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I do not have a problem with either and neither to me are ugly. I actually quite like Olga, though I'd probably never use it. It reminds me of the eldest Romanov daughter, so it always had a more youthful, royal feel to me. Helga always reminded me of a little girl, mostly because of Hey Arnold, or a sweet grandmother.

I like them both now, but I used to dislike both. They sound old-fashioned and abrupt. I liked Helga first, and I still prefer it.

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Olga is very distinctive. Helga vaguely reminds me of Helen, Heidi, and Zelda. I think Helga sounds sweeter and Olga more serious.

This message was edited 6/4/2020, 8:17 PM

I like them both - Helga slightly more than Olga though. This is probably because the extra consonant sound gives it more substance. Strong, independent, courageous, and adventurous.

I guess the feels are different, but I think Olga is every bit as ugly as Helga.

I think the similar sounds lump them together in my mind, despite the different origins. Olga reminds me of ogre and I just can't get myself to like it even a little. Helga is a bit more palatable to me, but I don't love the "hel(l)" part. It feels fiery to me.

Both feel very heavy and ugly to me. I'm Slavic, and while Olga is not unheard of in the younger generations, it definitely has, to put it bluntly, ogre vibes.

Helga has a softer sound whereas Olga sounds like a horn (think old timey ooga sounding horn). Olga looks prettier written than Helga does. People may think they’re ugly names but I picture cute little girls of the past who grew up to be beautiful women when I see/hear these names.

I love both, though I prefer Olga. I think Helga is earthy and witchy.

Agree

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I love Olga. I love some of the "clunky" Russian names (Agafiya, Agrafena, Margarita) and Olga fits into this category. I would not call it "fresh and pleasant" I get more of a dark, heady, elegant vibe.

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I don't mind Helga but it's not nearly as pretty as Olga.

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But I think for me it is the Ol- versus the Hel- as I feel similarly about Olga, Olivia, Olanna, Olympia etc. and Helga, Heloise, Helen etc.

I don't think either Olga or Helga is ugly names, in any sense since I love their meanings, but if you're a Dane, they're so very dated and the ones carrying them, have been born before the 1930s and they're just so 'old-ladies crusty' and that's what puts me off about them, however beautiful their meanings are to me.

Well said - totally agree

They both sound heavy and rough. I actually don' hate either and I think Olga is better but it might be because I'm used to it and I like some people with this name.

They both feel “harsh, dated, and indeed ugly AF” to me.
I have no idea where you got “fresh and pleasant” from stilted-sounding Olga. You can even almost say “old” in the begging of the name. Olda.
I agree with you about Helga, though. Definitely unappealing.

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I guess I have one “ugly” name that I like: Hilda. I don’t know what I find charming about it, but it just doesn’t seem as ugly to me as everyone thinks it is. I guess Hilda Berg made me warm up to it? I also like Hilde, but not really Hild or Hildegard.