Given name
Olof
“the last of the ancestors”
Olof is a form of Olaf. One interpretation is “the last of the ancestors.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Olof is a form of Olaf. One interpretation is “the last of the ancestors.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Olof is a form of Olaf. An origin associated with Olaf is Old Norse.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Swedish use, Olof is used as a form of Olaf.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1883. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Olof through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 107
- 107 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1914
- 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 6 in 1934. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 172 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Olof’s family of names
In Swedish usage, Olof has a diminutive in Olle. In Swedish usage, Olof developed from the Old Norse form Óláfr. Olof has a related form in Olaf.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Olof has relatives in 8 languages.
10 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Olof
- Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötlandhusband of Victoria, Crown Princess of Swedenborn 1973
- Olaus RudbeckSwedish architect (1630-1702)
- Olof SwartzSwedish botanist & taxonomist (1760 - 1818)
- Olaus Petriclergyman, writer, judge and major contributor to the Protestant Reformation in Sweden1493–1552
- Olof von DalinSwedish nobleman, poet, historian and courtier (1708–1763)
- Olof ThunbergSwedish actor (1925–2020)
- Wilhelm Peterson-BergerSwedish composer (1867-1942)
- Olof CelsiusSwedish botanist (1670-1756)
- Olof Björnssonsemi-legendary Swedish king1000–975
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Olof, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Osborne
“a bear of God”
>99% boys
Odie
“a sweet melody” · “one who is wealthy”
>99% boys
Olan
“the last of the ancestors”
>99% boys
Eston
“from the eastern town”
>99% boys
Orrin
“from the river”
>99% boys
Owens
Owens is a given name.
>99% boys
Oswald
“the power of God”
>99% boys
Olen
“filled with happiness”
>99% boys