unisex name · in the US
Ollie
OL-ee (English)
- Origin Norse
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 78,556
England and Wales
#123
2025 births
Ollie is a name of Norse origin meaning "ancestor's descendant." It is a pet form of Oliver, whose own origin is disputed between the Norse Áleifr and the Latin oliva, olive — so the meaning depends on which reading you take.
- Ollie is a name of Norse origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1919, when 1,345 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,270 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- Ollie started out as a girls' name and is now given almost entirely to boys.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ollie Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Ollie is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,538 |
| 1890s | 5,190 |
| 1900s | 5,677 |
| 1910s | 10,190 |
| 1920s | 11,133 |
| 1930s | 7,441 |
| 1940s | 5,675 |
| 1950s | 3,448 |
| 1960s | 1,631 |
| 1970s | 839 |
| 1980s | 492 |
| 1990s | 337 |
| 2000s | 416 |
| 2010s | 1,514 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,746 |
What Ollie Means
Ollie means ancestor's descendant if Oliver comes from the Norse Áleifr, and olive tree if it comes from the Latin oliva. Reference works give the olive reading far more often than the evidence supports.
Where Ollie Comes From
Ollie shortens Oliver, and Oliver's origin is contested. The Norse Áleifr — anu, ancestor, and leifr, descendant, the name English also renders as Olaf — was carried into Normandy by Scandinavian settlers and is the likelier source. The competing account derives it from the Latin oliva, olive, and is reinforced by Olivier in the medieval Song of Roland, where the olive as a symbol of peace fits the character. Ollie also serves as a short form of Olivia and Olive, which is why birth records show it for both sexes.
Ollie in Use
Birth records record Ollie for both sexes and is reviving, peaking in 1919, at 123 in England and Wales. It first appears in birth records in 1880. Oliver, its parent name, sits at 6 in England and Wales, so this is the rare case where the parent considerably outranks the pet form.
How Popular Is Ollie?
In 2025, Ollie was given to 415 babies in England and Wales, ranking #123 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Ollie Is Used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Ollie
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Ollie Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ollie over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Ollie is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- England & Wales Boys' 0% girls · 6,191 babies
- United States Both 34% girls · 2,590 babies
- Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 1,575 babies
- Scotland Boys' 0% girls · 1,368 babies
- Northern Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 769 babies
- Canada Both 44% girls · 519 babies
- France Both 73% girls · 55 babies
How to Say Ollie
- English OL-ee /ˈɒli/
1 nickname for Ollie
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Ollie 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.
- Aragonese
- Olivia
- Catalan
- Oliver
- Croatian
- Oliver
- Czech
- Oliver
- Dutch
- Olivia
- Estonian
- Oliver
- Finnish
- Oliver
- Galician
- Olivia
- Greek
- Olivia
- Italian
- Olivia
- Macedonian
- Oliver
- Serbian
- Oliver
- Slovak
- Oliver
- Slovene
- Oliver
- Spanish
- Olivia
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Olly
Sibling Names for Ollie
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Ollie — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Ollie
What does the name Ollie mean?
"Ancestor's descendant" from the Norse Áleifr, or "olive tree" from the Latin oliva. Oliver's origin is disputed.
Is Ollie short for Oliver?
Usually, and also for Olivia and Olive — which is why it is recorded as unisex.
Is Oliver really from olive?
Possibly, but the Norse Áleifr is the likelier source. The olive reading was reinforced by the Song of Roland.
How popular is the name Ollie?
In 2025, Ollie was given to 415 babies in England and Wales, ranking #123 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Ollie a girl's or a boy's name?
Ollie is used for both girls and boys. About 53% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Ollie?
Ollie has 2 syllables.
When was Ollie most popular?
Ollie peaked in 1919, when 1,345 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Ollie?
Ollie is usually shortened to Olly.
Is Ollie a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ollie currently ranks #23 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.
Was Ollie originally a boys' or girls' name?
Ollie was given mostly to girls in the earliest US birth records and is now given almost entirely to boys.