Olivia - Baby Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity

Records of the name Olivia exist from as far back as 13th century England, but the name was popularized after Shakespeare used it for the name of the countess in Twelfth Night. Olivia is based on the Latin word oliva, meaning "olive." In ancient Greece, the olive was a symbol of Athena as well as

Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is one of the top girls' names in the world. Like her sisters Isabella and Sophia, Olivia is a mega-popular name not only in the US but throughout the English-speaking countries, Europe, and Latin America.

Records of the name Olivia exist from as far back as 13th century England, but the name was popularized after Shakespeare used it for the name of the countess in Twelfth Night. Olivia is based on the Latin word oliva, meaning "olive." In ancient Greece, the olive was a symbol of Athena as well as a token of peace and fertility, and olive wreaths were awarded to the winners at the Olympic games.

Olivia has been a popular celebrity baby name for fifteen years, and has also been a well-used TV character name, such as in Olivia Benson on Law & Order SVU and the recent powerful lead Olivia Pope on Scandal.

Golden Age star Olivia de Havilland was influential in bringing the name to U.S. attention, followed by Olivia Newton-John, and now we have Olivias Wilde, Munn, Rodrigo, Colman and Williams.

If you love popular names, Olivia might be the perfect choice for you, but parents in search of a distinctive name will have to keep looking. Some related alternatives: Olive, Livia, Liv.

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