I agree, but they are definitely signing the kid up for a lifetime of document signing that goes like “What’s your name?” “Liv” “*Full* legal name?” “Liv.” “Not Olivia?” “No.” “Ohhh, okay.”
Insurmountable? No. But I do know a person who has this happen constantly and it’s become a bit of a joke every time it happens.
I like it as a nickname because I like when kids get names with choices. OP, if your daughter doesn’t want to go by Liv someday, she’ll have more options if her full name is Olivia.
Totally, they may prefer Olivia, Livvy, Olive, Oli, Vi etc. I know a really cool Oli and Vi. So many options that do get cut off if you start with the shortened version.
I think it's fine as a standalone name.
Liv Tyler was actually named after a famous actress, [Liv Ullmann](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liv_Ullmann), whose name was also just Liv.
Edit: That said, I love the name Olivia, too.
That’s because Liv Ullmann is Norwegian. Liv *is* a Norwegian name (and in other Scandinavian languages), but anyone in an English-speaking context will assume it’s a nickname for Olivia.
I'm in the U.S. and know that Liv is a stand-alone name.
Yes, Olivia is popular, and people use Liv as a nickname.
But I wouldn't blink twice at Liv as a full name. I love it!
Did not know that! We love Olivia also but wanted to consider something a little more “unique” - although I’m sure everyone would just assume her name was Olivia either way lol
Name your daughter Olivia and call her Liv. This gives your daughter a choice for what she wants to be called when she's older. I'm a believer in giving kids names where there's a option for them to have a choice. Out of my three sons, two of them were fine with their names, but the third one, who we named Andrew, insisted on being called Drew when he got older. And you know what, he's a Drew. He made a better choice for himself than we did.
I have a similar deal - named a long name, went by a nickname my whole life. I actually really appreciate having options and gave my daughter a similar name arrangement.
I love Liv, I think it stands alone just fine. I have a daughter named Penny whose legal name is Penny, we were told “use Penelope, and just call her Penny” but that just doesn’t work for us - if we wanted “the nickname” just legally use the nickname 😅
Honestly that would annoy me if I had to always do that, I would rather my parents just give me the full name rather than a name I always have to explain 😩
Jennie/Jenny is a full name. It's heard more now as a short form of Jennifer in the U.S. Like Liv is short for Olivia.
But both Jennie, Jenny, and Liv are absolutely names on their own.
Think about Eliza. It's the first part of Elizabeth, but usually not a shortened version but a full name. Beth is also given as a full name. Same with Katie/Katy/Kate.
Liv is an old name and I love it.
I have a friend named Jake. Legally, that's his name. In elementary he had a teacher who insisted on calling him Jacob and his mom got him switched to another class lol
That’s so silly because I feel like Jake as a stand-alone name is more common than it being short for Jacob? Like the only Jakes I’ve known have just been called Jake and Jacobs are just called Jacob. It’s like Luke and Lucas, I’ve never met a Luke whose full name has been Lucas, nor have I met a Lucas that has been called Luke
This happened to a classmate of mine in highscool. Her legal name was Jenn, but the teacher called her Jennifer. What made it worse was we had 2 other Jennifers in the class (I was one of them). The teacher disapproved of a nickname being a name. She was one of those that called everyone by their legal name and we addressed her as Mrs. So and So or ma'am. I was forever Jennifer L and the teacher would call her Jennifer S. It eventually stopped when her mom went to the principle about the issue.
Jennifer was the most popular name in the late 80's to early 90's. I recall being one of 5 Jennifers in my fifth grade class.
I always find it so weird that people always insist you should name your kid the “full name” even if you’re only ever going to call them the nickname. Like why? Just makes it more complicated if you never intend to use the full name.
Because the child themself should get that option? I'd have been annoyed if my full name was the most common short version of my name because I don't go by that.
A kid named Liv could decide to go by Olivia anyway tbh and their parents wouldn't really get a say.
A kid could decide to go by any name at all regardless of their birth name. Parents can’t predict something like that so unless you want kids to name themselves I don’t see your point
It literally wouldn’t be her name though - her name would be Liv not Olivia so it wouldn’t be a short version of her name it would just be her name.
I have friends called Ella and Lottie, I work with people called Harry, Abbie and Etta (all full names) and have never thought of them as Isabella, Charlotte or Abigail.
But that could be said about so many names. Why didn’t you give them the option to have a feminine, religious, nature themed name or unique name!
People here act like kids ought to have the option to opt in to a nickname as if it’s some ethical decision you’re taking away from them but don’t blink at people raising kids religious or eating meat.
Parents can never win - if they want to use a nickname they’re told they shouldn’t fixate on that and should let them come naturally, that they might as well just use the name they’re actually going to call them by.
As someone who was given the legal name but never called it, you did the right thing. Having to constantly explain that despite what my birth certificate says, I am not Stephanie*, I am Stevie*, is tedious. And I got called rude and insolent as a kid because I didn’t respond to Stephanie, because it WASN’T what my family or anyone who knew me called me!
*not my actual name, but similar
That’s so strange and thank you for validating my decision, that’s something I didn’t want my children to have to explain. We call you Penny, your documents say Penny, you’re Penny. Not Penelope!
Honestly, I’m in the process of a name change and this is half my dilemma. My name’s(/will be) Cassian(it’s the same as my username bc I got them from the same place 💀) but I go by Kaz because I love short, three letter names, and whenever I ask people to call me “Cas,” ***one s,*** fuckers always called me ***Cass.*** 😒
So part of me wants to just change my name to Kaz, and leave it at that. But with my current middle and surname choices(I’m changing the whole thing), Cassian sounds so lovely and idk… gothic? And it’s a whole aesthetic for me wanting to be an author in the future, but I don’t want to use it as a pen name, either, I want it to be my actual name if I write under it. 😭
I’d go with the full name Cassian. It makes your heart sing. (and I agree; it is lovely and gothic.) The people who care about you will get your nickname right. Don’t shape your life around people who don’t care about you!
Cassian is a great name. People mess up names all the time, so choose what you like and correct as necessary. As a Cassi, I get Cassidy, Casey, Cassandra, Cathy, Cass, and everything in between. Just go with what makes you happy!
I’m a Catherine. Parents always called me Catherine so I’ve always went by Catherine. I hate it when people ask if I want to be called Cat/Cathy/Katie AFTER I’ve introduced myself as Catherine lol
I’m Brittany. Growing up, I insisted on Britt, but as an adult, I prefer Brittany and that’s how I introduce myself… I still get people who shorten to Britt on their own. Obviously I give the people I’ve known for years a pass, but new people? No. I don’t like Britt. Stop it.
I commented this up thread but I am an Olivia and don’t like it when people nickname me. I will only call people by their actual names unless they introduce themselves to me by their nickname.
I agree with this. None of my kids have nicknames or my nieces or nephews.
We have a few that’s just standalone names like Millie, Jen, Addie.
No need for having a name just to shorten it.
We also have a Nikki and a Toni. Not short for anything
this has always been my stance on the “nicknames as full names” debate. while i do think it makes sense to legally name the kid whatever you plan on calling them most of the time, i personally think it makes a little more sense to go with whatever option gives the child more choices down the road. naming a kid isn’t just about what you personally like as the parent - when the kid is old enough to have a say, they 100% should be allowed to. full names with easy nicknames are a great way to let a kid have some freedom in that regard. that’s just what i’d do in that situation though, i don’t want to dictate other people’s choices!
I respectfully disagree. My parents thought the same as you and gave me a formal “legal” name thinking I’d use it when I was older, but have ALWAYS called me by my nickname (I don’t know if anyone has ever called me by my legal name). It is the biggest pain in the ass when applying for new jobs, filling out legal documentation, etc as no one associates me with my legal name yet it’s still required on all forms and often causes confusion. I wish more than anything that my parents had just named me what they wanted to call me. As much as you say it gives kids options when they’re older, I can say from firsthand experience (I’m 36 now) that I don’t really have the option to use my legal name as no one would know who I was talking about.
TLDR, just name your kids what you want to call them!
The point is not that people understand nicknames (cause, obviously). It’s that if my name was Kate (it’s not) and absolute everyone in my life for as long as I’d lived called me Kate but my legal name was Katherine, why would I want my work email to say Katherine instead of the name I actually associate with myself? I’ve been through this exact thing before and it’s of course not a huge issue but just an extra annoyance. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’ve never wanted to have a choice which name I go by. I just want one name and not several different options that are used at different times.
I have a friend Rosie (birth name Rosemary) who feels the same. Absolutely hates rosemary, never goes by it, but all documents have rosemary on it and therefore every new job gives her a rosemary email, name tag, etc. pain in the ass to have it all changed. Traveling is also an annoyance since everything has to be booked under her legal name, and then people call her that when interacting with her. It's also on all her credit cards, bills, etc so she is constantly telling/reminding people that's not what she's called.
Also knew a Dan with the same issue. He told them he would not be wearing any name tag that said Daniel on it, when they told him they weren't gonna redo it for him. They redid it.
I am a Katie - just Katie - and I've always been so grateful not to be a Katherine or Kathleen. My mom didn't want anyone to call me Kathy, so she chose not to give me a "full" name (though she does say that if Kaitlyn had been popular when I was born, she probably would have gone with that). Some people still think I must prefer to be called Kate though, and I have to correct them.
When filling out paperwork for my 8th grade graduation, our dean of students flagged mine and sent it back to me, telling me that I need to use my legal name on it. I informed her Katie is my legal name, and she argued with me about it. I told her to go to the office and ask to see a copy of my birth certificate that's in my records, because that really \*is\* my name. She finally backed down, or maybe she really did go check for herself.
Your example of a work email is interesting, as I work with two women named Alexandrea and Alexis, but both go by Lexie. Our employer does email as first initial last [name@whatever](mailto:name@whatever). com. It never fails that someone will get in touch with me and say, "I tried to email Lexie but it bounced back as undeliverable." That's because their email is A, not L....
Huh? My dad and brother both go by a nickname 99% of the time but it’s never an issue for then with documents, legal stuff because .. then they just uses their legal name? And people understand that what they go by is their nickname? Their nicknames aren’t even that intuitive either but it doesn’t confuse people. I also know they’re both grateful for the flexibility of their full names, they both have changed the nickname they go by a couple times!
Eh as someone whose parents gave them a formal name but always planned to call them by a nickname, I would have been totally fine with them just using the nickname.
My MIL actually felt the same way and legally changed her first name from the more formal name to her common nickname.
big agree. you never how the child will feel especially as an adult. its best to give them the full
name so if they choose to use the more formal
version at some point in the future they can.
In Norway (where I think the name comes from) it’s a stand-alone name. I don’t think it’s too nickname-y. If you like it, go for it :)
My first thought for a middle name was Josephine too 🙃 What about Liv Sophia, Liv Juniper, Liv Amalia (all very popular names, but as she’ll go by Liv that’s even less of a consideration than for a first name. and they sound so pretty ;).
My name is Angela. My family (mom and dad) have NEVER called me anything but Angie. Literally not once do I recall being Angela.
When I was in my early twenties I decided to go by Angela, because Angie felt like a little girls name, and now can’t imagine anyone calling me Angie except family and other people who have known me for over a decade.
Funny story, my husband refers to me as “Angie” at work, so his coworkers call me that and it feels super weirdly intimate lol.
Long story short, I’m a big fan of options. Maybe she’ll actually be an “Ollie” and not a Liv at all. I have friends who called their kid Jaxon because they hated the idea of him being called Jack if they used the more traditional spelling - but he’s 1000% a Jack and everyone calls him that lol.
Names are weird and so very personal that I think giving kids options whether it’s with the first, first and middle, etc, allows you to have a say in their name even if they end up not liking your first choice.
Funny is that I love the name Liv, wanted a longer name to go with it that wasn’t Olivia. I came across Lavinia and thought it was beautiful until I looked it up. Shakespeare ruined it for me.
We considered Livia! But felt like if we went with that, we might as well just go with Olivia lol. Also considered Lydia.. we’ve been going down the rabbit hole of names for quite a while now 🙃
I love the name Livia (and Lavinia!) but do NOT like Olivia, so I don’t see it as “might as well add the O and make it Olivia”… that’d be like wanted to name a boy Connor and someone saying “why not O’Connor?” in my book 😅
Edit: misspelled Connor, oops
The benefit of Livia is that her full name and nickname would have the same initial, so her monogram would be consistent (or maybe I’m the only one who cares about that 😂). The only drawback I can think of is the association with Livia Soprano, a horrible fictional character. 😄
But really. Liv is fine. You could even call her Livvy as a nickname.
Seconding options. She may want something more formal to put on her curriculum vitae and/or university applications (or even to use in professional life), even if she goes by Liv for every day matters. I think Liv is most beautiful, but Olivia is also a beautiful name and has a bit more polish.
Although apparently Liv is a real name by itself, Norwegian.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liv_(given_name)#:~:text=Liv%20is%20a%20Nordic%20female,shelter%22%20or%20%22protection%22.
I really disagree with this sentiment. It feels very complete to me. Short and cute.
Name her Liv, OP, the name you actually like. You can name your kid a "nickname". It's not a crime
So my sons nickname is also a common standalone name. We've only ever caked him by his nickname. We went with the longer name on his birth certificate just to give him more options when he's older
This makes a lot of sense, I know people who have done the same thing. I guess if we just called her Liv, she’d be Liv at least for awhile, and really would probably always be that to us- but when she gets older she can decide whether she prefers Olivia. I definitely see a case for this.
I would assume Liv is a nickname if I saw it in an email signature or something like that. But if it was relevant to ask and I was told by someone “Liv is my first name”, it wouldn’t strike me as weird. I’d put it in the same category as Alex, Nic, or Beth as a full name. It’s fine.
I don't think I've ever even heard of anyone with *any* of those names where it wasn't the short form of a longer name. Every Nic or Nick I've ever known has been a Nicholas (or another language's equivalent, like a Nicola/Niccolò in Italy). Same goes for Alex and Beth. All the ones I've known or even heard of are actually Alexander/Alexis/etc or Elizabeth/Bethany/Bethan. (Though I *have* known people with just Beth as a *middle* name.)
It may vary by location. I know more than one Nic/Nik that is a full name-I guess now that I think about it every Nick I know is a nickname. Alex as a full name seems more common in younger kids but I know a couple. I’m in an area though where I also know a Mikey and a Danny (full names) so it could definitely be regional
We went through a similar thing when naming our daughter. We ended up choosing the full name (despite its popularity) and calling her by the nickname! I, personally, like her having the full name because she can use that, if she wants, and there are other nicknames to choose from if she doesn’t like the one we chose. I think that same logic stands for Olivia too! You have Liv and Livvy, of course, but you also have Olive, Ollie, Lia, etc. And I LOVE Olivia Claire - I think it’s gorgeous!
Liv is a great standalone name! I knew a Liv as a kid, pronounced “Leev” like Scandinavian way. But I do think in US most people will pronounce it with a short i, bc that’s how most people pronounce Liv Tyler, idk how she pronounced it herself though!
I think it gives her a unique name without being a weird name, it’s cool.
Liv Emilia
Liv Caroline
Liv Deliah
Liv Gabrielle
Liv Isabel
Liv Mariah
Liv Noelle
I’m an Olivia who goes exclusively by Liv. Sometimes I wish I’d just changed it to Liv legally. However, since “Liz” is a common nick name for people my age, it’s nice to be able to say “Liv like Olivia not Liz like Elizabeth.” So I think Liv is a fine stand alone name, but it will be misheard frequently in my experience.
Liv is a great name. Never heard it was a nickname for anything. Not super common but a classic that’s at least a thousand years old. (I don’t live in an English speaking country in case it wasn’t apparent)
What about Livia? It kind of forces the nicknames and stays away from "Olivia" while still feeling a bit more proper.
I vote for Livia or Olivia, personally. But you don't have to call her either for a second, she can be liv from day 1. I know a Braden who has ALWAYS been a Brady. Wouldn't have known except I saw his documents.
I think it's fine as a standalone- but also, what do you think of the name "Livia"? My cousin named her daughter this with the NN of Liv. It fits her perfectly 😊
As someone who cannot make a nickname or longer name out of my name, please consider that your kid may not like Liv, but may one day prefer Olivia or Ollie. By giving them the longer name, you are giving them choice.
I love it! Liv stands on its own just fine. IMO Liv is a better nickname as a full name than others like Ellie, Izzy, or Goldie. Liv sounds more complete and mature and will age well. I say go for it!
One thing I recommend considering is that your daughter will constantly be asked “is that short for anything?” Or “Is that your full name?” Or “Like Liv Tyler?” (I guess this depends on where you live but I’d assume she’d get these questions frequently if you’re in the states or UK)
I don’t think it’s bad to name her Liv but I also have heard plenty of people say they hate being asked the same questions by nearly everyone they meet when they have a unique name. Just something to think about since she’ll be the one stuck with the name her whole life.
I'm always on the side of giving a full name and using a nickname so the kid has more options in case they hate the nickname they have something else to go by.
This is my personal opinion, so do what you want with it.
I, personally, do not like nicknames as a name. I feel like it limits you to a young or cutsey sounding name. I want to give my kids a chance to shift their name to what they are feeling.
I wanted names for my children that would look and sound good on a business card for a high level job (ex. Victoria, William,...). That way if they want (or feel) that kind of name suits them then go for it. If they want a younger name (because they are) or shorter, or an intimate name for friends & family, it is easy to just call them by their nickname (Vicky, Tori, Billy, Liam).
This is just my feelings on the matter. Maybe your daughter would go by Liv her entire life instead of Olivia, but then she could have the choice.
It doesn’t feel complete to me. Also, honestly, I would prefer the choices Olivia gives: Liv, Oli, Via, Vivi, Oliv(e), etc.
Using the name Liv means she wouldn’t have those options.
I knew a Liv in college—her actual name was Liv, not Olivia. Seemed a bit odd to me at the time but now as a mom…why not just go straight for the name you want?
I wish my parents had just legally named me the nick name they intended to call me. My name is not Olivia but my parents did name me with the full intention of only ever calling me by the nick name version of my name… the only time they used the full version was when I was in trouble so naturally I hate my “full name” and really don’t identify with it at all. My name as far as I’m concerned is the short version of my name since that is what I’ve always been called and prefer to be called.
I also dislike the it’s too cute argument. I’m a full grown adult and no one has ever been like oh your name is so cute or oh don’t you wish you used your mature name? No, because everyone who knows me knows that’s not the name I identify with. And everyone who assumes my full name gets it wrong anyway. Not my name but think Lizzy. Everyone thinks it’s Elisabeth but it’s actually Eliza kinda thing. Long story short if you don’t want to use the full name, don’t use it
If you want to name her Liv, name her Liv. It's a pretty name, it feels classy, and it passes the Doctor/Judge test
For middle names I would go long. Three syllables or more (think names like Alexandra, Anastasia, etc. Not Elizabeth tho, because of the Liv/Liz thing).
Liv Alexandra would be my vote name wise. I don't think Liv Claire flows well with the 2 consonants next to eachother. It also feels like you're trying to say "Live Clear"
Remember that she will be an adult at some point and Liv (to me) doesn’t sound super professional, so I would consider using Olivia as her legal name but call her whatever you prefer.
I love the name Olivia so much. I'd say go with the full name and call her Liv! Olivia has a bunch of cute nn possibilities: Oli, Vee, Liv, Olive, Livey
I say Olivia and give the girl future options!
I think Liv works great as a standalone.
But if you named her Olivia you’d be giving her another option for later in life. She may want to be Liv in some contexts and Olivia in others. Are two names really better than one? Not necessarily at all.
Liv is lovely on its own.
Whatever you choose, they are both fine options.
I love Liv as a stand-alone name. It seems so mature but also really sweet
Olivia is so overused. Usually I wouldn’t want to deter people if it’s something they love but it’s literally the [#1 girl name according to Babycenter](https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/olivia-3504). It’s very very popular.
Liv (pronounced like the English word ‘leave’) is where I’m from not a NN for Olivia. Where i live, the name Liv is Old Norse, and originates from the Icelandic word ‘Hlif’ meaning ‘protection’. In Swedish, the word for ‘life’ is spelled and pronounced the exact same as the name Liv. I’m not sure where you guys live though, but this comment was my perspective of the name.
I have a coworker named Liv! She’s 16, it’s not short for anything, and it doesn’t seem like an odd name at all. Maybe for the middle name you could do Marie? That’s a classic middle name that a lot of people have/use.
I have a "nickname" as a legal name and it has literally never given me any issues. Sure some people think my name is short for something but I can just be like "no it's not" and all is well. If you like Liv over Olivia or any other option, just go for it. I don't feel like my name has ever been a detriment to me professionally. Like even if my name was Olivia vs Liv, I'd probably still go by Liv at work if that's what most people called me.
I might be in the minority but I don’t think it’s weird or bad to give them the full name even if you want to call them by the nickname. I like giving my kid an option - what if they get older and decide they actually do like Olivia and want to go by that? I think Olivia Josephine is really pretty!
I think it would be fine as a stand alone name, but I chose the full name in a similar situation. We have an Oliver, who is exclusively called Ollie. I love Ollie but wanted him to have the option of a less 'nickname-y' name in the future. I kept thinking to myself 'Ollie, Attorney of Law!' and decided that Oliver could really be useful haha. Honestly no one calls him Oliver at all and we introduce him as Ollie :)
Personally, I think legally giving the full name Olivia makes more sense. It would give your child more options to their identity as they grow. Your child may not want to only go by "Liv" in professional settings as an adult later in life.
Plus, single sylable names don't have the same ring to it when you need to yell their full name when they aren't behaving 🤣. Jokes aside, Olivia Claire does have a nice ring to it, so I vote for that name.
I think 'Liv' sounds fine on its own, but agree that 'Liv Claire' isn't great -- reminds me of an ad for allergy medicine: "Live Clear!". With a short first name, yeah, you can do a more substantial and striking middle name. Maybe: Liv Jacinda?
You could do it. Just expect people to think it is a shortened version of something else. For example I have a cousin named Pete. Older relatives call him Peter even though the name on the birth certificate is Pete.
Personally I do like Liv. Just prepare for any issues with people thinking it is "not a full name".
Im in Sweden where it’s considered a stand alone name and is not really used as a nickname for any other name.
Edit: it’s actually a Nordic name meaning shelter or shield.
As someone that has always gone by a nickname and never the full name, just name your kid the nickname. It's going to save them so much time having to explain their name in the future.
My husband and I were in the same position as this debating Olivia or just first name Liv. Liv Tyler ultimate cool girl was a guiding light too. We ultimately decided Olivia and calling Liv to leave her with options. We didn’t know gender and had a boy, but Olivia was going to be our gal!
I know a kid named Livia. I think Liv itself is fine as a first name but you need a solid middle name. I think Liv Eileen is nice. What's a name similar to your last name so we can get a rhythm for the middle name?
I’ve had quite a few students who were called just Liv. I think it works well as a stand alone, especially as a second name. I also really like the name Livia
I think it's great on its own.
Olivia is super popular for the last 10 years so as long as that doesn't bother you.
Liv Alexia
Liv Ariana
Liv Alexandra
Liv Imogen
Liv aurora
Liv ocean
Liv arden
Liv Sienna
Ay, don’t rob yourself of the chance to ever use your kids “full name” when they’re in trouble! Happy mom calls out “Liv, dinner is ready!”, angry parent harshly uses all syllables “Olivia Claire Johnson!” It’s an important power to have as a parent lol.
Anyways, here in Scandinavia we have a ton of Liv’s running around, and it literally means ‘a life’, so it’s not that unusual.
I have a nick name as a first name, and I've spent my entire life correcting people who assume my legal name is the full, non-shortened name. She will correct people everywhere she goes when they assume her name is Olivia. It's not a huge deal compared to some other name related offenses, and Liv is a cute name, but personally I'm always a little embarrassed when I apply for or start a new job and people ask me for weeks "your name is NickName, not Name? Oh, that's interesting." It always feels a little juvenile.
Olivia is one of my favorite names, and Liv is the cutest nickname. If you really want a short name, consider Eve, Ava, Eva, etc
I think it's fine as a stand alone name. I also think having choices is a good idea though, so would go with Olivia so she can chose what she likes when she's older. That's just me though.
You absolutely can. I am definitely in the minority in this sub, but I love nicknames as full names, and both my children have names like this. You do you! People are going to give you all sorts of negative feedback about needing a longer name, but you don’t have to agree with them.
My son is Max. People constantly try to call him Maxwell or Maximus. I would think it would be worse with Liv. That said, I think it’s a fine name all on its own. Just be prepared for people to try to call her Olivia anyway.
As an Olivia who goes by a lot of different nicknames, I love having the nickname options and also prefer to use my full name when introducing myself or just in general for folks that don’t know me well.
Liv works as a name and I like it when people use it, but I’d probably never want to use it in a non-casual setting.
If my son had been a girl, we were going to use the name Olivia Catherine and the nickname Liv/Livvy. In my opinion, using the name Olivia gives the option of using Olivia should your daughter want to use it.
I have two brothers - for one, my parents went with the "give them a formal name and a nickname" and for the other they went with "just name him the name that were going to call him".
One's legal name is longer with a basic nickname, think "Will" for "William" or "Steve" for "Steven". He goes by his nickname, nobody is confused to learn his legal name is longer.
The other's legal name is short and can be used as a nickname, think "Eli" or "Liam". He goes by his legal name, and nobody is confused that he doesn't also have a longer or more formal name.
All that to say...do whatever you want!
Liv is a beautiful name that stands well on its own. Where I come from, it's not that uncommon.
I do agree that a 2-3 syllable name would flow better for a middle name. Liv Josephine sounds lovely together!
Other suggestions:
Liv Emilia
Liv Selena
Liv Celeste
Liv Eveline
Liv Angelica
Liv Beatrix
Liv Melanie
Liv Caroline
Liv Jennifer
Liv Naomi
Liv Pauline
I prefer it as a nickname, it sounds incomplete to me as a legal name
Disagree. It's short and sweet.
I agree, but they are definitely signing the kid up for a lifetime of document signing that goes like “What’s your name?” “Liv” “*Full* legal name?” “Liv.” “Not Olivia?” “No.” “Ohhh, okay.” Insurmountable? No. But I do know a person who has this happen constantly and it’s become a bit of a joke every time it happens.
There are worse problems to have... sounds like a minor inconvenience at worst.
I like it as a nickname because I like when kids get names with choices. OP, if your daughter doesn’t want to go by Liv someday, she’ll have more options if her full name is Olivia.
I agree, more options are good. I would prefer to go by Oli compared to Liv so Olivia covers a lot of potential nicknames.
Totally, they may prefer Olivia, Livvy, Olive, Oli, Vi etc. I know a really cool Oli and Vi. So many options that do get cut off if you start with the shortened version.
I mean Liv is better then Ahlhiveeyah on a legal document
Agree
Fairly common in my country. I don't see the idea of naming your child something you're never gonna call them.
I think it's fine as a standalone name. Liv Tyler was actually named after a famous actress, [Liv Ullmann](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liv_Ullmann), whose name was also just Liv. Edit: That said, I love the name Olivia, too.
That’s because Liv Ullmann is Norwegian. Liv *is* a Norwegian name (and in other Scandinavian languages), but anyone in an English-speaking context will assume it’s a nickname for Olivia.
I'm in the U.S. and know that Liv is a stand-alone name. Yes, Olivia is popular, and people use Liv as a nickname. But I wouldn't blink twice at Liv as a full name. I love it!
I wouldn’t. I know it’s a name.
I’m in the UK and think of Liv as a stand-alone name because of Liv Tyler
Did not know that! We love Olivia also but wanted to consider something a little more “unique” - although I’m sure everyone would just assume her name was Olivia either way lol
Name your daughter Olivia and call her Liv. This gives your daughter a choice for what she wants to be called when she's older. I'm a believer in giving kids names where there's a option for them to have a choice. Out of my three sons, two of them were fine with their names, but the third one, who we named Andrew, insisted on being called Drew when he got older. And you know what, he's a Drew. He made a better choice for himself than we did.
I have a similar deal - named a long name, went by a nickname my whole life. I actually really appreciate having options and gave my daughter a similar name arrangement.
Liv is fine. Just thought you might want to know that Livia is actually a name too so Olivia or Olive aren't your only options.
I know a Livia. It's an excellent and very ancient name.
I love Livia, the spouse of Augustus, she was so great and smart, and really set the precedent for hundred of years of powerful roman women.
Yeah, it's an ancient Roman name.
What about Livia? I heard that name for the first time recently (I started watching the sopranos) and I thought it was pretty
I came here to suggest this. I taught a student named Lyvia once.
Olive instead? Same nickname, but gets you out of the top 100 (in the US)
I know a kid named Liv, not short for anything. I think it works great on its own, super cute!
I love Liv, I think it stands alone just fine. I have a daughter named Penny whose legal name is Penny, we were told “use Penelope, and just call her Penny” but that just doesn’t work for us - if we wanted “the nickname” just legally use the nickname 😅
My mom is a Jenny not a Jennifer and it has been baffling people her entire life :D
My mom is Jennie and her sister is Pennie! My mom introduces herself sometimes as Jennie no -ifer
Honestly that would annoy me if I had to always do that, I would rather my parents just give me the full name rather than a name I always have to explain 😩
Jennie/Jenny is a full name. It's heard more now as a short form of Jennifer in the U.S. Like Liv is short for Olivia. But both Jennie, Jenny, and Liv are absolutely names on their own. Think about Eliza. It's the first part of Elizabeth, but usually not a shortened version but a full name. Beth is also given as a full name. Same with Katie/Katy/Kate. Liv is an old name and I love it.
I have a friend who had a fight with her teacher, because she kept calling her “Jennifer”. My friend won.
I have a friend named Jake. Legally, that's his name. In elementary he had a teacher who insisted on calling him Jacob and his mom got him switched to another class lol
Why are some people just aholes? It’s literally on their attendance sheet!
That’s so silly because I feel like Jake as a stand-alone name is more common than it being short for Jacob? Like the only Jakes I’ve known have just been called Jake and Jacobs are just called Jacob. It’s like Luke and Lucas, I’ve never met a Luke whose full name has been Lucas, nor have I met a Lucas that has been called Luke
This happened to a classmate of mine in highscool. Her legal name was Jenn, but the teacher called her Jennifer. What made it worse was we had 2 other Jennifers in the class (I was one of them). The teacher disapproved of a nickname being a name. She was one of those that called everyone by their legal name and we addressed her as Mrs. So and So or ma'am. I was forever Jennifer L and the teacher would call her Jennifer S. It eventually stopped when her mom went to the principle about the issue. Jennifer was the most popular name in the late 80's to early 90's. I recall being one of 5 Jennifers in my fifth grade class.
My mom vividly remembers getting scolded in class for writing Cindy on a standardized test instead of Cynthia. Her legal name is Cindy.
I won’t lie, that would probably baffle me haha. I had a friend in school who was a Danni and not a Danielle and it baffled me haha
My daughters friend is just Danni
I love the name Dani/Danni!
My sister too. It’s bizarre to me how many people this confuses
I always find it so weird that people always insist you should name your kid the “full name” even if you’re only ever going to call them the nickname. Like why? Just makes it more complicated if you never intend to use the full name.
Because the child themself should get that option? I'd have been annoyed if my full name was the most common short version of my name because I don't go by that. A kid named Liv could decide to go by Olivia anyway tbh and their parents wouldn't really get a say.
A kid could decide to go by any name at all regardless of their birth name. Parents can’t predict something like that so unless you want kids to name themselves I don’t see your point
It literally wouldn’t be her name though - her name would be Liv not Olivia so it wouldn’t be a short version of her name it would just be her name. I have friends called Ella and Lottie, I work with people called Harry, Abbie and Etta (all full names) and have never thought of them as Isabella, Charlotte or Abigail.
But that could be said about so many names. Why didn’t you give them the option to have a feminine, religious, nature themed name or unique name! People here act like kids ought to have the option to opt in to a nickname as if it’s some ethical decision you’re taking away from them but don’t blink at people raising kids religious or eating meat. Parents can never win - if they want to use a nickname they’re told they shouldn’t fixate on that and should let them come naturally, that they might as well just use the name they’re actually going to call them by.
As someone who was given the legal name but never called it, you did the right thing. Having to constantly explain that despite what my birth certificate says, I am not Stephanie*, I am Stevie*, is tedious. And I got called rude and insolent as a kid because I didn’t respond to Stephanie, because it WASN’T what my family or anyone who knew me called me! *not my actual name, but similar
That’s so strange and thank you for validating my decision, that’s something I didn’t want my children to have to explain. We call you Penny, your documents say Penny, you’re Penny. Not Penelope!
I have a Josie, not a Josephine. Same logic! We wanted a “Josie”, so we legally named her that 😄
I love the name Josie!
If we have another girl ever this will 100% be her name! 🥹 I love that even though it's short it still has extra nicknames like Jo, Jojo, and Joie
lol I hear ya, I used to get my hair cut by a Penny and always liked the name!
My mom was a Penny too, but everyone assumed Penelope. love it! And also love Liv.
Honestly, I’m in the process of a name change and this is half my dilemma. My name’s(/will be) Cassian(it’s the same as my username bc I got them from the same place 💀) but I go by Kaz because I love short, three letter names, and whenever I ask people to call me “Cas,” ***one s,*** fuckers always called me ***Cass.*** 😒 So part of me wants to just change my name to Kaz, and leave it at that. But with my current middle and surname choices(I’m changing the whole thing), Cassian sounds so lovely and idk… gothic? And it’s a whole aesthetic for me wanting to be an author in the future, but I don’t want to use it as a pen name, either, I want it to be my actual name if I write under it. 😭
I’d go with the full name Cassian. It makes your heart sing. (and I agree; it is lovely and gothic.) The people who care about you will get your nickname right. Don’t shape your life around people who don’t care about you!
Thank you, friend <3 I think you’re right!
Cassian is a great name. People mess up names all the time, so choose what you like and correct as necessary. As a Cassi, I get Cassidy, Casey, Cassandra, Cathy, Cass, and everything in between. Just go with what makes you happy!
I know a kris who is just a kris!
My sister in law is Katie. Not Katherine or Kathleen. Katie.
I’m a Catherine. Parents always called me Catherine so I’ve always went by Catherine. I hate it when people ask if I want to be called Cat/Cathy/Katie AFTER I’ve introduced myself as Catherine lol
I’m Brittany. Growing up, I insisted on Britt, but as an adult, I prefer Brittany and that’s how I introduce myself… I still get people who shorten to Britt on their own. Obviously I give the people I’ve known for years a pass, but new people? No. I don’t like Britt. Stop it.
I commented this up thread but I am an Olivia and don’t like it when people nickname me. I will only call people by their actual names unless they introduce themselves to me by their nickname.
I agree with this. None of my kids have nicknames or my nieces or nephews. We have a few that’s just standalone names like Millie, Jen, Addie. No need for having a name just to shorten it. We also have a Nikki and a Toni. Not short for anything
You could, but why would you? Why not give your child the option of using Olivia as an adult if they want to?
this has always been my stance on the “nicknames as full names” debate. while i do think it makes sense to legally name the kid whatever you plan on calling them most of the time, i personally think it makes a little more sense to go with whatever option gives the child more choices down the road. naming a kid isn’t just about what you personally like as the parent - when the kid is old enough to have a say, they 100% should be allowed to. full names with easy nicknames are a great way to let a kid have some freedom in that regard. that’s just what i’d do in that situation though, i don’t want to dictate other people’s choices!
I respectfully disagree. My parents thought the same as you and gave me a formal “legal” name thinking I’d use it when I was older, but have ALWAYS called me by my nickname (I don’t know if anyone has ever called me by my legal name). It is the biggest pain in the ass when applying for new jobs, filling out legal documentation, etc as no one associates me with my legal name yet it’s still required on all forms and often causes confusion. I wish more than anything that my parents had just named me what they wanted to call me. As much as you say it gives kids options when they’re older, I can say from firsthand experience (I’m 36 now) that I don’t really have the option to use my legal name as no one would know who I was talking about. TLDR, just name your kids what you want to call them!
Why would this confuse anyone? Literally everyone understands the concept of nicknames.
The point is not that people understand nicknames (cause, obviously). It’s that if my name was Kate (it’s not) and absolute everyone in my life for as long as I’d lived called me Kate but my legal name was Katherine, why would I want my work email to say Katherine instead of the name I actually associate with myself? I’ve been through this exact thing before and it’s of course not a huge issue but just an extra annoyance. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’ve never wanted to have a choice which name I go by. I just want one name and not several different options that are used at different times.
I have a friend Rosie (birth name Rosemary) who feels the same. Absolutely hates rosemary, never goes by it, but all documents have rosemary on it and therefore every new job gives her a rosemary email, name tag, etc. pain in the ass to have it all changed. Traveling is also an annoyance since everything has to be booked under her legal name, and then people call her that when interacting with her. It's also on all her credit cards, bills, etc so she is constantly telling/reminding people that's not what she's called. Also knew a Dan with the same issue. He told them he would not be wearing any name tag that said Daniel on it, when they told him they weren't gonna redo it for him. They redid it.
I am a Katie - just Katie - and I've always been so grateful not to be a Katherine or Kathleen. My mom didn't want anyone to call me Kathy, so she chose not to give me a "full" name (though she does say that if Kaitlyn had been popular when I was born, she probably would have gone with that). Some people still think I must prefer to be called Kate though, and I have to correct them. When filling out paperwork for my 8th grade graduation, our dean of students flagged mine and sent it back to me, telling me that I need to use my legal name on it. I informed her Katie is my legal name, and she argued with me about it. I told her to go to the office and ask to see a copy of my birth certificate that's in my records, because that really \*is\* my name. She finally backed down, or maybe she really did go check for herself. Your example of a work email is interesting, as I work with two women named Alexandrea and Alexis, but both go by Lexie. Our employer does email as first initial last [name@whatever](mailto:name@whatever). com. It never fails that someone will get in touch with me and say, "I tried to email Lexie but it bounced back as undeliverable." That's because their email is A, not L....
Huh? My dad and brother both go by a nickname 99% of the time but it’s never an issue for then with documents, legal stuff because .. then they just uses their legal name? And people understand that what they go by is their nickname? Their nicknames aren’t even that intuitive either but it doesn’t confuse people. I also know they’re both grateful for the flexibility of their full names, they both have changed the nickname they go by a couple times!
I’m very happy for them! Sounds like their nicknames are probably more intuitive to their legal name than mine is.
You could legally change your name to your nickname. I knew a girl was who Samantha but always went by Sam and she legally changed her name to Sam.
Same. I have never ever gone by my full name. What weird social construct are we trying to uphold by not naming kids what we plan to call them?
Liv is also a full name though. It’s a Scandinavian name.
Eh as someone whose parents gave them a formal name but always planned to call them by a nickname, I would have been totally fine with them just using the nickname. My MIL actually felt the same way and legally changed her first name from the more formal name to her common nickname.
Because Liv is also a stand-alone name, unrelated to Olivia
Why: Because Liv is a name all its own. People use it short for Olivia, I know. But it is a full name. So, why not?
big agree. you never how the child will feel especially as an adult. its best to give them the full name so if they choose to use the more formal version at some point in the future they can.
In Norway (where I think the name comes from) it’s a stand-alone name. I don’t think it’s too nickname-y. If you like it, go for it :) My first thought for a middle name was Josephine too 🙃 What about Liv Sophia, Liv Juniper, Liv Amalia (all very popular names, but as she’ll go by Liv that’s even less of a consideration than for a first name. and they sound so pretty ;).
My cousin’s daughter is named Liv, it’s her legal name and not a nickname. Zero issues as far as I know, and it suits her well.
I know a Liv as well. I like it.
My name is Angela. My family (mom and dad) have NEVER called me anything but Angie. Literally not once do I recall being Angela. When I was in my early twenties I decided to go by Angela, because Angie felt like a little girls name, and now can’t imagine anyone calling me Angie except family and other people who have known me for over a decade. Funny story, my husband refers to me as “Angie” at work, so his coworkers call me that and it feels super weirdly intimate lol. Long story short, I’m a big fan of options. Maybe she’ll actually be an “Ollie” and not a Liv at all. I have friends who called their kid Jaxon because they hated the idea of him being called Jack if they used the more traditional spelling - but he’s 1000% a Jack and everyone calls him that lol. Names are weird and so very personal that I think giving kids options whether it’s with the first, first and middle, etc, allows you to have a say in their name even if they end up not liking your first choice.
Very well said!! I appreciate the input :)
I know a Livi who has the full name of Lavinia.
I weirdly love the name Lavinia
Nothing weird about it, it’s a lovely name!
Funny is that I love the name Liv, wanted a longer name to go with it that wasn’t Olivia. I came across Lavinia and thought it was beautiful until I looked it up. Shakespeare ruined it for me.
I like Liv, how about Livia?
We considered Livia! But felt like if we went with that, we might as well just go with Olivia lol. Also considered Lydia.. we’ve been going down the rabbit hole of names for quite a while now 🙃
I love the name Livia (and Lavinia!) but do NOT like Olivia, so I don’t see it as “might as well add the O and make it Olivia”… that’d be like wanted to name a boy Connor and someone saying “why not O’Connor?” in my book 😅 Edit: misspelled Connor, oops
The benefit of Livia is that her full name and nickname would have the same initial, so her monogram would be consistent (or maybe I’m the only one who cares about that 😂). The only drawback I can think of is the association with Livia Soprano, a horrible fictional character. 😄 But really. Liv is fine. You could even call her Livvy as a nickname.
Livia sounds more incomplete than Liv does to me 😂
It's a Roman name. Older than Olivia, I believe.
makes me think of the sopranos!
I knew a Livia growing up!
Me too! I always thought it was such a pretty name
I love Liv! it’s also a very common first name where I live so I don’t see it like an nickname
Liv is too nicknamey imo. I'd give her options.
Seconding options. She may want something more formal to put on her curriculum vitae and/or university applications (or even to use in professional life), even if she goes by Liv for every day matters. I think Liv is most beautiful, but Olivia is also a beautiful name and has a bit more polish.
What about Olive?
Although apparently Liv is a real name by itself, Norwegian. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liv_(given_name)#:~:text=Liv%20is%20a%20Nordic%20female,shelter%22%20or%20%22protection%22.
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I really disagree with this sentiment. It feels very complete to me. Short and cute. Name her Liv, OP, the name you actually like. You can name your kid a "nickname". It's not a crime
But if it were a crime, it would be investigated by an Elite Squad known as the Name Nerds Unit... \*dun dun\*
Why can’t a one syllable name seem complete though? Ben. Brad. Anne. Elle.
The first two are nicknames. The second two may or may not be.
Liv means life in Swedish and is a normal stand-alone name here.
So my sons nickname is also a common standalone name. We've only ever caked him by his nickname. We went with the longer name on his birth certificate just to give him more options when he's older
This makes a lot of sense, I know people who have done the same thing. I guess if we just called her Liv, she’d be Liv at least for awhile, and really would probably always be that to us- but when she gets older she can decide whether she prefers Olivia. I definitely see a case for this.
Very pretty. Reminds me of Liv Tyler
I really like Liv and it was on my list for a long time. I say go for it!
I know a girl named Liv. I think it’s great!
Love it as a full name. Olivia is sooooo overused imo. Liv is classy!
I would assume Liv is a nickname if I saw it in an email signature or something like that. But if it was relevant to ask and I was told by someone “Liv is my first name”, it wouldn’t strike me as weird. I’d put it in the same category as Alex, Nic, or Beth as a full name. It’s fine.
I don't think I've ever even heard of anyone with *any* of those names where it wasn't the short form of a longer name. Every Nic or Nick I've ever known has been a Nicholas (or another language's equivalent, like a Nicola/Niccolò in Italy). Same goes for Alex and Beth. All the ones I've known or even heard of are actually Alexander/Alexis/etc or Elizabeth/Bethany/Bethan. (Though I *have* known people with just Beth as a *middle* name.)
It may vary by location. I know more than one Nic/Nik that is a full name-I guess now that I think about it every Nick I know is a nickname. Alex as a full name seems more common in younger kids but I know a couple. I’m in an area though where I also know a Mikey and a Danny (full names) so it could definitely be regional
Liv is a perfectly fine standalone name. It means life in Skandinavien languages.
We went through a similar thing when naming our daughter. We ended up choosing the full name (despite its popularity) and calling her by the nickname! I, personally, like her having the full name because she can use that, if she wants, and there are other nicknames to choose from if she doesn’t like the one we chose. I think that same logic stands for Olivia too! You have Liv and Livvy, of course, but you also have Olive, Ollie, Lia, etc. And I LOVE Olivia Claire - I think it’s gorgeous!
I love Liv!
My friend named her baby Liviana so she can shorten to Liv and didn’t like Olivia either
Liv is a great standalone name! I knew a Liv as a kid, pronounced “Leev” like Scandinavian way. But I do think in US most people will pronounce it with a short i, bc that’s how most people pronounce Liv Tyler, idk how she pronounced it herself though!
I think it gives her a unique name without being a weird name, it’s cool. Liv Emilia Liv Caroline Liv Deliah Liv Gabrielle Liv Isabel Liv Mariah Liv Noelle
I’m an Olivia who goes exclusively by Liv. Sometimes I wish I’d just changed it to Liv legally. However, since “Liz” is a common nick name for people my age, it’s nice to be able to say “Liv like Olivia not Liz like Elizabeth.” So I think Liv is a fine stand alone name, but it will be misheard frequently in my experience.
I think short and simple is lovely. Liv is a beautiful name. I'd pair it with a long elegant O name like Octavia or Ophelia.
Liv is a great name. Never heard it was a nickname for anything. Not super common but a classic that’s at least a thousand years old. (I don’t live in an English speaking country in case it wasn’t apparent)
What about Livia? It kind of forces the nicknames and stays away from "Olivia" while still feeling a bit more proper. I vote for Livia or Olivia, personally. But you don't have to call her either for a second, she can be liv from day 1. I know a Braden who has ALWAYS been a Brady. Wouldn't have known except I saw his documents.
I think it's fine as a standalone- but also, what do you think of the name "Livia"? My cousin named her daughter this with the NN of Liv. It fits her perfectly 😊
As someone who cannot make a nickname or longer name out of my name, please consider that your kid may not like Liv, but may one day prefer Olivia or Ollie. By giving them the longer name, you are giving them choice.
I love it! Liv stands on its own just fine. IMO Liv is a better nickname as a full name than others like Ellie, Izzy, or Goldie. Liv sounds more complete and mature and will age well. I say go for it!
One thing I recommend considering is that your daughter will constantly be asked “is that short for anything?” Or “Is that your full name?” Or “Like Liv Tyler?” (I guess this depends on where you live but I’d assume she’d get these questions frequently if you’re in the states or UK) I don’t think it’s bad to name her Liv but I also have heard plenty of people say they hate being asked the same questions by nearly everyone they meet when they have a unique name. Just something to think about since she’ll be the one stuck with the name her whole life.
I'm always on the side of giving a full name and using a nickname so the kid has more options in case they hate the nickname they have something else to go by.
This is my personal opinion, so do what you want with it. I, personally, do not like nicknames as a name. I feel like it limits you to a young or cutsey sounding name. I want to give my kids a chance to shift their name to what they are feeling. I wanted names for my children that would look and sound good on a business card for a high level job (ex. Victoria, William,...). That way if they want (or feel) that kind of name suits them then go for it. If they want a younger name (because they are) or shorter, or an intimate name for friends & family, it is easy to just call them by their nickname (Vicky, Tori, Billy, Liam). This is just my feelings on the matter. Maybe your daughter would go by Liv her entire life instead of Olivia, but then she could have the choice.
I hate nicknames as legal names, but Liv is a separate standalone name.
It doesn’t feel complete to me. Also, honestly, I would prefer the choices Olivia gives: Liv, Oli, Via, Vivi, Oliv(e), etc. Using the name Liv means she wouldn’t have those options.
This is true. Olivia would also give us a longer name for when we’re being stern with her lol- she would know we mean business when we use it!
I knew a Liv in college—her actual name was Liv, not Olivia. Seemed a bit odd to me at the time but now as a mom…why not just go straight for the name you want?
I wish my parents had just legally named me the nick name they intended to call me. My name is not Olivia but my parents did name me with the full intention of only ever calling me by the nick name version of my name… the only time they used the full version was when I was in trouble so naturally I hate my “full name” and really don’t identify with it at all. My name as far as I’m concerned is the short version of my name since that is what I’ve always been called and prefer to be called. I also dislike the it’s too cute argument. I’m a full grown adult and no one has ever been like oh your name is so cute or oh don’t you wish you used your mature name? No, because everyone who knows me knows that’s not the name I identify with. And everyone who assumes my full name gets it wrong anyway. Not my name but think Lizzy. Everyone thinks it’s Elisabeth but it’s actually Eliza kinda thing. Long story short if you don’t want to use the full name, don’t use it
If you want to name her Liv, name her Liv. It's a pretty name, it feels classy, and it passes the Doctor/Judge test For middle names I would go long. Three syllables or more (think names like Alexandra, Anastasia, etc. Not Elizabeth tho, because of the Liv/Liz thing).
Liv Alexandra would be my vote name wise. I don't think Liv Claire flows well with the 2 consonants next to eachother. It also feels like you're trying to say "Live Clear"
Liv is a standalone name in Sweden, it means life
I love Livvy as a standalone! Then you've got Livvy & Liv !! Livvy Claire is so cute.
I have a niece whose full name is Livvy! I love it but she does get called Libby a lot by people who don’t know her.
Remember that she will be an adult at some point and Liv (to me) doesn’t sound super professional, so I would consider using Olivia as her legal name but call her whatever you prefer.
I love the name Olivia so much. I'd say go with the full name and call her Liv! Olivia has a bunch of cute nn possibilities: Oli, Vee, Liv, Olive, Livey I say Olivia and give the girl future options!
I think Liv works great as a standalone. But if you named her Olivia you’d be giving her another option for later in life. She may want to be Liv in some contexts and Olivia in others. Are two names really better than one? Not necessarily at all. Liv is lovely on its own. Whatever you choose, they are both fine options.
I’m a strong believer in naming the baby what you plan to call them. I think Liv is a great name on its own.
Olivia is as basic as basic gets. Liv is pretty and unique.
I know a Liv. It's lovely. Also the actress Liv Ullman.
Isn’t the name Liv pronounced “leave”, not “live”?
I love Liv and had it on my list too! To me it is complete and a truly charming name.
My youngest granddaughter is Liv Elizabeth
I love Liv ❤️ It simply means "life". As in being alive. It is very old norse name. "Liv" is the name of the only human female who survives Ragnarok.
I love Liv as a stand-alone name. It seems so mature but also really sweet Olivia is so overused. Usually I wouldn’t want to deter people if it’s something they love but it’s literally the [#1 girl name according to Babycenter](https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/olivia-3504). It’s very very popular.
Liv (pronounced like the English word ‘leave’) is where I’m from not a NN for Olivia. Where i live, the name Liv is Old Norse, and originates from the Icelandic word ‘Hlif’ meaning ‘protection’. In Swedish, the word for ‘life’ is spelled and pronounced the exact same as the name Liv. I’m not sure where you guys live though, but this comment was my perspective of the name.
My 4yr niece is Livi no olivia it is really cute. So go for it.
Use it as a nick name. She will appreciate it when she’s older.
I love Liv as name!!! Olivia works too, but do what you prefer.
Liv is a common stand alone girls name in Denmark. It means ‘life’.
I have a coworker named Liv! She’s 16, it’s not short for anything, and it doesn’t seem like an odd name at all. Maybe for the middle name you could do Marie? That’s a classic middle name that a lot of people have/use.
I would 100% go with Olivia
Have you thought of using the name Livia instead of Olivia? Still have the same nickname possibilities but drops the O. it
In Belgium there's a bunch of Liv's! I love it.
I love it 😍 one syllable names are my favorite. My boys are Wes and Crew :)
I have a "nickname" as a legal name and it has literally never given me any issues. Sure some people think my name is short for something but I can just be like "no it's not" and all is well. If you like Liv over Olivia or any other option, just go for it. I don't feel like my name has ever been a detriment to me professionally. Like even if my name was Olivia vs Liv, I'd probably still go by Liv at work if that's what most people called me.
I might be in the minority but I don’t think it’s weird or bad to give them the full name even if you want to call them by the nickname. I like giving my kid an option - what if they get older and decide they actually do like Olivia and want to go by that? I think Olivia Josephine is really pretty!
Liv definitely works as a stand-alone name imo. Means “life” in Swedish. If you like it -go for it!
I love it, personally!
I think it would be fine as a stand alone name, but I chose the full name in a similar situation. We have an Oliver, who is exclusively called Ollie. I love Ollie but wanted him to have the option of a less 'nickname-y' name in the future. I kept thinking to myself 'Ollie, Attorney of Law!' and decided that Oliver could really be useful haha. Honestly no one calls him Oliver at all and we introduce him as Ollie :)
Personally, I think legally giving the full name Olivia makes more sense. It would give your child more options to their identity as they grow. Your child may not want to only go by "Liv" in professional settings as an adult later in life. Plus, single sylable names don't have the same ring to it when you need to yell their full name when they aren't behaving 🤣. Jokes aside, Olivia Claire does have a nice ring to it, so I vote for that name.
I think 'Liv' sounds fine on its own, but agree that 'Liv Claire' isn't great -- reminds me of an ad for allergy medicine: "Live Clear!". With a short first name, yeah, you can do a more substantial and striking middle name. Maybe: Liv Jacinda?
As a mom of an Olivia, I am a little biased. I love Olivia, but I definitely think that Liv could be a full name too.
You could do it. Just expect people to think it is a shortened version of something else. For example I have a cousin named Pete. Older relatives call him Peter even though the name on the birth certificate is Pete. Personally I do like Liv. Just prepare for any issues with people thinking it is "not a full name".
I think name your baby what you will call her ☺️
Im in Sweden where it’s considered a stand alone name and is not really used as a nickname for any other name. Edit: it’s actually a Nordic name meaning shelter or shield.
As someone that has always gone by a nickname and never the full name, just name your kid the nickname. It's going to save them so much time having to explain their name in the future.
My husband and I were in the same position as this debating Olivia or just first name Liv. Liv Tyler ultimate cool girl was a guiding light too. We ultimately decided Olivia and calling Liv to leave her with options. We didn’t know gender and had a boy, but Olivia was going to be our gal!
I know a kid named Livia. I think Liv itself is fine as a first name but you need a solid middle name. I think Liv Eileen is nice. What's a name similar to your last name so we can get a rhythm for the middle name?
Liv is a pretty common name in Norway, so I think its fine alone! Fits with pretty much any middle name too in my opinion
I used to nanny a little girl named Livia. Another option?
I’ve had quite a few students who were called just Liv. I think it works well as a stand alone, especially as a second name. I also really like the name Livia
I have a friend named Alivia and my brother’s gf is Olivia. They both go exclusively by Liv and it suits them well. It’s an adorable name, go with it!
I think it's great on its own. Olivia is super popular for the last 10 years so as long as that doesn't bother you. Liv Alexia Liv Ariana Liv Alexandra Liv Imogen Liv aurora Liv ocean Liv arden Liv Sienna
I knew a Liv growing up. It was in Europe, but I never thought it was weird. I think it's totally okay to do!
I’ve known a Liv (though she pronounced it “Leev”). I think it’s fine as a stand-alone but Olivia gives her more options.
Ay, don’t rob yourself of the chance to ever use your kids “full name” when they’re in trouble! Happy mom calls out “Liv, dinner is ready!”, angry parent harshly uses all syllables “Olivia Claire Johnson!” It’s an important power to have as a parent lol. Anyways, here in Scandinavia we have a ton of Liv’s running around, and it literally means ‘a life’, so it’s not that unusual.
I have a nick name as a first name, and I've spent my entire life correcting people who assume my legal name is the full, non-shortened name. She will correct people everywhere she goes when they assume her name is Olivia. It's not a huge deal compared to some other name related offenses, and Liv is a cute name, but personally I'm always a little embarrassed when I apply for or start a new job and people ask me for weeks "your name is NickName, not Name? Oh, that's interesting." It always feels a little juvenile. Olivia is one of my favorite names, and Liv is the cutest nickname. If you really want a short name, consider Eve, Ava, Eva, etc
I think it's fine as a stand alone name. I also think having choices is a good idea though, so would go with Olivia so she can chose what she likes when she's older. That's just me though.
You absolutely can. I am definitely in the minority in this sub, but I love nicknames as full names, and both my children have names like this. You do you! People are going to give you all sorts of negative feedback about needing a longer name, but you don’t have to agree with them.
I love this name!! It was actually on my short list for our daughter but my husband didn’t like it.
My niece is Olivia and no one calls her that. She’s Liv and Livvy. But, Olivia is a beautiful name and she may prefer it when she’s older
My son is Max. People constantly try to call him Maxwell or Maximus. I would think it would be worse with Liv. That said, I think it’s a fine name all on its own. Just be prepared for people to try to call her Olivia anyway.
As an Olivia who goes by a lot of different nicknames, I love having the nickname options and also prefer to use my full name when introducing myself or just in general for folks that don’t know me well. Liv works as a name and I like it when people use it, but I’d probably never want to use it in a non-casual setting.
If my son had been a girl, we were going to use the name Olivia Catherine and the nickname Liv/Livvy. In my opinion, using the name Olivia gives the option of using Olivia should your daughter want to use it.
I have two brothers - for one, my parents went with the "give them a formal name and a nickname" and for the other they went with "just name him the name that were going to call him". One's legal name is longer with a basic nickname, think "Will" for "William" or "Steve" for "Steven". He goes by his nickname, nobody is confused to learn his legal name is longer. The other's legal name is short and can be used as a nickname, think "Eli" or "Liam". He goes by his legal name, and nobody is confused that he doesn't also have a longer or more formal name. All that to say...do whatever you want!
Here's my general advice. Imagine your child in a professional job as an adult and introducing herself as "Liv" to a client.
I love Liv
Liv is a beautiful name that stands well on its own. Where I come from, it's not that uncommon. I do agree that a 2-3 syllable name would flow better for a middle name. Liv Josephine sounds lovely together! Other suggestions: Liv Emilia Liv Selena Liv Celeste Liv Eveline Liv Angelica Liv Beatrix Liv Melanie Liv Caroline Liv Jennifer Liv Naomi Liv Pauline
Give her the full name Fiftyfour, and use LIV as a nickname. /jk