Given name & surname
Olavi
“the last of the ancestors”
In Finnish use, Olavi is a variant of Olaf. One interpretation is “the last of the ancestors.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Finnish use, Olavi is a variant of Olaf. One interpretation is “the last of the ancestors.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Finnish use, Olavi is a variant of Olaf. An origin associated with Olaf is Old Norse.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Finnish usage, Olavi developed from Olaf. In Finnish usage, Olavi developed from Óláfr.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Olavi through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 41
- 41 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 9 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1924. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 9 in 1920.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Olavi’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Olavi has a diminutive in OLLI. In Finnish usage, Olavi developed from the Norwegian form Olaf. In Finnish usage, Olavi has a conventional equivalent in the Norwegian form Olav.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Olavi has relatives in 4 languages.
9 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Olavi
- Olav Magnussonking of Norway in 1103–11151099–1115
- Olavi PaavolainenFinnish essayist, journalist, writer, and poet (1903–1964)
- Olavi Mannonenmodern pentathlete (1930–2019)
- Olli HuttunenFinnish footballerborn 1960
- Olavi RokkaModen pentathlete (1925-2011)
- Olavi OjanperäCanoe racer1921–2016
- Olavi RoveOlympic gymnast (1915-1966)
- Olavi AlakulppiFinnish cross-country skier1915–1990
- Olavi SalonenFinnish middle distance runner1933–2025
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Olavi, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Olan
“the last of the ancestors”
>99% boys
Orville
“from the gold town”
>99% boys
Oran
“surrounded by light” · “a pale-skinned man”
>99% boys
Olen
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys
Ottis
“a wealthy man” · “one who is acute”
>99% boys
Odell
“a sweet melody” · “one who is wealthy”
98% boys · 2% girls
Olin
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys
Odie
“a sweet melody” · “one who is wealthy”
>99% boys