Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1920

Ola

Meaning A female given name used in the U Gender Girl · 2% boys Rank 2025 #8,227

A female given name used in the U.S.

Rank 2025
#8,227
among girls · ↓1,050 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
13
named Ola
How common
1 in 123,636
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1920
772 babies
All-time total
30,275
#842 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Ola popularity over time

30,275 babies have been named Ola since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.380.751.131.518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 1,421 46 1,467 147 – #140
1890s 2,652 33 2,685 269 +83% #149
1900s 3,410 42 3,452 345 +29% #147
1910s 5,767 143 5,910 591 +71% #167
1920s 6,485 161 6,646 665 +12% #239
1930s 4,150 110 4,260 426 -36% #278
1940s 2,830 49 2,879 288 -32% #346
1950s 1,522 22 1,544 154 -46% #569
1960s 508 – 508 51 -67% #1,173
1970s 248 13 261 26 -49% #2,159
1980s 202 5 207 21 -21% #2,973
1990s 132 – 132 13 -36% #4,971
2000s 117 – 117 12 -11% #6,406
2010s 125 – 125 13 +7% #6,610
2020s (to 2025) 82 – 82 14 +9% #6,861

The story of Ola

Ola is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,227 in 2025 with 13 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 30,275 American babies have been named Ola. Its peak came in 1920, when 772 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

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 Ola stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ola?

The median living Ola is about 77 years old; half are between 66 and 85. An estimated 5,800 people named Ola are alive in the United States today.

median 77 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Ola 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 13 #8,227 – –
2024 16 #7,177 – –
2023 17 #6,861 – –
2022 12 #8,914 – –
2021 10 #10,127 – –
2020 14 #7,858 – –
2019 13 #8,491 – –
2018 11 #9,654 – –
2017 17 #7,027 – –
2016 19 #6,610 – –
2015 18 #6,917 – –
2014 9 #11,697 – –
2013 9 #11,726 – –
2012 6 #16,357 – –
2011 14 #8,523 – –
2010 9 #12,018 – –
2009 5 #19,455 – –
2008 15 #8,435 – –
2007 8 #13,603 – –
2006 15 #8,142 – –
2005 11 #9,957 – –
2004 13 #8,600 – –
2003 10 #10,237 – –
2002 11 #9,323 – –
2001 12 #8,595 – –
2000 17 #6,406 – –
1995 10 #8,557 – –
1990 10 #8,331 – –
1985 15 #5,019 – –
1980 18 #4,261 5 #6,989
1975 23 #3,128 – –
1970 33 #2,340 6 #4,583
1965 36 #1,941 – –
1960 75 #1,275 – –
1955 130 #852 – –
1950 216 #569 5 #4,052
1945 242 #459 – –
1940 349 #346 6 #3,368
1935 406 #305 8 #2,877
1930 529 #284 15 #2,041
1925 678 #253 9 #3,080
1920 748 #239 24 #1,581
1915 611 #240 23 #1,443
1910 422 #167 10 #1,098
1905 344 #162 8 #981
1900 352 #160 5 #1,446
1895 261 #163 – –
1890 239 #149 7 #857
1885 139 #155 – –
1880 67 #184 – –

Famous people named Ola

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Ola Rapace Ola Rapace Swedish actor (born 1971) Contemporary
  2. 2 Ola Gjeilo Ola Gjeilo Norwegian composer and pianist (born 1978) Contemporary
  3. 3 Ola Toivonen Ola Toivonen Swedish footballer (born 1986) Contemporary
  4. 4 Ola Salo Ola Salo Swedish rock musician b. 1977 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Ola John Ola John Dutch association football player b. 1992 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Ola Ullsten Ola Ullsten Swedish politician and diplomat (1931–2018) Contemporary
  7. 7 Ola Kamara Ola Kamara Norwegian footballer (born 1989) Contemporary
  8. 8 Ola By Rise Norwegian footballer and coach (born 1960) Contemporary
  9. 9 Ola Vigen Hattestad Ola Vigen Hattestad Norwegian cross-country skier b. 1982 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Ola Lindgren Ola Lindgren Swedish handball player (born 1964) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Ola, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Ola?

The median living Ola is about 77 years old. Half of all living Olas are between 66 and 85 years old.

How many people named Ola are alive today?

An estimated 5,800 people named Ola are alive in the United States, based on 30,275 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Ola mean?

A female given name used in the U.S.

How popular is the name Ola in 2025?

Ola ranked #8,227 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 13 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Ola?

30,275 babies have been named Ola in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ola most popular?

Ola peaked in 1920, when 772 newborns received the name.

Is Ola a boy or girl name?

Ola is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 98% of babies with the name.

Is the name Ola rising or falling?

Ola is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Ola?

Well-known people named Ola include Ola Rapace (actor), Ola Gjeilo (composer), Ola Toivonen (soccer player).

Names like Ola

Names that sound and feel close to Ola: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Ola with similar names → More names starting with O →