Name:
Olivia
Gender:
Girl
Origin:
English, Finnish, Italian, Latin, Spanish
Meaning:
Olivia is a Latin name that means "olive tree." It was popularized in 17th-century England by William Shakespeare, who used the name for a character in his play Twelfth Night. The play – a romantic comedy – features a Countess Olivia who is both wealthy and beautiful. Olivia is a feminine alternative to the popular boy's name, Oliver. It's pronounced oh-liv-ee-ah and is most commonly spelled Olivia. You may see it spelled as Olyvia or Alyvia occasionally. This sweet, vintage-sounding name lends itself to many winning nicknames and shorter versions including Liv, Livvy, Livia, Olive, Ollie, Via, and Vivi. Olivia is simple to pronounce, melodic to say, and carries a sense of feminine strength. Characters like Olivia Pope from the television show Scandal and Olivia Benson from the show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit give this name strong female-lead vibes. Olivia has been a top-10 girls name in the U.S. since 2001 and is also wildly popular in Britain, Australia, and Canada. According to the Social Security Administration's list, Olivia was the number-one name for baby girls in the U.S. in 2019 and 2020.
Pronunciation:
ə-LIV-ee-ə
The Five Elements:
Metal
Also Spelled Like...:
Alivia
Liv
Livia
Olivetta
Oliwa
Ollie
Famous Olivia:
Olivia Newton-John : British-Australian actress, singer, and songwriter known for her role as Sandy in the movie Grease
Olivia Wilde : American actress and filmmaker known for her role as Remy "Thirteen" Hadley on the television series House and her film Booksmart
Olivia Frances Culpo : American fashion influencer, social media personality, and actress who was crowned Miss USA and Miss Universe
Olivia Goldsmith : American author best known for her first novel, The First Wives Club
Olivia de Havilland : British-American actress who starred in the films Gone With The Wind and The Heiress
Olivia Smart : British-Spanish ice dancer
Olivia Rodrigo : American singer-songwriter and actress known for her role on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark
Olivia Munn : American actress and former TV host
Olivia of Palermo : Patron saint of Palermo, Sicily
Olivia Wilde : American actress
Olivia Munn : American actress
Olivia Goldsmith : American writer
Olivia Coolidge : published author
Olivia Manning : writer
Olivia Allison : athlete
Olivia Williams : actress
Olivia Holt : actress, singer