Scandinavian meaning: Olive branch; symbol of peace
The meaning of the name “Oliver” is different in several languages, countries and cultures and has more than one possibly same or different meanings available.
Additional information: This is a male name and it is pronounced as /AHL-iv-er/. The name means “olive branch” or “olive tree,” but it is also related to the name “Alfher,” which means “elf army.” In Latin its a derivative of Olive.
Oliver is derived from the Germanic name “Alfher,” which is composed of “Alf,” meaning “elf,” and “hari,” meaning “army.” When the name came into contact with Latin-based languages like the French, the name was taken to be related to the olive tree. As such, the name has come to have connotations of peacefulness.
Some of the nicknames that are given to people with this name are: Olly, Ollie and Oli. There are also variants of this name which include Olivier and Olliver. Other names that are related to this name are Olaf and Alfher. The female forms of this name are: Olive, Olivia and Olivera.
As a result of the different languages in the world, the name Oliver is spelt differently in various parts of the world. In French and Polish it is spelt as Olivier. In Italian it is spelt as Oliviero.
Throughout history, Oliver has experienced a few spikes in popularity, and it seems to be on the rise once more, particularly in the United Kingdom. From 2003 to 2013, the name rose from 6th in the U.K. to 1st. In the U.S., the name is experiencing a slower growth, but it is still rapidly growing in popularity, rising from the 305th place in 2000 to 32nd in 2014. The name might continue to rise in popularity, so trendsetters will love this name for their sons. This name is also a good name if you want to give your baby boy a peaceful name or a name with literary tradition behind it.
As of 2014, Oliver is the 32ndmost popular name in the United States, the most popular name in the U.K., and the 11th most popular in Canada. The celebrities that are known by this name are Oliver Cromwell who is a British military commander, Oliver Hudson who is an American actor, Oliver “Olly” Murs who is a British singer/songwriter, Oliver North who is an American general, Oliver Twist who is a titular character in classic Dickens novel and Oliver Stone who is an American director, producer, and screenwriter.
Pronunciation: (AHL-iv-er) Form of:Olivier Celebrity Names & Famous real-life people:
Oliver Hudson, American actor
Oliver Stone, American film director, screenwriter, producer and military veteran
Considering Oliver as a Baby Name?
The first thing you should know if you are considering Oliver for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Oliver is a boy name.
The name Oliver is of French origin, and is used mostly in English speaking countries but also in a few other countries and languages of the world.
If you consider naming your baby Oliver we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Oliver Name Meaning
The meaning of Oliver has more than one different etymologies. It has same or different meanings in other countries and languages. The different meanings of the name Oliver are:
English meaning: Elf army
French meaning: Olive tree
Scandinavian meaning: Olive branch; symbol of peace
Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Oliver and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Oliver and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Oliver is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
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Name Oliver Categories
The name Oliver is in the following categories: Australian Names, Biblical Names, British Names, Celebrity Names, Classic Names, Comedian Names, Cool Names, English Names, French Names, Germanic Names, Harry Potter Names, Latin Names, New Zealand Names, Popular Names, Scandinavian Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Oliver. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Oliver, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Oliver
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Oliver displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Oliver Boy Name Popularity Chart
Oliver Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
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Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
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