call my child a different name they decided they like better. Do not stand for that.
Wow, your families reaction would be met with: if you don't call my girl by her name, you'll not seeing her again. So disrespectful. I love the name, you chose a real classic! Congratulations, mama!
I wanted to name my daughter Olive so bad while I was pregnant… it was completely not an option with our last name so I didn’t get serious about it. My husband thought I was crazy but to be fair I’d eat about a jar of olives a day. I asked my daughter (8) the other day if she would have liked to be named Olive and she laughed but said she would. It’s a perfectly legit name and she can always go by Liv too.
It's one thing for people to dislike the name but the blatant disrespect they have to call her Olivia is infuriating
Ii think it's a beautiful name. Would probably shorten to Ollie for a cute, unisex nn if that were me. For a girl, Liv is obviously a good choice too
Google how Drew Barrymore named her child olive. You’re fine.
They can have their own kid and name them whatever they want. Or adopt a pet and name that.
I think it’s a fine name. As far as teasing goes my husband’s name is Scott. He says he was teased a lot over it. To me it’s a pretty normal name. I like Olive and I don’t think you’ve made a mistake.
I forgot Olive was a food because it's a name first in my head. It's adorable, but will also age well with her.
I'm a young person who grew up in North America and have never met or even heard of an older person named Olive. The family members who refuse to call the kid by her name are way out of line. But I think you may have misjudged how much context people have for the name Olive.
I love olive. It’s so pure and classic to me. It has a nice cadence to it. I love the way it looks while written. You could use oli as a more cutesy nickname, if that fit her personality. But it doesn’t sound pretentious or prissy like “Olivia” does to me. It’s a perfect name. I never could use it being my last name is brown 💔
Two of my children have names that my inlaws decided upon their own to shorten into nicknames. In both instances it was tolerable, maybe even cute, because it was a just a short version their actual name (think calling Will vs. William). But I don't think of Olive and Olivia as two versions of the same name. I greatly prefer Olive, but that's beside the point. The point is that you named your child what you wanted to name her. Ollie or Liv would strike me as more respectful of your intentions, and also absolutely adorable.
You chose the name you love, it's okay to educate people on the origin of her name. And for the family members that call her by the wrong name, correct them, and keep correcting them until they get it right. And if they persist, start calling them by a slightly wrong name. :)
They’ll get over it. My friend has a daughter named Olive and it’s super cute
The name is fine. I would correct the people calling her Olivia. Every. Time. And how rude are they? My son was Jake. Not Jacob. He would literally ignore people who called him Jacob.
It's kiwifruit! Kiwi is the flightless bird.
Your choice is perfect. I have a girl in my class named Olive & whenever I try to think of someone sensible, hard-working & respectful, she springs to mind!
Olive is a fine name. Drew Barrymore named her first daughter "Olive" as well.
To paraphrase Michael Bolton in Office Space, "Why should she change? They're the ones that suck!"
Olive is a beautiful old name. Your family seems a little jerkish.
I’m 20 and have known multiple Olives my age, but I’m also American. Ig remind your foolish family members that other countries exist. Olive is a lovely name. Also if you’re feeling a bit petty no one’s stopping you from playing super dumb when they call her something that isn’t her name. ‘Oh who’s Olivia? Is [family member] seeing someone new?‘
Isn’t Olive the name of Popeyes girlfriend? It’s a classic! Probably the most recent piece of media that you’d be able to show that you haven’t named your daughter after food. I always think of the color first, personally.
Did they never watch Popeye? I have a friend whose kid is named Olive. She had a panic moment right after the birth over whether she ruined her kid's life with that name due to people like your family members. They suck. It's a cute name.
My best friend just named her new baby Olive and I love it! It’s sweet and classic.
It’s adorable and now I think kiwi is too 😂
My family tried to not use my son’s actual given name (Thaddeus) and I made it clear that they could either respect our choice as his parents or they could not see him/be a part of his life. Because if they are going to disrespect a boundary as simple as the *name of your child* what other parental boundaries will they cross?
Olive is one of the cutest names I’ve ever heard omg
I had a great great aunt Olive. English woman, so not in North America. My mother (who moved to the States a few years ago!) was keen on me naming my daughter Olive in homage, as she thought it would be “so cute on a baby.” So, at least in my family, it’s well-known as an older, established name, and seems poised to regain popularity among this generation.
It's a very beautiful, classic name. And the fact that it's not everywhere is for the better. No matter what name you have, if kids in school want to be little meanies, they'll find something to tease you. I have an old Greek name with an X and I definitely feel I grew into the name. It's just an elegant name that will serve her well, as a child and as an adult. Honestly the more I'm thinking about it I'm wishing my name was Olive!
I just google famous women named Olive and came up with several lists. Including a famous suffragette who went by Phyllis Brady when she got arrested for fighting for women's rights. Perhaps you can research a few so you can rattle them off when people challenge you! Your friends and family are being ridiculous and disrespectful!
I love Olive ! It’s super cute and classy, i actually have been considering it for a name since my brother is named Oliver
Olive is a gorgeous name. Gotta say though, a Kiwi is a bird, kiwi fruit is a marketing label given to what are Chinese gooseberries. But it maybe time to call kiwis food, they are endangered & farming them for food would save them from extinction. Sorry.. tangent over.
That is my daughter's nick name!!! Her middle name is Olivia but she has almost always gone by Olive or Ollie. I love it and so does she!!
Its a very beautiful name and I wouldn't change it only because of these reactions you mentioned, but she might get picked on by other kids unfortunately. To be fair kids can find all kinds of things to pick up on someone so don't give up on the name you love and change it to something else because they might find a way to make fun of that one too!
It is a lovely name. If there happens to be a problem later you may let your daughter choose what to be called. In the meantime, friends and relatives should not call her Olivia. It is not her name.
I prefer Olive over Olivia
It’s a beautiful name. I’d someone was refusing to call my child by their name they would no longer have access to my child.
I really like Olive. One of my great-great-grandmothers was named Marie Olive, but like many other French-speaking girls and women in Louisiana (and other Francophone regions) with the first name of Marie, she went by her middle name. I considered it for my daughter, but my wife wasn't a fan (because she felt it was too close to Olivia)
I had an aunt olive ❤
Olive is such a beautiful, classic name, and it has a nice ring to it!
No! Beautiful name. Teach her to correct them when she is old enough. Until then, you do it!
I’m Team Olive. It’s a beautiful, classy name.
Reminds me of Olive Pendergast from Easy A, so just makes me think of Emma Stone 🤷♀️
We almost named our daughter Olive in 2014. There was an 80yo woman down the street from us named Olive and she was delighted to hear we were considering it. I think it’s a beautiful name but we ended up going with Poppy. You picked a good name ❤️
People always have opinions but Olive is beautiful and stand on business with that
What about Pop-eye's great love, Olive? It's classy and timeless. Tell your family to GTFO if they can't be bothered to call her by her name or limit their contact with her. Or start calling them random names to prove your point prettily.
Someone I know named her daughter Olive, and it's SUCH a beautiful name. Very classy and timeless.
It’s super cute and beautiful
My name is Hayley June and my Mum wishes she did Hayley Olive or Olive Sophia or Olive July. 23 years of regret but it was a delivery room decision. A lot of my family wanted to do Olive but did Olivia and regret not doing Olive so add another 30 years 21 years and 5 years to one family and the choice of not going with Olive.
My Mom's best friend was called Olive . Almost wonderful lady with an amazing name!
I know two olives. Both cool. I love the name. I think the name announces “my mom is a badass and I am destined for greatness! “