Holly
Holly is an English-language surname and given name.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Holly
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Holly is an English-language surname and given name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Holly
The earliest SSA record of Holly as a baby girl name dates back to 1893, when 8 babies received it. 1983 was its biggest year on record, with 6,388 newborns named Holly — #48 in the national rankings. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 24% of all recorded Hollys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #408 among baby girl names with 747 births, gradually rising (+12%). In total, more than 206K Hollys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Holly
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Holly. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Holly
Phonetically similar names — useful when Holly is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Holly
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In which U.S. states is Holly most popular?
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About the name Holly
Holly is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1893 and has accumulated 206K births in the dataset. Holly's peak popularity came in 1983 when it ranked #48. Use the chart and map above to compare Holly's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1983 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.