Ole
How to say it: OH-luh · /ˈoʊlə/
Scandinavian form of Olaf, from Old Norse meaning 'ancestor's descendant' - classic Danish-Norwegian name.
Ole was the 3,936th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 21 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are up about 13% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #4,306 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #3,936 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 21 |
| Share of births | 1 in 157,873 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | +13% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #4,306 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Ole peaked in the 1880s.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ole is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
Famous people named Ole
- Ole Gunnar Solskjær (born 1973)Norwegian association football manager
- Ole Einar Bjørndalen (born 1974)Norwegian biathlete and cross-country skier
- Ole Rømer (1644–1710)Danish astronomer (*1644 – †1710)
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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