Oliver
/ˈɑːlɪvər/noun
A masculine given name and surname.
Did you know?Oliver likely entered English through Old French as a form of a Germanic name, though it was later strongly associated with Latin oliva, the olive tree that carried sacred and political symbolism across the Mediterranean.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*Anleib- / *Alfihar?
“Likely Germanic personal-name elements, though the exact prehistory is uncertain.”
Old French
OF
Olivier
“A personal name, later famously borne by the heroic knight of medieval romance.”
Latin
Latin
oliva
“Olive tree; olive fruit.”
Middle English
English
Oliver
“A personal name introduced through French usage.”
Modern English
English
Oliver
“A common masculine given name and surname.”