Bolish
An anglicized version of the Polish name Bolesław, meaning "sorrowful glory".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Bolish. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bolish today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bolish births was 1915 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bolish. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bolish. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1915
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#4,364
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Bolish: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bolish from the 1910s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bolish by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bolish during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Bolish
The name Bolish is believed to have originated from the Old Slavic language, which was spoken by the Slavic peoples in parts of Eastern and Central Europe during the early medieval period. The name can be traced back to the 9th century, when it was likely derived from the Proto-Slavic root word "bol," which means "great" or "excellent."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bolish can be found in the "Primary Chronicle," a historical text written in the 12th century by the Russian monk Nestor. In this chronicle, Bolish is mentioned as the name of a prince from the Drevlian tribe, who ruled in the region now known as modern-day Belarus.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Bolish was commonly used among the nobility and ruling classes of various Slavic kingdoms and principalities. One notable figure was Bolish I, the Duke of Bohemia, who ruled from 935 to 967 AD. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Přemyslid dynasty, which governed Bohemia for several centuries.
In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Bolish II, also known as Boleslav II, was the King of Poland from 1058 to 1079. He is remembered for his military campaigns against the Prussians and for his efforts to strengthen the Polish monarchy.
Another historical figure with the name Bolish was Bolish III, the Duke of Silesia, who ruled in the 13th century from 1211 to 1278. He is notable for his patronage of the arts and for the construction of several notable churches and monasteries in the region.
During the Renaissance period, the name Bolish gained popularity among artists and scholars in various parts of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Bolish Bierezowski, a Polish painter and engraver who lived from 1570 to 1639. His works, which included religious paintings and portraits, were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.
While the name Bolish has its roots in the Slavic languages, it has also been adopted and adapted in other cultures over the centuries. However, its usage and popularity have varied across different regions and time periods, reflecting the rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped the evolution of names throughout history.
People
Bolish + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bolish as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bolish: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bolish?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bolish going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Bolish a common name?
We classify Bolish as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bolish most popular?
The single biggest year for Bolish was 1915, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bolish is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Bolish in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bolish a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bolish in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Bolish still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bolish in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Bolish can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Bolish?
Find out how many Americans are named Bolish on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.