Of the olive tree...

I was born on March 28, 1995 as Olivia Julianna DiFonso.  When I asked my Mom about the symbolism behind my name, she was very enthusiastic to share.  She began to tell me that there was really no reason why she chose the name Olivia, other than that it was a beautiful name and unique during the time.  (Nowadays, it's very popular!)  However, she explained that my middle name, Julianna, was a combination between her great-grandmother's name, Julia, and her grandmother's name, Anna.  The name Olivia means peaceful; of the olive tree.  The name Julianna means youthful.  One other name that my Mom considered to be my first name was Rachel, and my middle name would have stayed the same.  If I was a boy, my name would either be Dominic Joseph or Anthony Joseph.  Dominic and Anthony are just names that my Dad liked, but Joseph is a big name in my family: My Dad, Uncle, Cousin, and Grandfather are all named Joseph.  As for how I feel about my name, I love it.  I used to highly dislike my name because it was different from everyone else's.  As I've grown older, I've started to embrace that my name is unique, and that my name describes my personality very well.  When I introduce myself at soccer camps, I tell everybody to call me Liv, because it's quicker to say when you're on the field.  Most of my friends call me Liv, too.  Just for fun, I've been collecting the "Olivia" book series ever since the first one came out.  

"Julianna - Meaning of Julianna Name." Baby Names | Name Meanings | Baby Boy Names, Baby Girl Names. Web. 12 May 2010. .

"Olivia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 12 May 2010. .