Given name & surname
Olivier
“olive tree”
Olivier is a variant of Oliver. An “olive tree” interpretation is associated with Oliver, but it does not settle the name’s original meaning.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Olivier is a variant of Oliver. An “olive tree” interpretation is associated with Oliver, but it does not settle the name’s original meaning.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Olivier is a variant of Oliver. Oliver reached English through Norman usage. Oliver’s deeper origin is probably Germanic, although its exact earlier form is uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Olivier is a variant of Oliver. The shared background comes through Oliver: The French form Olivier resembles a Late Latin word for an olive tree. Oliver also appears among legendary companions with Germanic names, suggesting that Olivier may have reshaped an older Germanic name, perhaps Olaf. That deeper connection remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1924. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Olivier is a variant of Oliver. The history of Oliver gives this family its wider story. In the medieval Song of Roland, Olivier is Roland’s thoughtful and cautious companion in arms. This places the name in the world of Charlemagne’s legendary paladins.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Olivier through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,010
- 1,989 boys · 21 girls
- Most popular year
- 2011
- 78 babies
- 2025
- 52
- #2,559 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 52 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,559 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 7.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,990 as a first name in 2020; 6,756 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.
Olivier’s family of names
In Dutch usage, Olivier has a diminutive in Ollie. Olivier shares a linguistic root with Oliver. In French usage, Olivier has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form Olivio.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Olivier has relatives in 23 languages.
25 related names in 23 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 32
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Olliverequivalent
- Olyverequivalent
- Oliwierborrowing · Polish
- Oliwerborrowing · Polish
- Ollyverequivalent
- Olivarequivalent
- OlivioItalian
- Ōriwaequivalent
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Olivjēborrowing · Latvian
- ΌλιβερGreek
- OlivieroItalian
- Oliferequivalent
- Ölüequivalent
- Livîequivalent
- Oliveyequivalent
- Ollivierequivalent
- Öluequivalent
- Olivyiequivalent
- OlivijeSerbo-Croatian, Croatian
- ОливијеSerbian
- OlivérioPortuguese
- OliveirosPortuguese
- オリビエJapanese
- OlivoItalian, Spanish
- OlivérHungarian
- OilibhéarIrish
- OilbhreisScottish Gaelic
- OliveroEsperanto
- OlivierioSpanish
- 奥利维Chinese
- OlierBreton
- زيتونArabic
People named Olivier
- Olivier GiroudFrench footballer (born 1986)
- Olivier MessiaenFrench composer, organist and ornithologist (1908–1992)
- Olivier PanisFrench racecar driverborn 1966
- Olivier AssayasFrench film director, screenwriter and film critic (born 1955)
- Olivier BoumalCameroonian association football playerborn 1989
- Olivier DacourtFrench footballer (born 1974)
- Olivier MartinezFrench actorborn 1966
- Olivier RochusBelgian tennis playerborn 1981
- Olivier WeberFrench writerborn 1958
Characters named Olivier: Oliver (fictional knight in early French literature).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Olivier, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ion
“of the tree” · “resembling a lotus blossom”
>99% boys
Olivor
“olive tree”
—
Oballa
“a river goddess”
—
Oliverios
“olive tree”
—
Oilbhries
“olive tree”
—
Anumatie
Anumatie is a variant of Anumati. One Hindi interpretation is “in Hinduism, moon goddess of prosperity, intellect, children, and spirituality.”
—
Anumateah
Anumateah is a variant of Anumati. One Hindi interpretation is “in Hinduism, moon goddess of prosperity, intellect, children, and spirituality.”
—
Anumatea
Anumatea is a variant of Anumati. One Hindi interpretation is “in Hinduism, moon goddess of prosperity, intellect, children, and spirituality.”
—