| Mark | Oliver | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of Mars | Olive tree |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MARK | OL-iv-er |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1960 (58,727) | 2024 (15,396) |
| In 2025 | 1,416 | 14,939 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Mark | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8,658 | 89,293 |
| 2010s | 21,108 | 98,160 |
| 2000s | 37,257 | 20,935 |
| 1990s | 75,816 | 6,570 |
| 1980s | 129,442 | 4,153 |
| 1970s | 194,260 | 3,732 |
| 1960s | 441,390 | 3,340 |
| 1950s | 382,589 | 4,987 |
| 1940s | 50,731 | 6,057 |
| 1930s | 7,444 | 6,709 |
| 1920s | 6,495 | 10,900 |
| 1910s | 4,134 | 8,657 |
| 1900s | 971 | 2,088 |
| 1890s | 953 | 2,035 |
| 1880s | 928 | 2,287 |
Mark comes from the Roman name Marcus, probably derived from Mars, the god of war. Mark the Evangelist is credited with the second Gospel.
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 Mark today: about 14,939 US babies were given the name Oliver in 2025, compared with 1,416 named Mark.
Mark means Of Mars (Latin origin), while Oliver means Olive tree (Latin origin).
In US records, Mark first appears in 1880 and Oliver in 1880, so Mark has the longer recorded history.