girl's name
Holly
HOL-ee
- Origin English
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 280,792
the United States
#416
2025 births
Holly is a girl's name of Old English origin taken from the tree, from holegn. It has been given to children born at Christmas for centuries, since holly is the plant most associated with midwinter.
- Holly is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1983, when 6,415 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 4,415 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Holly over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 19 |
| 1890s | 50 |
| 1900s | 61 |
| 1910s | 286 |
| 1920s | 413 |
| 1930s | 566 |
| 1940s | 4,123 |
| 1950s | 18,811 |
| 1960s | 32,297 |
| 1970s | 50,656 |
| 1980s | 49,875 |
| 1990s | 27,115 |
| 2000s | 11,605 |
| 2010s | 6,785 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 4,183 |
What Holly means
Holly means the holly tree. The name carries midwinter associations rather than describing a quality, which puts it with Ivy, Poppy and Rose among the botanical names.
Where Holly comes from
Holly comes from the Old English holegn, the holly tree, and is unconnected to holy despite the resemblance. The plant's midwinter significance long predates Christianity — Roman Saturnalia used holly boughs, and it was later absorbed into Christmas custom, which is why Holly has traditionally been given to girls born in December. Its use as a given name is largely twentieth-century, and Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, published 1958, gave it a lasting association.
Holly in use
Our data shows Holly stable, peaking in 1983, at 169 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880. Its British use considerably outpaces its American, and it belongs with Ivy, Poppy and Willow in the group of botanical names that Britain has adopted far more enthusiastically.
How popular is Holly?
In 2025, Holly was given to 751 babies in the United States, ranking #416 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Holly is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Holly
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Holly also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Holly over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Holly in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Holly
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Holly — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Holly
What does the name Holly mean?
Holly is the tree name, from the Old English holegn.
Is Holly related to the word holy?
No. The resemblance is coincidental — holly comes from holegn, a separate word.
Is Holly a Christmas name?
Traditionally yes. Holly's midwinter associations predate Christianity and it has long been given to girls born in December.
How popular is the name Holly?
In 2025, Holly was given to 751 babies in the United States, ranking #416 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Holly a girl's or a boy's name?
Holly is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Holly?
Holly has 2 syllables.
When was Holly most popular?
Holly peaked in 1983, when 6,415 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Holly a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Holly currently ranks #70 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.