| Julian | Oliver | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Youthful | Olive tree |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | JOO-lee-un | OL-iv-er |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (8,455) | 2024 (15,396) |
| In 2025 | 7,603 | 14,939 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Julian | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 44,640 | 89,293 |
| 2010s | 79,530 | 98,160 |
| 2000s | 60,391 | 20,935 |
| 1990s | 27,674 | 6,570 |
| 1980s | 12,933 | 4,153 |
| 1970s | 6,800 | 3,732 |
| 1960s | 4,835 | 3,340 |
| 1950s | 4,827 | 4,987 |
| 1940s | 5,157 | 6,057 |
| 1930s | 4,860 | 6,709 |
| 1920s | 6,897 | 10,900 |
| 1910s | 4,650 | 8,657 |
| 1900s | 793 | 2,088 |
| 1890s | 558 | 2,035 |
| 1880s | 440 | 2,287 |
Julian comes from the Latin Julianus, from the family name Julius. Borne by saints and by the Roman emperor known as Julian the Apostate.
Oliver is usually traced to the Latin oliva, “olive tree” — a long-standing symbol of peace — though some scholars link it to the Norse Áleifr (an ancestor of Olaf).
Oliver is more popular than Julian today: about 14,939 US babies were given the name Oliver in 2025, compared with 7,603 named Julian.
Julian means Youthful (Latin origin), while Oliver means Olive tree (Latin origin).
In US records, Julian first appears in 1880 and Oliver in 1880, so Julian has the longer recorded history.