Hannah Leigh 's list "Favorite names" of 3 great name ideas: Oliver - Mckenzie!

Favorite names

Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness. 
 
Long a popular choice in England, Australia and New Zealand, Oliver entered the US Top 100 for the first time in 2009 and over the next decade, it continued to climb. As of 2024, it had been the third most popular boy name in the US for six years. 
 
Oliver derives from Olivier, the Norman French variation of the Ancient Germanic name Alfihar ("elf army") or the Old Norse Áleifr ("ancestor's relic"), from which comes Olaf. Olivier emerged as the dominant spelling for its associations with the Latin word oliva, meaning "olive tree."

Oliver was used as a given name in medieval England after the spread of the French epic poem La Chanson de Roland, which features a character named Olivier. It lost favor after the seventeenth century rule of Oliver Cromwell, then was revived in the nineteenth century. 

Oliver's biggest boost in this country came from the hit book and movie Love Story, which also catapulted the name Jennifer to stardom. Notable namesakes range from Oliver Wendell Holmes to Oliver Hardy to Oliver Stone, while in fiction, there's Oliver Twist, 
 Oliver works particularly well with single-syllable surnames, as in Oliver Stone, North and Puck (son of Wolfgang). Other celebrities who have chosen Oliver include Bridget Fonda, Fred Savage, Stephen Stills, and Taylor Hawkes. 
 International forms include the French Olivier, the Spanish Olivero, and the Italian Oliviero.
 Parents considering Oliver for their sons might consider that with Olivia at the top of the charts for girls and Olive also rising star, there will be an awful lot of children with names starting with Oliv-. For those in the UK, New Zealand, and Ireland, it's also worth bearing in mind that Ollie as a stand-alone name is a high ranking choice, again making Oliver feel even more popular.
 
That doesn't have to be a bad thing. It makes it a safe, versatile, and solid option, but if you were after something similar in sound but not quite so popular, Solomon 'Solly' , Olsen 'Oli', and Apollo 'Olly' might work, while Oleander, Tolliver, and Ptolemy make rarer options still.

Oliver

A hugely popular choice for boys in England and Wales, Finley has been used for both sexes in the US since the early 2000s, and has since become one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a>. Until recently, it was tilting slightly towards the girl side, however, as of 2024, it leans more masculine. 
 
Nevertheless, it is currently split 48:42, meaning it remains a gender neutral choice, appealing to contemporary parents as a rugged yet sweet name for boys and a sassy, outdoorsy choice for girls. 
 
As a name, it is a regal Scottish and Irish choice, riding the wave of stylish Finn names. Joining Finnegan, Finnick, Finnian, and 'just' Finn, this name was chosen for celebs Chris O'Donnell , Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn. Meaning "fair-haired hero", it was traditionally spelled Fionnlagh and was historically borne by the father of the 11th-century Scottish king, Macbeth (who was partly the inspiration behind the Shakespeare play).
 <br/Finlay is another, much less popular spelling, which tips more decidedly boyward, and is the favored option in Scotland where it ranked at #11 in a recent year.

Finley

Used quietly on boys in the US since the early 20th century, Mckenzie was abruptly overtaken by the Mackenzie spelling back in 1973 when actress Mackenzie Phillips introduced the name as a possibility for girls. While Mckenzie has never matched its sibling spelling in popularity, it nevertheless climbed the charts in its wake, peaking in 2000 at #133.
 
Originally a Scottish surname, Mckenzie is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich, Coinnich being one Gaelic form Kenneth. As a feminine name, it didn't appear in the US stats until 1975 and it first entered nearly 10 years later, in 1984. 
 
Given to around 710 girls in a recent year, Mckenzie is less than half as popular as Mackenzie, however when they are considered together with Makenzie and Kenzie too, nearly 3500 girls receive these sound-alike names, which could make them feel as popular as Top 100 names, such as Sophie, Addison, Leilani, or Josephine.

Favorite names

The names

Oliver

Finley

Mckenzie