Holly
A female given name from English.
Every Holly since 1880 — 206,845 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Holly
Holly is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #416 in 2025 with 751 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 206,845 American babies have been named Holly. Its peak came in 1983, when 6,415 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Holly stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Holly year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 751 | #416 | — | — |
| 2024 | 745 | #420 | — | — |
| 2023 | 682 | #453 | — | — |
| 2022 | 693 | #457 | — | — |
| 2021 | 673 | #465 | — | — |
| 2020 | 639 | #479 | — | — |
| 2019 | 651 | #483 | — | — |
| 2018 | 608 | #513 | — | — |
| 2017 | 634 | #493 | — | — |
| 2016 | 589 | #527 | — | — |
| 2015 | 653 | #491 | — | — |
| 2014 | 714 | #448 | — | — |
| 2013 | 683 | #451 | — | — |
| 2012 | 740 | #425 | — | — |
| 2011 | 738 | #420 | — | — |
| 2010 | 775 | #409 | — | — |
| 2009 | 858 | #381 | — | — |
| 2008 | 907 | #364 | — | — |
| 2007 | 976 | #339 | — | — |
| 2006 | 955 | #346 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,040 | #310 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,119 | #293 | 8 | #8,417 |
| 2003 | 1,227 | #261 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,363 | #231 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,462 | #219 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,690 | #189 | — | — |
| 1995 | 2,544 | #126 | — | — |
| 1990 | 3,772 | #89 | 5 | #8,631 |
| 1985 | 5,602 | #56 | 25 | #2,191 |
| 1980 | 5,282 | #52 | 24 | #2,182 |
| 1975 | 5,047 | #55 | 10 | #3,523 |
| 1970 | 4,940 | #74 | 13 | #2,673 |
| 1965 | 3,359 | #113 | 15 | #2,124 |
| 1960 | 2,580 | #161 | 16 | #2,070 |
| 1955 | 2,504 | #144 | 15 | #2,083 |
| 1950 | 834 | #266 | 18 | #1,775 |
| 1945 | 382 | #353 | 13 | #1,971 |
| 1940 | 74 | #829 | 15 | #1,843 |
| 1935 | 44 | #1,044 | 10 | #2,451 |
| 1930 | 25 | #1,586 | 22 | #1,582 |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,145 | 24 | #1,553 |
| 1920 | 18 | #2,113 | 24 | #1,566 |
| 1915 | 18 | #1,836 | 16 | #1,828 |
| 1910 | 7 | #2,019 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | 5 | #1,319 |
| 1900 | — | — | 8 | #999 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | 6 | #877 |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #977 |
Famous people named Holly
- Holly Hunter Actor · b. 1958
- Holly Marie Combs Actor · b. 1973
- Holly Johnson Musician · b. 1960
- Holly Black Writer · b. 1971
- Holly Woodlawn Actor · 1946–2015
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Holly mean?
A female given name from English.
How popular is the name Holly in 2025?
Holly ranked #416 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 751 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Holly?
206,845 babies have been named Holly in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Holly most popular?
Holly peaked in 1983, when 6,415 newborns received the name.
Is Holly a boy or girl name?
Holly is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Holly rising or falling?
Holly is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Holly?
Well-known people named Holly include Holly Hunter (actor), Holly Marie Combs (actor), Holly Johnson (musician).