Oliver
Boy · OL-i-ver · Latin
Classic
Oliver is a boys' name of Latin origin, meaning “olive tree”. In 2025 it ranked 5th for boys in the UK (3,514 babies) and 3rd for boys in the US (14,939 babies).
What does Oliver mean?
Latin: Norman French Olivier, linked with Latin oliva; possibly Germanic in origin
“olive tree”
Oliver is Roland's loyal companion in the medieval Song of Roland; Oliver Cromwell ruled England as Lord Protector.
- Say it
- OL-i-ver
More on Wiktionary.
Is Oliver a girl's or a boy's name?
Oliver is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 3,514 boys in the UK and 24 girls and 14,939 boys in the US.
How popular is Oliver in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #5among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 3,514about 1 in 85 boys
- Five-year trend
- Fallingdown 29% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 15%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 3,514 boys in the UK were named Oliver, making it the 5th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1st. Its busiest year was 2010, with 8,940 boys.
It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 10 years. 2025 had the fewest boys named Oliver since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Oliver in the UK since 1996 were born between 2005 and 2017. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 6th in England and Wales, 5th in Scotland and 12th in Northern Ireland.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1904 (#93), 1974 (#84), 1984 (#48), 1994 (#23), 2004 (#7), 2014 (#1) and 2024 (#3).
Oliver in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,514 | #5 |
| 2024 | 3,843 | #3 |
| 2023 | 3,920 | #3 |
| 2022 | 4,075 | #3 |
| 2021 | 4,582 | #2 |
| 2020 | 4,633 | #1 |
| 2019 | 5,439 | #1 |
| 2018 | 5,871 | #1 |
| 2017 | 6,782 | #1 |
| 2016 | 7,223 | #1 |
| 2015 | 7,575 | #1 |
| 2014 | 7,207 | #1 |
| 2013 | 7,460 | #1 |
| 2012 | 7,121 | #2 |
| 2011 | 7,491 | #3 |
| 2010 | 8,940 | #1 |
| 2009 | 7,752 | #2 |
| 2008 | 7,816 | #2 |
| 2007 | 6,719 | #3 |
| 2006 | 6,123 | #5 |
| 2005 | 5,713 | #6 |
| 2004 | 5,745 | #7 |
| 2003 | 5,220 | #8 |
| 2002 | 4,930 | #12 |
| 2001 | 4,648 | #14 |
| 2000 | 4,493 | #16 |
| 1999 | 4,027 | #22 |
| 1998 | 4,030 | #22 |
| 1997 | 3,714 | #24 |
| 1996 | 3,695 | #25 |
How popular is Oliver in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #3among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 14,939about 1 in 110 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadyup 8% in five years
- Same name in a class
- 12%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 14,939 boys in the US were named Oliver, making it the 3rd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 3rd. Its busiest year was 2024, with 15,396 boys. 24 girls were also named Oliver in 2025 (5,237th for girls).
Half of all the boys named Oliver in the US since 1880 were born between 2004 and 2021, the years shaded on the chart below.
Oliver in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14,939 | #3 |
| 2024 | 15,396 | #3 |
| 2023 | 14,792 | #3 |
| 2022 | 15,176 | #3 |
| 2021 | 14,713 | #3 |
| 2020 | 14,277 | #3 |
| 2019 | 13,967 | #3 |
| 2018 | 13,500 | #5 |
| 2017 | 13,224 | #10 |
| 2016 | 13,066 | #12 |
| 2015 | 11,670 | #19 |
| 2014 | 9,453 | #32 |
| 2013 | 7,276 | #52 |
| 2012 | 5,924 | #73 |
| 2011 | 5,414 | #78 |
| 2010 | 4,666 | #88 |
| 2009 | 4,287 | #98 |
| 2008 | 3,604 | #118 |
| 2007 | 2,910 | #140 |
| 2006 | 2,352 | #173 |
| 2005 | 1,794 | #209 |
| 2004 | 1,491 | #228 |
| 2003 | 1,375 | #245 |
| 2002 | 1,166 | #268 |
| 2001 | 978 | #299 |
| 2000 | 978 | #305 |
| 1999 | 782 | #340 |
| 1998 | 735 | #356 |
| 1997 | 669 | #367 |
| 1996 | 607 | #384 |
| 1995 | 597 | #393 |
| 1994 | 644 | #369 |
| 1993 | 665 | #355 |
| 1992 | 664 | #355 |
| 1991 | 582 | #389 |
| 1990 | 625 | #373 |
| 1989 | 460 | #439 |
| 1988 | 441 | #428 |
| 1987 | 460 | #405 |
| 1986 | 338 | #471 |
| 1985 | 371 | #442 |
| 1984 | 397 | #416 |
| 1983 | 435 | #384 |
| 1982 | 455 | #380 |
| 1981 | 403 | #409 |
| 1980 | 393 | #414 |
| 1979 | 408 | #396 |
| 1978 | 422 | #375 |
| 1977 | 338 | #431 |
| 1976 | 337 | #424 |
| 1975 | 355 | #406 |
| 1974 | 347 | #420 |
| 1973 | 374 | #403 |
| 1972 | 368 | #411 |
| 1971 | 416 | #395 |
| 1970 | 367 | #427 |
| 1969 | 328 | #437 |
| 1968 | 325 | #428 |
| 1967 | 291 | #444 |
| 1966 | 337 | #411 |
| 1965 | 303 | #445 |
| 1964 | 368 | #421 |
| 1963 | 357 | #427 |
| 1962 | 312 | #450 |
| 1961 | 349 | #425 |
| 1960 | 370 | #410 |
| 1959 | 370 | #413 |
| 1958 | 453 | #363 |
| 1957 | 452 | #358 |
| 1956 | 483 | #341 |
| 1955 | 508 | #327 |
| 1954 | 537 | #309 |
| 1953 | 521 | #313 |
| 1952 | 555 | #300 |
| 1951 | 552 | #293 |
| 1950 | 556 | #283 |
| 1949 | 597 | #271 |
| 1948 | 631 | #258 |
| 1947 | 624 | #271 |
| 1946 | 619 | #251 |
| 1945 | 558 | #239 |
| 1944 | 565 | #239 |
| 1943 | 668 | #217 |
| 1942 | 612 | #228 |
| 1941 | 601 | #219 |
| 1940 | 582 | #215 |
| 1939 | 598 | #203 |
| 1938 | 568 | #216 |
| 1937 | 609 | #200 |
| 1936 | 591 | #205 |
| 1935 | 647 | #197 |
| 1934 | 732 | #181 |
| 1933 | 595 | #198 |
| 1932 | 741 | #182 |
| 1931 | 778 | #175 |
| 1930 | 850 | #170 |
| 1929 | 886 | #163 |
| 1928 | 933 | #161 |
| 1927 | 1,002 | #157 |
| 1926 | 1,065 | #150 |
| 1925 | 1,049 | #151 |
| 1924 | 1,172 | #140 |
| 1923 | 1,221 | #136 |
| 1922 | 1,214 | #134 |
| 1921 | 1,194 | #135 |
| 1920 | 1,164 | #135 |
| 1919 | 1,209 | #128 |
| 1918 | 1,248 | #130 |
| 1917 | 1,175 | #127 |
| 1916 | 1,103 | #127 |
| 1915 | 1,131 | #119 |
| 1914 | 861 | #122 |
| 1913 | 644 | #124 |
| 1912 | 646 | #117 |
| 1911 | 333 | #115 |
| 1910 | 307 | #103 |
| 1909 | 246 | #112 |
| 1908 | 207 | #122 |
| 1907 | 207 | #117 |
| 1906 | 183 | #117 |
| 1905 | 211 | #102 |
| 1904 | 200 | #108 |
| 1903 | 210 | #92 |
| 1902 | 181 | #107 |
| 1901 | 187 | #92 |
| 1900 | 256 | #95 |
| 1899 | 161 | #107 |
| 1898 | 186 | #102 |
| 1897 | 174 | #102 |
| 1896 | 194 | #98 |
| 1895 | 216 | #88 |
| 1894 | 222 | #88 |
| 1893 | 214 | #85 |
| 1892 | 238 | #84 |
| 1891 | 212 | #77 |
| 1890 | 218 | #81 |
| 1889 | 210 | #83 |
| 1888 | 206 | #88 |
| 1887 | 203 | #80 |
| 1886 | 230 | #75 |
| 1885 | 258 | #72 |
| 1884 | 245 | #74 |
| 1883 | 219 | #72 |
| 1882 | 244 | #71 |
| 1881 | 238 | #67 |
| 1880 | 234 | #69 |
Nicknames for Oliver
Names like Oliver
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Leo Oscar Harrison Max Theo Charlie Noah Theodore Elijah Isaac Archie Jasper
Other spellings of Oliver
Names related to Oliver
More Latin names
Olivia Roman Aurora Emily Florence Mabel Luna Nora Rosie Emilia Nova Lucy Julian Clara Anthony Austin