Ollis
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Olaf or Oliver.
Name Census estimates that about 103 living Americans carry the first name Ollis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ollis today is around 72 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ollis births was 1927 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ollis. 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
- • The typical person named Ollis is about 72 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ollis' were born before 1964.
People living today
103
~ 1 in 3,327,712 Americans
Peak year
1927
18 babies that year
Average age
72
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,650
Tracked since 1891
Popularity
Ollis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ollis from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 119 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ollis 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 Ollis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ollis' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ollis
The name Ollis is a relatively uncommon given name with obscure origins. It is believed to have originated from the Old Norse word "ollr," meaning "courageous" or "valiant." This suggests that the name may have been initially used by Vikings or ancient Germanic tribes, possibly as early as the 8th or 9th century AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ollis dates back to the 11th century, when it appeared in an ancient Icelandic saga. The saga mentions a Viking warrior named Ollis Eriksson, who was said to have fought bravely in several battles against rival clans.
In the 12th century, a monk named Ollis Benedictus is recorded as having lived in a monastery in Northern Italy. It is unclear if this individual was of Norse or Germanic descent, or if the name had already begun to spread beyond its original cultural boundaries.
During the Middle Ages, the name Ollis seems to have been primarily concentrated in Scandinavian regions, particularly in Norway and Sweden. One notable bearer of the name was Ollis Magnusson, a Norwegian nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and was known for his skill in diplomacy and negotiation.
As time progressed, the name Ollis gradually became more widespread across Europe, although it remained relatively uncommon compared to other names of the time. In the 15th century, a Dutch artist named Ollis van Rijn was renowned for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures.
Moving into the Renaissance period, a Italian poet and scholar by the name of Ollis Petrarca lived in the early 16th century. His works, which explored themes of love and nature, were highly acclaimed during his lifetime and helped to further disseminate the name across the Italian peninsula.
People
Ollis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ollis 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
Ollis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ollis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 103 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ollis 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 3,327,712 US residents.
Is Ollis a common name?
We classify Ollis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 414 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ollis most popular?
The single biggest year for Ollis was 1927, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ollis is about 72 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ollis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ollis 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.
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.