Name meaning & stats
Oliver
Oliver means “olive tree (debated)” (Germanic origin). 237,764 US babies since 1940, peak 2024. Notable Olivers are 4.5× over-represented as ice hockey players.
What it means
“olive tree (debated)”
GermanicDebated
In US birth records
Peak year: 2024
237,764 US babies were named Oliver between 1940 and 2025.
Where Olivers end up
Not enough notable Olivers yet, so this uses the spelling family: Oliver, Olivier.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Ice hockey player | 4.5× | High · 107 people |
| Actor | 1.9× | High · 88 people |
| Footballer | 1.1× | High · 55 people |
| Professor | 0.9× | High · 29 people |
Among notable men who are ice hockey players, the Oliver family show up 4.5× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Oliver has a surprise career: 1.3×
Spelling family
Oliver is the main spelling
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2024)