The popularity gap is small

Olivia ranked first in the 2025 U.S. girls’ records with 13,544 occurrences. Charlotte ranked second with 13,400. The difference is 144 records. If your main concern is choosing a substantially less common name, switching between these two does not create a large difference in their national counts for that year.

Their recent movement differs. Olivia had 14,772 records in 2024, while Charlotte had 12,597. In the following year, Olivia’s count decreased and Charlotte’s increased. That describes one annual change; it does not establish which name will lead next.

Give each name the same trial

Make two versions of the complete name using the same surname and intended middle names. Keep the presentation identical so a favorite font, photograph, or decorative card does not become the reason one version wins.

Then write a short note for each candidate without mentioning popularity. You might record a family connection, a personal association, or simply that you enjoy the spelling. If the only reason you prefer one is its chart position, decide whether that distinction matters enough to survive a future change.

Discuss the everyday version explicitly

Do you both intend to use the complete first name every day? Would either of you prefer a shorter form? Write down the actual form you mean instead of assuming your partner has imagined the same one. A nickname preference is a separate decision from choosing the name on a shortlist.

Keep Olivia and Charlotte together as finalists if both meet your practical needs, then compare the particular things your family values. The data has answered the narrow popularity question: in 2025, both were widely used, and their national counts were close.