Where does the name Oliver come from?

Oliver is a boy name of Latin origin.

Is Oliver a boy or a girl name?

Oliver is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Oliver are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Oliver in 2023?

Oliver ranks #4840 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 15,204 babies.

How do you pronounce Oliver?

Oliver is pronounced OL-i-ver (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Oliver?

Oliver is also written as Olivier, Oliviero.

A name from Latin · Boy

Oliver

Olive tree; symbol of peace. Possibly from the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning 'ancestor's descendant'.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

239,568 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

14,820 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

OOlive tree; symbol of peace. Possibly from the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning 'ancestor's descendant'.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Oliver".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Olivier Most common Oliviero

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Oliver.

O
Oliver Stone (director)
O
Oliver Cromwell

Quick answers

People often ask about Oliver.

What does the name Oliver mean?: Oliver means olive tree; symbol of peace. Possibly from the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning 'ancestor's descendant'.
Where does the name Oliver come from?: Oliver is a boy name of Latin origin.
Is Oliver a boy or a girl name?: Oliver is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Oliver are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Oliver in 2023?: Oliver ranks #4840 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 15,204 babies.
How do you pronounce Oliver?: Oliver is pronounced OL-i-ver (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Oliver?: Oliver is also written as Olivier, Oliviero.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.