Naming a Sister for Olivia: Pretty But Less Popular, Please!

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WE LOVE OUR DAUGHTER’S NAME, BUT SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE

Megan writes:

We decided on our daughter’s name, Olivia Rose, immediately. I don’t even remember really talking about it as much as we just agreed.

She is now almost four and loves her name. We do too! But we also know lots of girls around her age with the same name – first and middle. Our last name is fairly common. (It’s a man’s name with an S at the end: R0ger$.)

I think when we were pregnant, we really didn’t know a lot of people with young children so we didn’t realize how common Olivia was.

With this baby, things are very different. We keep hearing names we like on the playground, or in our daughter’s school or something.

Names we have (maybe) ruled out for this reason, but that we do like:

• Eloise, another girl in Olivia’s swim classes
• Bella/Isabelle, Eliza, Sage, Piper, Annie, all good friends’ daughters
• Evangeline, Chloe, Nora, all Olivia’s good friends in our neighborhood
• Vera, Harlow, Grace – co-workers’ kids
• Margot, the latest name we ruled out because my college roommate just had a baby Margot

We really liked Eloise, Margot, and Eliza.

Right now it’s like we’re almost afraid to choose another name because we immediately start checking to see who else used it!

Can you help us find a name that we will like as much as Olivia but isn’t taken?

Please read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

FINDING SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FOR OLIVIA’S SISTER

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your second daughter!

I’m glad you described Olivia’s name the way you did: she loves her name, and so do you! Great names reach the top of the popularity charts because they’re, well, great names.

But I can appreciate that, if your daughter often shares her name, you might feel like something slightly less common would suit this new baby a little better.

It’s tricky, though. Think of it like turning a dial. Crank it up too high and your kid is explaining that Hephzibah is an Old Testament name, and yes, she can spell it again. But if you don’t twist it at all? Your girls are Olivia Rose and Charlotte Grace, and both of their (lovely) names repeat.

The good news is this: even a small adjustment can be surprisingly effective. Going through our friends and family with young children, I don’t know a single Isla, Luna, Scarlett, Ivy, or Naomi – all Top 50 names.

Of course, it’s also true that you can choose a relatively uncommon name and your child might still end up being one of two. Or more! We gave our son a Top 20 name. He never shared it with a classmate, but he eventually had a friend with the never-in-the-Top-250 name that I might’ve chosen instead. And they were in the same class through much of elementary and middle school. So … it’s funny how that all works out.

A SISTER FOR OLIVIA ROSE

Let’s look for names with the same romantic, flowing, feminine style as Olivia. But we’ll stick to choices beyond the current US Top 100, and we’ll also avoid names that shorten to a very popular nickname or sound. (For example, Lilia is rare, but it sounds more common thanks to the popularity of Lily, Lyla, and Liliana.)

My sense is that we’re also looking for something traditional-ish. You might not be able to use contemporary choices like Piper, Harlow, and Sage, but they’re not quite the same as Eliza, Eloise, and Margot.

My first draft of this list included Rosalie, a perpetual favorite. But it’s awfully close to Olivia’s middle. Annabelle also crossed my mind, but if Annie and Isabelle are both out, Annabelle is probably too close.

CECILIA

I love the feminine, traditional appeal of Cecilia, but it’s got plenty of spirit, too.

FRANCESCA

There’s something just the tiniest bit Italian about Francesca, and I think it’s great with Olivia.

GABRIELA, GABRIELLA

Gabriela – the Spanish, Portuguese, and Slavic spelling of the name – is less popular than Top 100 Gabriella. Both spellings work nicely as a sister for Olivia. Gabriella, especially, has been popular since the turn of the 21st century, but I still think it’s distinctive enough.

JULIETTE

Another name with two possible spellings. In this case, Juliette is more popular than Juliet. Like Olivia, Juliette has a quiet Shakespearean vibe, which makes the names perfectly matched.

MARIANA

Another elaborate, feminine choice.

PERSEPHONE

Penelope could be the perfect sister for Olivia, but since the name is a little popular, would you consider Persephone instead?

SERENA

Pretty, polished, and not quite as common as Olivia.

VIVIAN/VIVIANA/VIVIENNE

Vivian – or any of these variations – is a logical substitute for Olivia. In fact, I’d probably suggested Vivienne, as it’s possibly the most different from Olivia.

Overall, I’m going to suggest Vivienne for Olivia’s sister.

There’s some risk that you’ll end up with Liv and Viv. But in general, I think the shared V sounds are appealing, and I like the way Vivienne is every bit as traditional a name, but not nearly as common.

I wonder if you’d consider a middle name starting with M to honor mom? Vivienne Mae, Vivienne Marlowe, Vivienne Margot. (Unless you feel like choosing Margot as a middle is off-limits, too?)

If not Vivienne, I really like Cecilia. I think it matches the style of Olivia, but is just beyond the current Top 100, so much less likely to be shared. Cecilia Maeve would repeat the V sound, too!

Readers, over to you! What would you name a sister for Olivia Rose?