Olaf
Olaf or Olav is a Dutch, Polish, Scandinavian and German given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as *Anu-laibaz, from anu "ancestor, grand-father" and laibaz "heirloom, descendant". Old English forms are attested as Ǣlāf, Anlāf. The corresponding Old Novgorod dialect form is Uleb. A later English form of the name is Olave.
- Norwegian
- Danish
- German
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Olaf
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Olaf or Olav is a Dutch, Polish, Scandinavian and German given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as *Anu-laibaz, from anu "ancestor, grand-father" and laibaz "heirloom, descendant". Old English forms are attested as Ǣlāf, Anlāf. The corresponding Old Novgorod dialect form is Uleb. A later English form of the name is Olave.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Norwegian
- Danish
- German
- Dutch
- Polish
The Story of Olaf
The earliest SSA record of Olaf as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 11 babies received it. 1916 was its biggest year on record, with 79 newborns named Olaf — #662 in the national rankings. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 20% of all recorded Olafs. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 3K Olafs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Olaf
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Olaf. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Olaf
Phonetically similar names — useful when Olaf 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 Olaf
What does the name Olaf mean?
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How popular is Olaf in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Olaf most popular?
Is Olaf a unisex name?
What names go well with Olaf?
What are nicknames or variants of Olaf?
About the name Olaf
Olaf is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Olaf's peak popularity came in 1916 when it ranked #662. Use the chart and map above to compare Olaf's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1916 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy 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.