Oliwer
An Old French variation of the name Oliver, meaning "olive tree".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Oliwer. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oliwer today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oliwer births was 2020 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oliwer. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Oliwer with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oliwer. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2020
6 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,614
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Oliwer: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Oliwer 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 Oliwer during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Oliwer
The given name Oliwer has its origins in the ancient Germanic languages, tracing back to the Old Norse and Old English words "alu" and "ælf," meaning "elf" or "supernatural being." The name is a variant spelling of the more common English name "Oliver," which evolved from the Old French form "Olivier."
During the Middle Ages, the name Oliwer was popular across various regions of Europe, particularly in areas influenced by the Norse and Anglo-Saxon cultures. It was often associated with strength, courage, and a connection to nature and the mystical realms.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oliwer can be found in the 12th-century epic poem "Chanson de Roland," which recounts the legendary exploits of a Frankish military leader named Olivier during the reign of Charlemagne. In this literary work, Olivier is portrayed as a valiant warrior and a trusted companion of the celebrated knight Roland.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Oliwer. One of the most famous was Oliwer Cromwell (1599-1658), an English military and political leader who played a crucial role in the English Civil War and later became the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Another prominent Oliwer was Oliwer Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894), an American physician, professor, and author renowned for his influential works on medical topics and his contributions to the literary world. His son, Oliwer Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935), followed in his footsteps as a distinguished jurist and served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
In the realm of art and literature, Oliwer Goldsmith (1730-1774) was an Irish novelist, playwright, and poet whose works, such as "The Vicar of Wakefield" and "She Stoops to Conquer," made significant contributions to the English literary canon.
Additionally, Oliwer Hazard Perry (1785-1819) was an American naval officer who achieved fame for his decisive victory against the British forces during the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812, famously declaring, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours."
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Oliwer, reflecting its enduring presence and cultural significance across various regions and eras.
People
Oliwer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oliwer as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Oliwer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oliwer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oliwer 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 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Oliwer a common name?
We classify Oliwer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oliwer most popular?
The single biggest year for Oliwer was 2020, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oliwer is about 6 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 Oliwer in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oliwer a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oliwer 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 Oliwer still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oliwer 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 Oliwer 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 have the name Oliwer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.