Ole
Ole is a Danish and Norwegian masculine given name, derived from the Old Norse name Óláfr, meaning "ancestor's descendant".
Meaning & Origin of Ole
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ole is a Danish and Norwegian masculine given name, derived from the Old Norse name Óláfr, meaning "ancestor's descendant".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ole
Ole first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 29 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1881, when 42 Oles were born — ranking #237 that year. As of 2026, Ole ranks #5,759 for baby boys with 16 births, falling sharply (-28%). In total, more than 2K Oles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ole
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ole 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 Ole
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About the name Ole
Ole is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Ole's peak popularity came in 1881 when it ranked #237. Use the chart and map above to compare Ole's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1881 →
- Names of the 1880s →
- 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.