View Message

Ottoline
Otto was my grandpa's name and I really like Ottoline as a middle name. My friends pretty much think I'm crazy, I've been told many times how ugly it is. But I think it's cute and works well in the middle. How do you pronounce it? -een, -in or -ine?At the moment I like Violet Ottoline and Emilie Ottoline.
Archived Thread - replies disabled
vote up1

Replies

:-)Ottoline is "OT-uh-leen" and it's been a GP of mine for years. Using it as a way to honor your uncle would be so, so sweet! Violet Ottoline reminds me of Bloomsbury Set fisctures Violet Keppel and Ottoline Morrell. Ottoline is so wonderfully 1910s-ish. Emilie Ottoline makes me think of Lillie Langtry (nee Emilie) and again, Ms Morrell. So with this one I'm meshing an easy Edwardian 1900s vibe with more of an edgy, WWI 1910s vibe -- if that makes any sense at all. I still love it, but Violet Ottoline appeals to me more. P.S. Even though it's not a variant, Ottavia might be a way to honor ancestor Otto as well -- if you get resistance to Ottoline, that is.

This message was edited 3/14/2013, 5:43 PM

vote up1
I really really like Ottoline, and the similar Ottilie. I pronounce it the -ine way, but equally like the -een wayViolet Ottoline is victorian sounding beautiful. I love it
vote up1
I love the idea of a great-granddaughter being name after her great-grandfather. That gets 20 million bonus points! Without the backstory, I think Ottoline is pretty silly, but with the meaning and as a middle name it totally rocks. I might go with the -een or -in pronunciation so it doesn't sound like "outta line". Ottilie would be adorable as well.Both combos are okay. I feel like the both have a number of sounds echoed between the two names. But that's not a bad thing, either.
vote up1
I like Ottoline- said line not leen.
vote up1
It's so clunky, it's cute. I think it makes a great middle name, particularly for you with a grandpa named Otto. I say -leen, so Emilie Ottoline is too much EE for me, but Violet Ottoline is beautiful.
vote up1
I say -leen and I don't think it's ugly though it's a bit heavy as a first name and might get "otter" teasing. It makes an elegant mn and I like Violet Ottoline - very Edwardian ambiance.
vote up1
Hmmm...I think Ottilie works better than Ottoline. I don't dislike Ottoline, but it sounds snootier than Ottilie. IDK, I'm just not warming to it, even though it is nice.
vote up1
Love it. Absolutely gorgeous. Like a quirkier, more historic version of Emmeline, but more French/Germanic. For me there's a slight medieval feel as well, which is always a plus. Definitely an -een pronunciation. Emilie Ottoline is lovely. I've sort of been crushing on Hero Ottoline ever since we had that chat in your earlier post about Marlowe Ottoline. What I love about Ottoline combos is that it works well with interesting names like Hero or Lark or Violet or Freya, but spices up more mainstream names like Anna really nicely as well.
vote up1
It sounds like either a kind of ottoman/footstool, or some kind of car assembly plant. No idea how to pronounce it.
vote up1
I say otto-leen. I don't really like it, sorry. It sounds like a brand of gasoline or something. However, it has a really nice family connection and is only a middle name so I think you should use it!
vote up1
Lady Ottoline Morrell pronounced it with an -ine, apparently, so it rhymed with Caroline. I think most people would expect it to rhyme with Josephine. I agree that it makes a good mn, and the family connection is a good one.
vote up1
I adore Ottoline ("-leen")!
vote up1