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OLIVIA
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Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Spanish, German, Finnish
Pronounced: ə-LIV-ee-ə (English), o-LEE-vee-ah (German) [key]
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This name was first used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy 'Twelfth Night' (1602). Shakespeare may have based it on the name OLIVER or the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario. The name has been used in the Engish-speaking world since the 18th century, though it did not become overly popular until the last half of the 20th century. Its rise in popularity in America was precipitated by a character on the 1970s televsion series 'The Waltons'. |
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