I have a 1.5 yr old named Lena and am expecting a second girl in Dec, we really like the name Ola for our second daughter, but I’m worried Ola is too close to Ole, which would create endless Ole and Lena jokes. If you aren’t familiar with Ole and Lena jokes they are super common in MN, where we live, in a very Scandinavian area. What do you think? Too close to a joke, or cute enough to be ok?
Thank you!Erin
My vote is yes, too close. There will be a lot of people who won’t have heard of Ole and Lena, but you live right where everyone HAS heard of them. Worse, it’s not a particularly flattering category of humor: it reminds me of blonde jokes.
A second issue, but perhaps this is because I have three children in the house who have taken or are taking Spanish, is that Ola sounds just like Hola. “Hello” isn’t a negative word, but it’s an unusual one for a name, and I would get weary of “Hola, Ola!” jokes.
Ola has a lovely softness and simplicity to it. What else is like it? Olya is a variant on Olga. Even though it has the E sound, it feels further away from Ole, at least to me.
There’s also Nola, and Nicola, Viola, Zola, Una, Orla, Alva or Alba.
I agree with Swistle. Too close.
Do you like:
Isla
Olia (Russian Olga variant)
Aria
Mila
There’s also this list from Baby Name Wizard of “liquid names,” which Ola fits in style: http://www.babynamewizard.com/archives/2013/6/raindrop-names
Ditto to Swistle. I have spent very little time in that part of the Midwest, but I would definitely make the connection if I were introduced to Ola and Lena. It’s not the worst thing in the world (and the two names do go together nicely), but I’m hoping maybe you have a strong second-choice contender that would avoid this issue.
I’ve never heard of the jokes, but if they’re common where you live, I agree that Ola is not a good name for your new daughter. How about Nora, Ione, Julia, Rosalie, Flora, Fiona, Aura, Rosa, Fidelia, Calla, Zella, or Zola, or Cordelia?
I had to really wrack my brain to remember Ole and Lena, but honestly, what bothers me more is the “Hola” connection. Yulia might be a nice alternative with the softer sound you seem to like.
Alma, Fiona, Sasha (go with Alexandra or Alexa if you want to make it a nickname), Paula or Paola, Paloma, and Willow/Willa all give me the same soft feeling as Ola without the complications.
I had never heard of the jokes, but I clicked through to the wikipedia page, and yes, too close.
I also live in MN and think this would be a huge problem here.
I like the idea of adding another letter: Nola, Zola, Lola.
I also liked the suggestions of something similar–Ione, Fiona, Nora, etc.
Also from MN, and I agree. It would definitely come to mind.
A big part of my family is from/lives in Minnesota, and I have to agree that it would be a problem. And Swistle makes a good point about “Hola” as well.
I know a girl named Orla and love her name. I think the extra R would make all the difference!
Orla came to mind for me too. I know a little girl called Orly. I think that’s a cute nn and reminds me of Carly.
I haven’t heard of the jokes, as I am from the South, but I would think it might be a problem, sadly. I was also going to suggest Isla and Alma, as mentioned above. Or you could do Lola, which I don’t feel is too close to Lena. And then the girls would share a common letter with the L. If you aren’t planning to have more kids, the 4-letter L names would be a very cute pair. Also, I propose Opal, Aila, Etta, Eva, Della, and Anna. Best of luck!
I like Nola a lot! Also: Twyla, Valia
yes this would be a real problem (former MN-er here). I would definitely think immediately about the jokes.
Some other good names here, but I might suggest that you go back to the drawing board and not try to simply get at Ola in another way, but rather think about all the other names.
Sorry
I think Ola is too close. I love Orla, but for a more Scandinavian choice what about Aina, Alva, Ulla?
I’m not from your part of the country, so I don’t know about the jokes, but I think Ulla sounds lovely!
My grandma was named Nola perhaps you’d like that instead? Orla, Iona, and Isla also come to mind.
I am from MN and I immediately think of the jokes. Sorry, I think it is too close.
I wouldn’t do it after reading about it on Wiki, especially not living where you do.
What about just plain Ella?
I live in a part of California with a high number of people of Scandinavian origin and have heard the jokes all my life. Best thing to do is to pick a different name.
I’m not from MN nor Scandinavian but immediately thought of the jokes before I even read your question. In Louisanna they have the same jokes just Boudreaux and Thibadeaux.
Nellie is a lovely Scandinavia name, too.
I’d suggest Trina, but it rhymes with Lena. :)
How about Oona? Or Oana?
Though I’m not sure if Oona is “OH-nah” or “OO-nah”. I prefer the former but like both.
The variant of Oona is Una so the latter to my ear.
Former Minnesotan here who agrees with the above posters that Ola is definitely too close to Ole, particularly with a sister named Lena and living in MN.
If you’re set on the sound, then I agree with previous posters that you could use Nola or Zola and that sounds different enough. But I also think that going back to the drawing board entirely is your best bet. Good luck!
It might also be worth considering that while Lena and Ola are both Scandinavian names, one is traditionally female and one is traditionally male. It might not matter as much in the US, but if you’re going for Scandinavian-sounding names, you may want to reconsider. As a Swede, I would find it bizarre to hear the name Ola on a girl.
I vote Willa or Ione, or Linnaea.
Wisconsinite here and yep, too close. I thought of the jokes right away.
Garrison Keillor used to tell Ole and Lena jokes on Prairie Home Companion so public radio fans outside your area may also make the connection.
I had never heard of Ole and Lena (I’m from New England), but I think the Ola/Hola connection makes it unusable. It’s likely she will take Spanish classes, travel to a Spanish-speaking country, or have Spanish-speaking friends/classmates/coworkers at some point in her life, and being named Hello just seems odd.
Other ideas:
Echo,
Ona,
Una,
Ora,
Oriana,
Orla/Orly,
Olivia,
Olive,
Ocean/Oceana,
Paola,
Kyla,
Myla,
Nyla,
Nora,
Nola,
Zora,
Sora,
Rio,
Rory/Aurora,
Yolanda,
Harlow,
Ella,
Stella,
Ayla/Isla,
Raya,
Mara
Similar problem – anyone willling to give me your perspective? My son is named Amos, and we are pregnant with a daughter we’d like to name Annie. However, we fear the combo of their names may be too close to Amos and Andy – the old radio show that is now understood to be racist and offensive. Too close? Or will it probably not occur to other people and we are overthinking it?
I hear it. I don’t think Amos has been “cleared” of that association yet. It will get there, and I do get that I am old, but you are going to be saying , “Amos and Annie” a lot. It’s hard to miss.
I do think you could use it for a third child, should you be thinking in that direction. Amos, , and Annie breaks the connection.