Holly Girl

Popularity: #383 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HAH-lee //ˈhɒli//

Origin: English; Latin

Meaning: English: holly plant; Latin: to make whole

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Holly originates from the Old English word "holegn," which refers to the holly tree, known for its evergreen leaves and bright red berries. This term can be traced back to Proto-Germanic roots, specifically the word "hulga," and further to Proto-Indo-European roots, suggesting a connection to the concept of "to prick" or "to sting," likely referring to the sharp leaves of the holly plant.

The name entered the English language during the early medieval period, becoming associated with the plant that was often used in winter celebrations and as a symbol of protection against evil spirits. Historically, holly has been significant in various cultures, particularly in Europe.

In ancient Roman times, holly was used in winter solstice celebrations, symbolizing eternal life and protection. The Christian tradition later adopted holly as a symbol of Christ's crown of thorns, with the red berries representing his blood.

This association was solidified in the Middle Ages, when holly was commonly used in Christmas decorations, reinforcing its connection to the holiday season. The name Holly itself began to be used as a given name in the 19th century, reflecting the plant's cultural significance during this period.

Culturally, the name Holly evokes themes of resilience and festivity, often associated with the winter months and the celebration of Christmas. It has been embraced in literature and popular culture, further embedding its significance in the English-speaking world.

The diminutive form "Hollie" has also emerged, though it is less historically prominent. Overall, the name Holly carries with it a rich tapestry of linguistic roots and cultural associations, reflecting both natural beauty and historical depth.

Famous people named Holly

In this section, you will find notable people named Holly. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Holly who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Holly who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Holly Hunter is an actress best known for The Piano, Broadcast News, and Raising Arizona.

Holly Willoughby is a television presenter best known for This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and The Voice UK.

Holly Marie Combs is an actress best known for Charmed, Pretty Little Liars, and Picket Fences.

Holly Madison is a television personality best known for The Girls Next Door, Holly's World, and her work as a model.

Holly Robinson Peete is an actress and singer best known for 21 Jump Street, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and For Your Love.

Holly Taylor is an actress best known for The Americans and The Flash.

Fictional characters named Holly

The following list of fictional characters named Holly is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Holly Golightly is a fictional character from the novella and film Breakfast at Tiffany's. She is a young woman in New York City who is searching for love and a sense of belonging.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Holly, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

HannahHarperHazelHopeHattieHeidi

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Holly. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

HollyannHollisHollieHelenaHildaHeleneHavenHayley

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Holly was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Holly has ranked as high as #102 nationally, which occurred in 1983, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Holly has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Holly is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Holly was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Holly.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 751 0 751
2024 745 0 745
2023 682 0 682
2022 693 0 693
2021 673 0 673
2020 639 0 639
2019 651 0 651
2018 608 0 608
2017 634 0 634
2016 589 0 589
2015 653 0 653
2014 714 0 714
2013 683 0 683
2012 740 0 740
2011 738 0 738
2010 775 0 775
2009 858 0 858
2008 907 0 907
2007 976 0 976
2006 955 0 955
2005 1,040 0 1,040
2004 1,127 8 1,119
2003 1,227 0 1,227
2002 1,363 0 1,363
2001 1,462 0 1,462
2000 1,690 0 1,690
1999 1,749 0 1,749
1998 1,926 5 1,921
1997 2,061 5 2,056
1996 2,438 0 2,438
1995 2,544 0 2,544
1994 2,932 8 2,924
1993 3,037 5 3,032
1992 3,355 8 3,347
1991 3,296 7 3,289
1990 3,777 5 3,772
1989 3,912 19 3,893
1988 4,235 18 4,217
1987 4,276 17 4,259
1986 4,867 29 4,838
1985 5,627 25 5,602
1984 5,945 17 5,928
1983 6,415 27 6,388
1982 4,699 17 4,682
1981 4,593 29 4,564
1980 5,306 24 5,282
1979 5,508 20 5,488
1978 4,995 23 4,972
1977 5,482 19 5,463
1976 5,194 21 5,173
1975 5,057 10 5,047
1974 5,166 22 5,144
1973 5,140 26 5,114
1972 4,396 20 4,376
1971 4,765 18 4,747
1970 4,953 13 4,940
1969 4,136 13 4,123
1968 3,439 18 3,421
1967 3,175 22 3,153
1966 3,413 15 3,398
1965 3,374 15 3,359
1964 3,496 18 3,478
1963 3,149 14 3,135
1962 2,933 11 2,922
1961 2,586 11 2,575
1960 2,596 16 2,580
1959 2,309 19 2,290
1958 2,261 19 2,242
1957 2,412 18 2,394
1956 2,350 25 2,325
1955 2,519 15 2,504
1954 2,106 14 2,092
1953 1,581 15 1,566
1952 1,334 17 1,317
1951 1,087 18 1,069
1950 852 18 834
1949 643 12 631
1948 691 19 672
1947 730 22 708
1946 528 21 507
1945 395 13 382
1944 317 12 305
1943 336 18 318
1942 243 13 230
1941 151 17 134
1940 89 15 74
1939 88 18 70
1938 78 12 66
1937 62 14 48
1936 61 12 49
1935 54 10 44
1934 44 16 28
1933 42 17 25
1932 52 20 32
1931 38 10 28
1930 47 22 25
1929 42 20 22
1928 38 14 24
1927 46 21 25
1926 37 17 20
1925 42 24 18
1924 46 28 18
1923 42 25 17
1922 40 18 22
1921 38 23 15
1920 42 24 18
1919 29 17 12
1918 46 32 14
1917 41 21 20
1916 34 16 18
1915 34 16 18
1914 33 18 15
1913 27 16 11
1912 20 11 9
1911 15 6 9
1910 7 0 7
1909 6 6 0
1908 17 7 10
1907 9 0 9
1906 10 0 10
1905 5 5 0
1904 6 0 6
1900 8 8 0
1899 5 0 5
1898 5 0 5
1897 7 0 7
1896 11 6 5
1894 8 8 0
1893 8 0 8
1892 6 6 0
1888 8 8 0
1885 6 6 0
1880 5 5 0

Top States for Holly (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 84
12%
TX 54
8%
FL 37
5%
NY 34
5%
GA 31
4%
NC 29
4%
VA 27
4%
NJ 27
4%
PA 26
4%
IL 25
4%
WA 22
3%
OH 21
3%
MO 20
3%
IN 19
3%
MI 19
3%
AZ 18
3%
CO 17
2%
AL 16
2%
TN 16
2%
MN 15
2%
KY 15
2%
WI 14
2%
KS 13
2%
OR 11
2%
MA 11
2%
UT 10
1%
AR 8
1%
ID 8
1%
CT 8
1%
IA 7
1%
OK 7
1%
MT 7
1%
SC 7
1%
NE 7
1%
MD 7
1%
MS 5
1%
WV 5
1%