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Holly Name Origin: English
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Pronunciation: ho(l)-ly
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See what 5 people think about Holly
Holly Name Meaning
The name Holly originates from Old English and was used as a name for holly trees, which were considered sacred and were used as symbols of good luck and protection during the winter solstice. The name has become popular as a given name for girls, likely due to its association with the holiday season and its cheerful, festive connotations.
Throughout the 20th century, the name Holly has seen a rise in popularity in English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States, where it reached its peak in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite its decline in popularity in recent decades, the name Holly remains a popular choice for parents and has a timeless, classic appeal.
Today, the name Holly is often associated with the festive season and its connotations of good cheer, joy, and celebration. This has helped to solidify its place as a popular name for girls, and its enduring popularity is a testament to its versatility and timeless appeal.
Infographic of Holly name meaning, which is “A refuge,” in allusion to the shrub which was formerly used to build a supposed winter refuge for elves, in the home, at Christmas time.
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Holly Name Popularity
How popular is the name Holly? Here’s everything we know.
| Year |
Rank |
# Births |
% Births |
| 1910 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1911 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1912 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1913 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1914 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1915 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1916 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1917 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1918 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1919 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1920 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1921 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1922 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1923 |
1,688 |
5 |
0.0004% |
| 1924 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1925 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1926 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1927 |
1,625 |
5 |
0.0005% |
| 1928 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1929 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1930 |
1,639 |
5 |
0.0005% |
| 1931 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1932 |
1,232 |
10 |
0.001% |
| 1933 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1934 |
— |
0 |
0% |
| 1935 |
1,375 |
6 |
0.0006% |
| 1936 |
1,140 |
12 |
0.0012% |
| 1937 |
967 |
21 |
0.0021% |
| 1938 |
920 |
26 |
0.0025% |
| 1939 |
923 |
24 |
0.0024% |
| 1940 |
903 |
29 |
0.0027% |
| 1941 |
602 |
93 |
0.0083% |
| 1942 |
491 |
180 |
0.0143% |
| 1943 |
413 |
266 |
0.0204% |
| 1944 |
418 |
247 |
0.0199% |
| 1945 |
365 |
322 |
0.0264% |
| 1946 |
332 |
462 |
0.0313% |
| 1947 |
294 |
676 |
0.0405% |
| 1948 |
296 |
633 |
0.0397% |
| 1949 |
313 |
578 |
0.0359% |
| 1950 |
269 |
782 |
0.0486% |
| 1951 |
238 |
1,038 |
0.0612% |
| 1952 |
214 |
1,286 |
0.0737% |
| 1953 |
199 |
1,548 |
0.0875% |
| 1954 |
166 |
2,086 |
0.1141% |
| 1955 |
144 |
2,504 |
0.1361% |
| 1956 |
161 |
2,319 |
0.1228% |
| 1957 |
157 |
2,387 |
0.124% |
| 1958 |
166 |
2,244 |
0.1187% |
| 1959 |
167 |
2,291 |
0.1206% |
| 1960 |
161 |
2,576 |
0.136% |
| 1961 |
159 |
2,574 |
0.1363% |
| 1962 |
148 |
2,924 |
0.1593% |
| 1963 |
132 |
3,131 |
0.1744% |
| 1964 |
120 |
3,480 |
0.1977% |
| 1965 |
112 |
3,358 |
0.2053% |
| 1966 |
100 |
3,393 |
0.2173% |
| 1967 |
109 |
3,153 |
0.2078% |
| 1968 |
103 |
3,421 |
0.2278% |
| 1969 |
87 |
4,124 |
0.2677% |
| 1970 |
74 |
4,942 |
0.3105% |
| 1971 |
76 |
4,745 |
0.3158% |
| 1972 |
71 |
4,376 |
0.3213% |
| 1973 |
54 |
5,115 |
0.3945% |
| 1974 |
56 |
5,142 |
0.3956% |
| 1975 |
55 |
5,048 |
0.3928% |
| 1976 |
56 |
5,176 |
0.4016% |
| 1977 |
52 |
5,463 |
0.4053% |
| 1978 |
55 |
4,973 |
0.3699% |
| 1979 |
48 |
5,489 |
0.3893% |
| 1980 |
52 |
5,285 |
0.3615% |
| 1981 |
63 |
4,565 |
0.3106% |
| 1982 |
61 |
4,680 |
0.3132% |
| 1983 |
48 |
6,388 |
0.4329% |
| 1984 |
53 |
5,926 |
0.3984% |
| 1985 |
56 |
5,603 |
0.3691% |
| 1986 |
63 |
4,837 |
0.3204% |
| 1987 |
71 |
4,259 |
0.2791% |
| 1988 |
72 |
4,217 |
0.2706% |
| 1989 |
79 |
3,894 |
0.2413% |
| 1990 |
89 |
3,768 |
0.2273% |
| 1991 |
105 |
3,281 |
0.2013% |
| 1992 |
99 |
3,338 |
0.2091% |
| 1993 |
108 |
3,029 |
0.1943% |
| 1994 |
111 |
2,917 |
0.1901% |
| 1995 |
126 |
2,538 |
0.1684% |
| 1996 |
130 |
2,431 |
0.1624% |
| 1997 |
152 |
2,044 |
0.1382% |
| 1998 |
163 |
1,906 |
0.1273% |
| 1999 |
180 |
1,724 |
0.1151% |
| 2000 |
189 |
1,678 |
0.1098% |
| 2001 |
217 |
1,445 |
0.0959% |
| 2002 |
232 |
1,332 |
0.0889% |
| 2003 |
261 |
1,202 |
0.079% |
| 2004 |
293 |
1,089 |
0.0714% |
| 2005 |
305 |
1,020 |
0.0667% |
| 2006 |
339 |
938 |
0.0599% |
| 2007 |
336 |
950 |
0.0602% |
| 2008 |
359 |
882 |
0.0571% |
| 2009 |
366 |
836 |
0.0559% |
| 2010 |
401 |
757 |
0.0525% |
| 2011 |
417 |
709 |
0.0498% |
| 2012 |
417 |
708 |
0.0497% |
| 2013 |
439 |
652 |
0.0458% |
| 2014 |
439 |
677 |
0.0465% |
| 2015 |
473 |
622 |
0.0427% |
| 2016 |
513 |
547 |
0.0379% |
| 2017 |
469 |
599 |
0.0429% |
| 2018 |
482 |
576 |
0.0419% |
| 2019 |
450 |
622 |
0.0459% |
| 2020 |
491 |
571 |
0.0449% |
| 2021 |
455 |
596 |
0.0488% |
| 2022 |
459 |
655 |
0.0496% |
District of Columbia (DC)
Data via SSA.gov.
Names Like Holly
If you like Holly, you’ll love these other names like Holly.
What names are variants of Holly?
Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Holly.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
|
Hollee
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
|
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Holleigh
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
|
|
Holley
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
|
|
Holli
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
|
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Hollie
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
|
|
Hollyann
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
|
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Hollye
|
The holly tree
|
English
|
|
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What names sound like Holly?
If you like how Holly sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Holly.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
|
Hally
|
Army ruler, commander; hay meadow
|
Scandinavian
|
|
|
|
Hilly
|
Greatly praised
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Hebrew
|
|
|
|
Holle
|
Hidden
|
German
|
|
|
What names are similar to Holly?
Find a name that’s like Holly, but just a little bit different.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
|
Hollis
|
Near the holly bushes
|
English
|
|
|
Lists With Holly
Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Holly.
Siblings of Holly
Mamas with kids named Holly also have kids with these names.
| Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
|
Calvin
|
Hairless one
|
English
|
|
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