| Oliver | Patrick | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Olive tree | Nobleman |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | OL-iv-er | PAT-rik |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2024 (15,396) | 1964 (14,692) |
| In 2025 | 14,939 | 1,495 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Oliver | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 89,293 | 10,101 |
| 2010s | 98,160 | 25,312 |
| 2000s | 20,935 | 44,782 |
| 1990s | 6,570 | 92,931 |
| 1980s | 4,153 | 111,408 |
| 1970s | 3,732 | 91,240 |
| 1960s | 3,340 | 122,717 |
| 1950s | 4,987 | 96,851 |
| 1940s | 6,057 | 48,619 |
| 1930s | 6,709 | 18,390 |
| 1920s | 10,900 | 11,460 |
| 1910s | 8,657 | 6,120 |
| 1900s | 2,088 | 2,141 |
| 1890s | 2,035 | 2,233 |
| 1880s | 2,287 | 2,285 |
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).
Patrick comes from the Latin patricius, “nobleman, patrician.” St Patrick, the 5th-century missionary, is the patron saint of Ireland, and the name is deeply Irish.
Oliver is more popular than Patrick today: about 14,939 US babies were given the name Oliver in 2025, compared with 1,495 named Patrick.
Oliver means Olive tree (Latin origin), while Patrick means Nobleman (Latin origin).
In US records, Oliver first appears in 1880 and Patrick in 1880, so Oliver has the longer recorded history.