Oliver
OL-iv-er
A name rooted in the olive tree, long associated with peace and chivalry.
Meaning
Oliver comes through Old French Olivier from Latin oliva, meaning “olive” or “olive tree.” In Christian and classical symbolism, the olive tree is an emblem of peace, and the name later became famous in medieval France and England through chivalric tradition.
Origin
Old FrenchLatinmasculine
Fun fact
The nickname traditionally given for Oliver is Noll, and one excerpt notes the name was especially popular in medieval French and English knightly circles.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.