Olav
Olav is a name with multiple cultural origins: Norwegian, Danish.
- Norwegian
- Danish
Meaning & Origin of Olav
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Olav is a name with multiple cultural origins: Norwegian, Danish.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Norwegian
- Danish
The Story of Olav
American parents first put Olav on the record books as a baby boy name in 1919, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1919, when 7 Olavs were born — ranking #3,391 that year. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 29% of all recorded Olavs. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2022 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 38 Olavs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Olav
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Olav. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Olav
Phonetically similar names — useful when Olav 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 Olav
What does the name Olav mean?
What is the origin of the name Olav?
How popular is Olav in 2026?
When was Olav most popular?
Is Olav a unisex name?
What names go well with Olav?
What are nicknames or variants of Olav?
About the name Olav
Olav is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1919 and has accumulated 38 births in the dataset. Olav's peak popularity came in 1919 when it ranked #3,391. Use the chart and map above to compare Olav's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1919 →
- 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.