View Message

Liv is an old name in Scandinavia, it's even found in the Norse sagas. I like it a lot and I don't think of it as a word name, although it's the Swedish word for life.

---

I know a Stellan, he's 30+ like me and we used to play when we were young. His name is a family name. I don't know any other Stellan, it's a rather unusual name. I like it, but wouldn't use it. In Sweden, apart from Stellan Skarsgård, there is also comedian Stellan Sundahl (1946 - 1999) and artist Stellan Mörner (1896 - 1979).

Well, since I'm swedish I don't see it as hipster at all and neither do I see it as a nickname for Olivia (but it would work).
I like Liv - a lot - but I'm not crazy about Swedish word names. Sure, this is an old Swedish name (like Björn) and not a trendy one (like Tindra).

---

Stellan on the other hand, is forever associated with Stellan Skarsgård. I met a young Stellan about two years ago (I guess he was about 10 at the time) and I almost started to giggle when I heard his name. I dunno...it's just a funny name. Like Gaylord.

I prefer Liv as a nickname. It is so short and seems to be missing something at the end for a full name.
I wouldn't assume Liv is a nickname though if I heard it.

---

Liv seems very wordly and artistic.

---

Stellan is ok. It comes off to me as trendy and trying to be a masculine form of Stella.

The Olivias I meet all seem to be Liv or Livy at one point or another, so I do think a Liv would often be assumed to be an Olivia. I don't think that's a big deal, though.

---

I love short, strong names, so I like Liv. My big issue with it is that it has so few associations in the US other than Liv Tyler. It's a bit like Gwyneth, in that respect. Yeah, they are both pretty names with non-Hollywood histories, but they they always feel kinda celebrity inspired, at least to me. IMO, that actually keeps Liv from feeling like a hipster name. Still, Thomas and Liv would be cute for siblings.

---

Stellan is great. It reminds me so much of "stellar" that it feels very positive and upbeat.

Liv isn't my style but I don't hate it, it's just too short.

---

I love Stellan and I also love Anders, though I prefer Stellan. Since Stella is becoming so popular Stellan for a son is an interesting alternative. It's been a while since I really thought about Stellan, I like it more right now than I did last year but I've always liked it.

---

-----------------------

I think Liv is very sweet and like it a lot. I wouldn't be concerned about people thinking it's a nn for Olivia, that doesn't really matter and they will soon learn it's not if you tell them. Stellan on the other hand, well it's just not for me. I don't like the look or sound of it, sorry.

I would always assume Liv is short for Olivia. My sister is Olivia "Liv". She's Liv most of them time, which I really like. So yeah, I like Liv, but I don't think it works well on its own in Australia or the States. But it is cute!

Liv is way too nicknamey for me. I can't see it as a full name and she'd spend her entire life trying to convince people that no, it isn't short for Olivia, and yes, she is sure about that. I don't find it hipster at all, though.

---

I like Stellan very much.

Love Liv! Stylish, short, simple.

---

Stellan... seems to me to be trendy, kind of a celeb baby name. It's not my fave.

I love Liv (never have assumed it's short for Olivia or anything else) and I find Stellan quite handsome. I do happen to like both Lars and Anders but I think Stellan feels more fitting alongside Liv.

I think the pronunciation is too problematic. It's like, when I liked the name Leif for a boy but I pronounced it "leaf." Everybody shrilled that "It's LAYF" and how tacky it was for me to say "leaf." So, I'm here to take my turn objecting that Liv is properly pronounced "leave," and pronouncing it to rhyme give is just as wrong/ignorant-American-sounding as pronouncing Leif as "leaf." (How wrong or ignorant-sounding that is? I dunno.)

---

Liv pronounced to rhyme give, will be interpreted as a short form of Olivia or Livia in the US, no matter what you say it is when you get opportunities to explain - IMO. And IRL you don't get opportunities unless you're willing to act pretty weird, giving a bunch of trivia about your / your kid's name unprompted. So if that assumption really bothers you ... eh. You have to just like the sound of the name and not insist on any kind of purity about exactly which name it really is. Which is totally what I would do if I were you.

---

I think it's also about as hipster as Charlize or Rihanna, since I think virtually no one in the US heard of it as a full name until Liv Tyler. That is to say, it's not very hip IMO - it's more just a celebrity copycat name, where it's used in the US and isn't short for Livia or Olivia.

---

It feels to me like basically Liz, updated. Very similar vibe to Liz circa 1975, only less sassy-spunky and more smiley-happy because of the homophone with the verb live.

---

It's not bad, but it's nms. I would def use it as a nick for Livia, though.

This message was edited 3/19/2013, 7:57 PM

Liv is cool. Liv is great! I probably wouldn't use it myself - it does seem a little truncated - but it'd be a fun name to have, and therefore is a good name to give, in my book. I'm a fan of Scandinavian names, too, also in that they tie into my heritage (half the reason my mom chose to spell my name the way she did was because "it's the Swedish way!"). I like your mom's recommendations, too; knew a kid named Lars (totally cute, if a brat) who ended up with a baby brother named Soren, which I thought was spectacular.

---

Re: Stellan, I think it is awesome, and I think it'd be fantastic with Liv. I feel like Stellan used to be pretty hot on the boards and then most people cooled on it, but its awesomeness endures, for me. My other favorites and Magnus & Leif (and Viggo & Roald, recently) for boys; Sunniva, Solveig, & Svea for girls.

I like it pronounced LIV. I don't like it pronounced LEEV. In Scandinavia it is correctly pronounced LEEV as far as I know. It sounds like 'leave' which is why I definitely wouldn't use that pronunciation. I've known an American Liv who pronounced it LIV as well as a Swedish and a German Liv who both said LEEV.

---

If you pronounce it LIV I really like it. It's short, sweet and simple. I don't think it's hipster at all. It feels common, because it seems to be used as a nickname for Olivia quite often. Most Olivias I've known have been called Liv from time to time which is also the reason why I wouldn't use it. It's a well used nickname for a very common name (Olivia) and a name that is getting common (Olive). It would be like using Kate or Liz, only that Liv has its own origin and background.

---

I do think people will assume it's short for Olivia but that is easily corrected. If you like it, you should use it. I like Liv as well as Olivia and Olive.

---

I don't like Stellan at all. I know it's legit, but to me it would be like naming a child Bellan or Ellan. It looks like a feminine name with an -n attached to it.

Liv is a great name. Liv doesn't come off as hipster to me. I like it pronounced either LIV or LEEV, but LIV is more practical in the U.S., of course.

---

A lot of people will probably think that it was short for Olivia, but I don't think it's a big deal.

---

I like Stellan.

Liv is very lovely. I think it sounds nice with your surname, as well. Would you pronounce it LIV or LEEV? LEEV would be harder to pull off in the United States.

I like Liv a lot on its own (not a huge Olivia fan). I'm sure most people will assume it's short for Olivia, but that's not a big deal. Plenty of people are named Kate, Ellie, etc. without a longer full name- just correct people who assume its just Liv.

---

I also like Stellan a lot, though I prefer Kellan.

I like Liv a lot. In fact, I think it's my favorite girl name you've ever considered. I wouldn't worry about people thinking it's short for Olivia, because you could always correct them. No biggie.

Is it really that bad if people think that Liv is short for Olivia? Yes, it would be annoying after a while when you meet new people, but it doesn't seem like that big of a problem. Besides, most people probably heard of Liv Tyler.

---

Stellan is a good name.