Olivia
oh-LIV-ee-uh. Stress the second syllable, LIV.
One English pronunciation
Phonetic notation
/oʊ.ˈlɪv.i.ə/
Olivia, Liv or Ollie. Olivia can stay Olivia, or make room for Liv or Ollie as a shorter everyday name.
These shorter forms have other uses too.
The olive connection
Olivia is probably linked to Latin oliva, “olive”, perhaps through Italian. Other explanations connect it with Oliva or Oliver.1
One way to say Olivia
oh-LIV-ee-uh, with the emphasis on LIV.
Another way to say Olivia
uh-LIV-ee-uh keeps the same stress, with a lighter first vowel.
Short forms to try
Try Liv, Livvy, Ollie and Livia with your surname. Or keep Olivia in full; a short form is an option, not an obligation.
- LivLiv is a short form of Olivia.
- LivvyLivvy is a short form of Olivia.
- OllieOllie is a short form of Olivia.
- LiviaLivia is a short form of Olivia.
Shakespeare’s Countess Olivia
Countess Olivia appears in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. If you enjoy a literary connection, she gives the name one.2
Sources
- Online Etymology Dictionary: Olivia, etymonline.com (opens in a new tab)
- Folger Shakespeare Library: Twelfth Night, entire play, folger.edu (opens in a new tab)
Researched from sources and checked in a separate review. We list reference works, not other baby-name websites. Last revised 4 October 2026.
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