annaorfield's list "Boy names" of 3 great name ideas: Oliver - Linden!

Boy 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

The name August is at its highest point since the 1890s, when it ranked among the Top 100 boy names in the US – and deservedly so. With its great meaning, historic roots, and cool nicknames, 2024 saw August officially re-enter the Top 100. 
THE celebrity baby name of the moment, August was chosen by both Princess Eugenie and Mandy Moore for their baby boys in early 2021. Before that, August had been heating up in Hollywood where it was used by Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, Lena Olin, Dave Matthews and Jeanne Tripplehorn for their sons.
August is the only truly popular month name for boys. The month of August was named after the Emperor Augustus.
 August has two august literary namesakes: the Swedish playwright August Strindberg (it has always been a popular name in Scandinavia), and August Wilson, as well as photographer August Sander.
 The French version is Auguste (ow-GOOST), as in Edgar Allan Poe's clever detective Auguste Dupin and famed sculptor Auguste Rodin.

August

The graceful, natural image of the verdant shade tree transcends any connection with President Johnson.
 A sturdy tree that can live for centuries, Linden was actually quite a popular boys' name from the 1930s to the 1960s--as was the presidential spelling Lyndon--but has now become unisex.

Boy names

The names

Oliver

August

Linden