Liv (2)

  • [ LIV ]
  • English
Short form of OLIVIA.

OLIVIA   female   English, Italian, Spanish, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
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 OLIVER or OLIVA, or perhaps directly on 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 English-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 television series 'The Waltons'.
OLIVER   male   English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak
From Olivier, a Norman French form of a Germanic name such as ALFHER or an Old Norse name such as Áleifr (see OLAF). The spelling was altered by association with Latin oliva "olive tree". In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic 'La Chanson de Roland', in which Olivier was a friend and advisor of the hero Roland.

In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel 'Oliver Twist' (1838), which was about a poor orphan living on the streets of London.
ALFHER   male   Ancient Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements alf "elf" and hari "army, warrior" (making it a cognate of ALVAR).
ALVAR   male   Swedish, Estonian
From the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements alfr "elf" and arr "warrior".
OLAF   male   Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Polish
From the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning "ancestor's descendant", derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and leifr "descendant". This was the name of five kings of Norway, including Saint Olaf (Olaf II).
OLIVA   female   Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "olive". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint from Brescia.
FULL FORMS
ENGLISH: Alivia, Olivia, Olyvia
EQUIVALENTS
CZECH: Olivie
DANISH: Olivia, Vivi
ENGLISH: Livia, Livvy, Ollie
FINNISH: Olivia
FRENCH: Olivie
GERMAN: Olivia
HUNGARIAN: Olívia
ITALIAN: Olivia
NORWEGIAN: Olivia, Vivi
POLISH: Oliwia
PORTUGUESE: Olívia
SLOVAK: Olívia
SPANISH: Olivia
SWEDISH: Olivia, Vivi
OTHER FORMS
ANCIENT GERMANIC: Alfher
ANCIENT SCANDINAVIAN: Áleifr, Alfarr
CROATIAN: Oliver, Olivera
CZECH: Oliver
DANISH: Olaf, Olav, Ole, Oliver, Oluf
DUTCH: Olaf, Olivier
ENGLISH: Oli, Oliver, Ollie
ESTONIAN: Alvar, Olavi, Olev, Oliver
FAROESE: Ólavur
FINNISH: Olavi, Oliver, Olli, Uolevi
FRENCH: Olivier
GERMAN: Olaf, Oliver
HUNGARIAN: Olivér
ICELANDIC: Elvar, Ólafur
IRISH: Amhlaoibh
ITALIAN: Oliviero
LATE ROMAN: Oliva
LITERATURE: Olivette
MACEDONIAN: Oliver, Olivera
MEDIEVAL ENGLISH: Noll
MEDIEVAL FRENCH: Olivier
NORWEGIAN: Ola, Olaf, Olav, Ole, Oliver
POLISH: Olaf, Oliwier
PORTUGUESE: Álvaro, Olavo
SCOTTISH: Amhlaidh, Aulay
SERBIAN: Oliver, Olivera
SLOVAK: Oliver
SPANISH: Álvaro
SWEDISH: Alvar, Ola, Oliver, Olle, Olof, Olov