Oliver
Oliver was the 3rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 14,939 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 16 places. More babies were named Oliver in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Old French, Germanic (?), Latin (?)
Say it AH-lih-ver /ˈɑlɪvər/
- Rank in 2025
- #3 boys, unchanged since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 14,939boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 202415,396 babies
- Total since 1880
- 270,680babies recorded
What does the name Oliver mean?
Oliver reached English through Old French Olivier, the name of one of Charlemagne's paladins in medieval romance. Its origin is uncertain. People long tied it to Latin oliva, 'olive'. Wiktionary considers a Germanic source more likely, either a form of the Norse name Óleifr (Olaf) or Germanic words for 'all' and 'true'. DMNES lists the olive, Alvaro and Olaf as possibilities without deciding.
Óleifr (Old Norse, “ancestor + heir/relic (proposed)”)oliva (Latin, “olive (traditional association)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. There is no consensus among the sources.
Other explanations you may read: From Latin olivarius / oliva 'olive'.
See also: French names.
Nicknames for Oliver
The usual nicknames for Oliver are Ollie. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Oliver in the last five years, 1 were named Ollie, against 2 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ollie · also for Olivia, Olive | Traditional | #1,058 | 1,029 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Olivers go by each one.
Oliver popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 777 since 1905, 24 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3 | 14,939 |
| 2020 | #3 | 14,277 |
| 2010 | #88 | 4,666 |
| 2000 | #305 | 978 |
| 1990 | #373 | 625 |
| 1980 | #414 | 393 |
| 1970 | #428 | 367 |
| 1960 | #413 | 370 |
| 1950 | #284 | 556 |
| 1940 | #215 | 582 |
| 1930 | #170 | 850 |
| 1920 | #135 | 1,164 |
| 1910 | #103 | 307 |
| 1900 | #95 | 256 |
| 1890 | #81 | 218 |
| 1880 | #69 | 234 |
How popular is Oliver, counting every spelling?
Oliver is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #3 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together. Together these spellings went to 14,977 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver | 14,939 | #3 | 75,016 |
| Olliver | 24 | #4,348 | 133 |
| Olyver | 14 | #6,346 | 98 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Oliver?
14,939 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Oliver (4.14 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Oliver born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 13. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, a typical elementary school of 430 pupils would have about 1.8 children named Oliver.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Oliver?
About 229,600 people born in the US named Oliver are alive today, with a median age of 8; half are between 4 and 14. That makes Oliver a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Oliver by state
How common Oliver was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Vermont (3.2×), Wyoming (2.3×), Maine (2.3×), Alaska (2.3×), New Hampshire (2.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Mississippi, New Jersey, Texas.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Oliver: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Oliver, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Oliver · Sibling names for Oliver
Questions about the name Oliver
What does Oliver mean?
The origin of Oliver is uncertain: there is no consensus among the sources.
How popular is the name Oliver?
Oliver was the 3rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 14,939 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 16 places. More babies were named Oliver in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Oliver a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Oliver in the US.
Where is Oliver most popular?
In 2021–2025, Oliver was most common in Vermont (27.87 per 1,000 boys), followed by Wyoming and Maine.