Holly Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Girl Names Like Holly

Holly Name Origin: English
Pronunciation: ho(l)-ly
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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.

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%
2023	447	655	0.0506%

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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
Hollee	The holly tree	English
Holleigh	The holly tree	English
Holley	The holly tree	English
Holli	The holly tree	English
Hollie	The holly tree	English
Hollyann	The holly tree	English
Hollye	The holly tree	English

What names sound like Holly?

If you like how Holly sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Holly.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Hally	Army ruler, commander; hay meadow	Scandinavian
Hilly	Greatly praised	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

Share Your Thoughts

6 Comments

Holly Jul 4 at 6:36 am

Dead name

Reply
Jenny Apr 26 at 5:06 am

We knew we wanted something christmas-y and wintery when we going out her due date. 🙂

Reply
Holly Jan 10 at 3:44 am

She is a winter baby and there are holly plants budding here. It’s a pretty seasonal and natural name.

Reply
Emma Mar 16 at 4:52 am

We used the Kinder app and it felt right
Suitable for child and adult and pronounced the same globally

Reply
Rachele Jun 24 at 2:12 pm

Holly is my MIL’s name, and we wanted to do something special since there are only two girls in the Johnson family. She is the rock and center of the family, Godly, beautiful and fun.

Reply
Rachele Apr 22 at 2:35 pm

We chose Holly in honor of my husband’s mom because she is so much a part of our lives and a girl is a big deal for our family out of 6 boys. Her middle name is Claire after my maternal grandfather’s mother.

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