Given name & surname
Olsen
Olsen is a surname from Danish. It is used in English, Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, and 1 other language.
Meaning & origin
How it developed
In English usage, Olsen as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ole.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1989. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Olsen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 496
- 491 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 66 babies
- 2025
- 66
- #2,176 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +87%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 66 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,176 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 94.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, North Carolina and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (9 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 365 as a first name in 2020; 57,626 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.
Olsen’s family of names
In English usage, Olsen as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Ole. In Icelandic usage, Olsen as a surname has a related form in Ólsen. In Danish usage, Olsen as a surname shares a linguistic root with the Swedish form OLSSON.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Olsen has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Danish roots to each of them.
4 related names in 4 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 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Olsen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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