 Ancient Roman woman wearing a garland of olives in a fresco from Herculaneum. | |
| Gender | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Word/name | English |
| Meaning | olive tree |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Oliver, Olivia |
Olive is a feminine given name of English origin meaning olive tree . [1] The name is associated with peace because of the symbolism of the olive branch. An olive wreath has traditionally been worn by champions as a symbol of victory. [2] It has also been seen as a symbol of fruitfulness. [3]
Olive came into fashion in English-speaking countries in the 1800s along with other tree, plant and flower names for girls [3] and was a more popular name during that era than the related Olivia, which has been among the most popular names for girls in recent years. Olive was among the top hundred names for girls in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s and remained among the top one thousand names through 1950. The name declined in popularity in the latter half of the twentieth century.
Its increase in usage in the early twenty-first century has coincided with the popularity of Olivia. It also increased in popularity after the release of the 2006 film Little Miss Sunshine and the 2010 film Easy A , both of which featured a lead character named Olive. [4] In the film Easy A, Olive is said to be an anagram of the words “I love.” [5] Author Laura Wattenberg notes that the name is “aggressively contrarian” and atypical of the style of names that have been popular in recent years but its counterculture style might explain its increase in usage. [6]
Olive has again been among the top one thousand names for newborn American girls since 2007, among the top three hundred names for girls since 2012 and among the top two hundred most popular names for American girls since 2020.
Olive also ranked among the top 150 names for newborn girls in Canada in 2023. [7]
Olive has been similarly popular in England and Wales, where it has been among the top five hundred names for girls since 2008 and was among the hundred most popular names for girls in 2020. [8] [9]
Chloe, also spelled Chloë, Chlöe, or Chloé, is a feminine name meaning "blooming" or "fertility" in Greek. The name ultimately derives, through Greek, from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵʰelh₃-, which relates to the colors yellow and green. The common scientific prefix chloro- derives from the same Greek root. In Greek the word refers to the young, green foliage or shoots of plants in spring.
Bonnie is a Scottish given name and is sometimes used as a descriptive reference, as in the Scottish folk song, My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean or Bonnie Dundee about John Graham, 7th Laird of Claverhouse. It comes from the Scots language word "bonnie", or the French bonne (good). That is in turn derived from the Latin word "bonus" (good). The name can also be used as a pet form of Bonita.
Aurora is a feminine given name, originating from the name of the ancient Roman goddess of dawn Aurora. Her tears were said to turn into the morning dew. Each morning she traveled in her chariot across the sky from east to west, proclaiming renewal with the rising of the sun. The Romans also associated the Northern Lights, or the Aurora borealis, with the goddess. Aurora is also traditionally the name of the princess in the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty and the many works of art it has inspired. The tale of a cursed princess who slept for one hundred years and was awakened by the kiss of a prince might be considered a modern retelling of the ancient story of Aurora the dawn goddess, whose myths also include stories of a long sleep and an awakening at dawn.
Florence is usually a feminine given name. It is derived from the French version of (Saint) Florentia, a Roman martyr under Diocletian. The Latin florens, florentius means "blossoming", verb floreo, meaning "I blossom / I flower / I flourish". Florence was in the past also used as a translation of the Latin version Florentius, and may be used in this context as a masculine given name.
Darlene, also spelled Darleen or Darline, is an English feminine given name coined in the late 19th century. It is based on the term of endearment darling in combination with the diminutive suffix -een, -ene, or -ine in use in other names popular during that period such as Arleen, Charlene, Claudine, Irene, Jolene, Josephine, Marlene, Maxine, and Pauline. The greatest use of the name has been in North America. Darla is a variant.
Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Hazel is a primarily female given name meaning "hazel", from the name of the tree or the color. It is derived from the Old English hæsel. It became a popular name in English-speaking countries during the 19th century, along with other names of plants or trees used for girls.
Scarlett is a feminine given name. The color scarlet symbolizes courage, passion, force, joy and heat. The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church wear scarlet as a color of the blood of Christ and the Christian martyrs. It gained popularity due to the character Scarlett O'Hara in Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel Gone with the Wind and the film adaptation. The name has been well used in recent years for girls in the United Kingdom and in the United States.
Ruth is a common female given name, noted from Ruth, the eponymous heroine of the eighth book of the Old Testament.
Opal is a primarily feminine given name derived from the name of the gemstone opal. The gemstone is the birthstone for October. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit upala, which means 'jewel'. It came into use along with other gemstone names during the late Victorian era. The iridescent, many-colored gem was called the “queen of gems” in Ancient Rome. The name has recently increased in usage, a trend that has been attributed to a renewed interest in “cottagecore names” with a vintage sensibility that are rooted in the natural world. Author Laura Wattenberg calls the sound of the name unique.
Flora is a feminine given name of Latin origin meaning flower, ultimately derived from the Latin word flos, which had the genitive florus. Flora was a fertility goddess of flowers and springtime in Ancient Rome.
Cassandra, also spelled Kassandra, is a feminine given name of Greek origin. Cassander is the masculine form of Cassandra. In Greek mythology, Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. She had the gift of prophecy, but was cursed so that none would believe her prophecies. The name has been in occasional use since the Middle Ages. The usual English nickname is Cassie. Cassandre is the French version of the name.
Goldie is a nickname or given name used in reference to an informal English diminutive word for gold or an English version of the Yiddish name Golda or Golde, also meaning gold. It was often used as a pet name for a girl with blonde hair. It is also used as a nickname for formal names such as Marigold. It has a “vintage vibe” for some parents who have considered it. Other commentators note that the name has risen in use for girls along with other names of a similar style that all exude cuteness and promote enjoyment, perhaps in reaction to serious times. The English expression good as gold is often used to describe people who act virtuously and, in the case of children, are well-behaved.
The United States has very few laws governing given names. This freedom has given rise to a wide variety of names and naming trends. Naming traditions play a role in the cohesion and communication within American cultures. Cultural diversity in the U.S. has led to great variations in names and naming traditions and names have been used to express creativity, personality, cultural identity, and values.
Ophelia is a feminine given name, probably derived from Ancient Greek ὠφέλεια.
Phyllis or Phillis is a feminine given name of Greek origin meaning foliage. Phyllis is a minor figure in Greek mythology who killed herself in despair when Demophon of Athens did not return to her and who was transformed into an almond tree by the gods. Phillida, Phyllicia, and Phyllida are all variants of the name.
Lyra is a feminine given name of Greek and Latin origin meaning lyre. It is usually given in reference to the constellation and the Greek myth that inspired its naming. The name has associations with music and harmony and the night sky. The name has recently increased in usage due to a character in His Dark Materials, a book trilogy by Philip Pullman, and the television show and film adapted from the books.
Raya is a given name with multiple, unrelated origins in different cultures.
Maxine is an English feminine given name created as a feminine version of the name Max.
Velma is an English feminine given name of uncertain origin. It might have been created as a rhyming variant of the names Selma and Thelma. It might also have been influenced by the Scandinavian name Vilma or by Wilma, both short forms of the Dutch and German Wilhelmina and feminine versions of William.