Ollie
Ollie was the 1058th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 207 babies. Its best year was 1891, when it ranked 141st; the most babies were born in 1919 (369). Over the last ten years it has moved up 354 places. More babies were named Ollie in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ali) high, exalted (Arabic); also short for Alison · Arabic, English
- Rank in 2025
- #1,058 boys, up 99 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 207boys
- Girls and boys
- 31% girls, 69% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1919369 babies
- Total since 1880
- 59,267babies recorded
What does the name Ollie mean?
Ollie is a spelling of Ali, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ali's meaning and origin.
Ali is an Arabic name from ʿaliyy, "high, exalted", from the root ʿ-l-y, "to be high". It is the name of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, whom Shia Muslims regard as his first rightful successor. The Quran calls God al-ʿAliyy, "the Most High" (for example 2:255). Separately, Ali (often said AL-ee) is an English short form of Alison or Alexandra for girls, and of Alistair for boys.
عَلِيّ (Arabic, “high, exalted”)
How sure is this? Well established. Two unrelated sources: the Arabic name and the English short form.
Related names: Aly, Alison, Alia.
See also: Arabic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ali', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Qur'an 2:255, Arabic text with word-by-word translation (quran.com), Quran.com
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'Ali', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
Ollie popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,294 | #1,058 | 80 | 207 |
| 2020 | #1,975 | #1,157 | 96 | 168 |
| 2010 | #5,745 | #2,388 | 24 | 53 |
| 2000 | #8,417 | #3,878 | 12 | 21 |
| 1990 | #9,013 | #1,864 | 9 | 42 |
| 1980 | #4,262 | #1,442 | 18 | 44 |
| 1970 | #2,146 | #975 | 38 | 69 |
| 1960 | #863 | #722 | 144 | 117 |
| 1950 | #468 | #532 | 304 | 163 |
| 1940 | #308 | #410 | 423 | 198 |
| 1930 | #241 | #353 | 662 | 260 |
| 1920 | #205 | #344 | 950 | 292 |
| 1910 | #150 | #220 | 538 | 114 |
| 1900 | #113 | #188 | 585 | 109 |
| 1890 | #105 | #163 | 392 | 87 |
| 1880 | #107 | #195 | 183 | 63 |
How popular is Ollie, counting every spelling?
Ollie is a spelling of Ali, a name family that ranked #272 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,058 for Ollie on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,334 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ali | 1,116 | #306 | 5,330 |
| Ollie | 207 | #1,058 | 1,029 |
| Olly | 11 | #7,543 | 54 |
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 Ollie?
207 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ollie (0.06 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ollie born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 41 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ollie.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ollie?
About 6,100 people born in the US named Ollie are alive today, with a median age of 49; half are between 9 and 72. That makes Ollie mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Ollie by state
How common Ollie was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (3.8×), Oregon (3.2×), Missouri (2.2×), Oklahoma (2.1×), Wisconsin (2.0×). In 22 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ollie: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ollie, they share its era and feel.
Ollie is also a nickname for Oliver, Olivia and Olive.
Questions about the name Ollie
What does Ollie mean?
Ollie is a spelling of Ali, which means “high, exalted (Arabic); also short for Alison” (Arabic, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ollie?
Ollie was the 1058th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 207 babies. Its best year was 1891, when it ranked 141st; the most babies were born in 1919 (369). Over the last ten years it has moved up 354 places. More babies were named Ollie in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Ollie a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 31% girls, 69% boys given the name Ollie in the US.
Where is Ollie most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ollie was most common in Utah (0.45 per 1,000 boys), followed by Oregon and Montana.