Oliver
Every Oliver since 1880 — 270,680 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Oliver
Oliver is a top-10 name for boys in the United States, ranked #3 in 2025 with 14,939 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 270,680 American babies have been named Oliver. Its peak came in 2024, when 15,421 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 Oliver stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Oliver 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 | 24 | #5,359 | 14,939 | #3 |
| 2024 | 25 | #5,259 | 15,396 | #3 |
| 2023 | 28 | #4,840 | 14,792 | #3 |
| 2022 | 28 | #4,875 | 15,176 | #3 |
| 2021 | 26 | #5,060 | 14,713 | #3 |
| 2020 | 23 | #5,449 | 14,277 | #3 |
| 2019 | 22 | #5,749 | 13,967 | #3 |
| 2018 | 19 | #6,454 | 13,500 | #5 |
| 2017 | 15 | #7,748 | 13,224 | #10 |
| 2016 | 18 | #6,846 | 13,066 | #12 |
| 2015 | 20 | #6,406 | 11,670 | #19 |
| 2014 | 13 | #8,842 | 9,453 | #32 |
| 2013 | 12 | #9,472 | 7,276 | #52 |
| 2012 | 9 | #11,997 | 5,924 | #73 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,923 | 5,414 | #78 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14,589 | 4,666 | #88 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,828 | 4,287 | #98 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,618 | 3,604 | #118 |
| 2007 | 7 | #15,070 | 2,910 | #140 |
| 2006 | — | — | 2,352 | #173 |
| 2005 | — | — | 1,794 | #209 |
| 2004 | 6 | #15,577 | 1,491 | #228 |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,690 | 1,375 | #245 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17,418 | 1,166 | #268 |
| 2001 | — | — | 978 | #299 |
| 2000 | — | — | 978 | #305 |
| 1995 | — | — | 597 | #393 |
| 1990 | — | — | 625 | #373 |
| 1985 | — | — | 371 | #442 |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,789 | 393 | #414 |
| 1975 | — | — | 355 | #408 |
| 1970 | — | — | 367 | #428 |
| 1965 | — | — | 303 | #445 |
| 1960 | — | — | 370 | #413 |
| 1955 | — | — | 508 | #327 |
| 1950 | — | — | 556 | #284 |
| 1945 | 5 | #5,069 | 558 | #239 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,759 | 582 | #215 |
| 1935 | 9 | #3,102 | 647 | #197 |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,264 | 850 | #170 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,737 | 1,049 | #151 |
| 1920 | 11 | #3,049 | 1,164 | #135 |
| 1915 | 9 | #3,070 | 1,131 | #119 |
| 1910 | — | — | 307 | #103 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,392 | 211 | #102 |
| 1900 | — | — | 256 | #95 |
| 1895 | — | — | 216 | #88 |
| 1890 | — | — | 218 | #81 |
| 1885 | — | — | 258 | #72 |
| 1880 | — | — | 234 | #69 |
Famous people named Oliver
- Oliver Cromwell Politician · 1599–1658
- Oliver Hardy Actor · 1892–1957
- Oliver Sacks Writer · 1933–2015
- Oliver Stone Film director · b. 1946
- Oliver E. Williamson Economist · 1932–2020
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Oliver in 2025?
Oliver ranked #3 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 14,939 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Oliver?
270,680 babies have been named Oliver in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Oliver most popular?
Oliver peaked in 2024, when 15,421 newborns received the name.
Is Oliver a boy or girl name?
Oliver is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Oliver rising or falling?
Oliver is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Oliver?
Well-known people named Oliver include Oliver Cromwell (politician), Oliver Hardy (actor), Oliver Sacks (writer).