Given name & surname
Hollis
“near the valley of the holly bushes”·“from the holly tree”
Hollis is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “near the valley of the holly bushes” (English) and “from the holly tree” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “near the valley of the holly bushes” (English) and “from the holly tree” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Hollis through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 21,512
- 16,014 boys · 5,498 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 472 babies
- 2025
- 472
- #894 for boys · #1,132 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +29%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 56% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 266 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 894 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 31.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 294 in 1921. It also appeared in 206 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (28). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,157 as a first name in 2020; 27,084 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hollis’s family of names
Hollis has a related form in Holly. Hollis has a related form in Hollie. Hollis has a related form in Holli.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 29
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Hollyvariant
- Hollievariant
- Holleyvariant · English
- Hollivariant
- Holleighvariant
- Hollistervariant
- Holleevariant
- Hollicevariant
Show 21 moreShow fewer
- Hollacevariant
- Hollistorvariant
- Hollisturvariant
- Hollistyrvariant
- Hollistirvariant
- Hollistarvariant
- Hollycevariant
- Holleavariant
- Hollyssvariant
- Hollissvariant
- Hollysvariant
- Hollysavariant
- Holissevariant
- Hollissevariant
- Hollysevariant
- Holycevariant
- Hollissavariant
- Holysevariant
- Holisevariant
- Hollisavariant
- Holisavariant
People named Hollis
- Hollis ConwayAmerican high jumperborn 1967
- Hollis ThompsonAmerican basketball player (born 1991)
- Hollis FramptonAmerican filmmaker (1936-1984)
- Hollis B. CheneryAmerican economist (1918–1994)
- Hollis PriceAmerican basketball player (born 1979)
- 2hollisAmerican rapper and singerborn 2004
- Red LaneAmerican singer and musician1939–2015
- Hollis CopelandAmerican basketball player (born 1955)
- Hollis Stacyprofessional golferborn 1954
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hollis, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Arley
“from the hare's meadow”
68% boys · 32% girls
Oakley
“from the field of oak trees” · “from the meadow of oak trees”
35% boys · 65% girls
Rowan
“of the red-berry tree”
74% boys · 26% girls
Sage
“wise one; type of spice”
32% boys · 68% girls
Ellis
“Jehovah is my God” · “noble”
73% boys · 27% girls
Royal
“of the king; a regal man”
69% boys · 31% girls
River
“from the river”
65% boys · 35% girls
Murphy
“daughter of a great sea warrior” · “a warrior of the sea”
38% boys · 62% girls