Olive
Medieval form of the Latin saint's name Oliva "olive"; revived in the 19th century when flower and plant names became fashionable.
Every Olive since 1880 — 67,320 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Olive
Olive is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #197 in 2025 with 1,597 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 67,320 American babies have been named Olive. Its peak came in 2022, when 1,841 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Olive stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Olive 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 | 1,597 | #197 | 7 | #10,398 |
| 2024 | 1,789 | #170 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,651 | #180 | 6 | #11,873 |
| 2022 | 1,836 | #159 | 5 | #13,798 |
| 2021 | 1,636 | #182 | 6 | #11,760 |
| 2020 | 1,491 | #196 | 6 | #11,619 |
| 2019 | 1,435 | #214 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,232 | #268 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,253 | #256 | 6 | #11,809 |
| 2016 | 1,162 | #273 | 9 | #8,629 |
| 2015 | 1,212 | #264 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,152 | #281 | — | — |
| 2013 | 1,097 | #291 | — | — |
| 2012 | 860 | #365 | — | — |
| 2011 | 763 | #415 | — | — |
| 2010 | 541 | #543 | 5 | #13,722 |
| 2009 | 512 | #589 | — | — |
| 2008 | 358 | #807 | — | — |
| 2007 | 271 | #989 | — | — |
| 2006 | 116 | #1,793 | — | — |
| 2005 | 88 | #2,117 | — | — |
| 2004 | 51 | #3,060 | — | — |
| 2003 | 51 | #2,986 | — | — |
| 2002 | 43 | #3,273 | — | — |
| 2001 | 37 | #3,616 | — | — |
| 2000 | 35 | #3,715 | — | — |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,389 | — | — |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,750 | — | — |
| 1985 | 14 | #5,270 | — | — |
| 1980 | 13 | #5,449 | — | — |
| 1975 | 15 | #4,297 | — | — |
| 1970 | 17 | #3,677 | — | — |
| 1965 | 23 | #2,588 | — | — |
| 1960 | 48 | #1,632 | — | — |
| 1955 | 50 | #1,435 | — | — |
| 1950 | 99 | #892 | — | — |
| 1945 | 134 | #630 | 6 | #3,222 |
| 1940 | 169 | #528 | — | — |
| 1935 | 294 | #371 | — | — |
| 1930 | 539 | #278 | 12 | #2,410 |
| 1925 | 975 | #204 | 7 | #3,648 |
| 1920 | 1,552 | #151 | 11 | #2,717 |
| 1915 | 1,654 | #123 | 13 | #2,144 |
| 1910 | 646 | #125 | 8 | #1,282 |
| 1905 | 598 | #107 | 6 | #1,196 |
| 1900 | 705 | #95 | 7 | #1,136 |
| 1895 | 577 | #91 | — | — |
| 1890 | 491 | #89 | — | — |
| 1885 | 349 | #86 | 5 | #1,054 |
| 1880 | 224 | #95 | — | — |
Famous people named Olive
- Olive Thomas Actor · 1894–1920
- Olive Schreiner Writer · 1855–1920
- Olive Borden Actor · 1906–1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Olive mean?
Medieval form of the Latin saint's name Oliva "olive"; revived in the 19th century when flower and plant names became fashionable.
How popular is the name Olive in 2025?
Olive ranked #197 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,597 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Olive?
67,320 babies have been named Olive in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Olive most popular?
Olive peaked in 2022, when 1,841 newborns received the name.
Is Olive a boy or girl name?
Olive is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Olive rising or falling?
Olive is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Olive?
Well-known people named Olive include Olive Thomas (actor), Olive Schreiner (writer), Olive Borden (actor).