UK boy's name
Ole
A Norwegian masculine given name of Old Norse origin meaning "ancestor's descendant".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ole is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ole popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 21 births.
This profile covers 190 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1998 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 14% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 189 living people in the UK are called Ole. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ole ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 21 boys were registered as Ole.
- • About 189 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ole as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
21 births
Estimated living
189
2026
Meaning
What does Ole mean?
Ole is a masculine given name of Norse origin, derived from the Old Norse word "óli," which means "ancestral" or "progenitor." The name has been in use since ancient times and can be traced back to the Viking era in Scandinavia.
The name Ole is believed to have originated in Norway, where it was commonly used among the Norse people. It gained popularity throughout the region and eventually spread to other parts of Europe, particularly in areas influenced by Norse culture and settlements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ole can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which are literary works that recount the stories and legends of the Norse people. In these sagas, several characters bear the name Ole, indicating its widespread use during the Viking Age.
Throughout history, there have been notable individuals who carried the name Ole. One of the most famous was Ole Worm (1588-1654), a Danish naturalist, antiquarian, and physician who made significant contributions to the fields of archaeology and natural history.
Another prominent figure was Ole Bull (1810-1880), a Norwegian violinist and composer who was renowned for his virtuosic performances and pioneering work in establishing Norwegian folk music as a distinct genre.
In the realm of literature, Ole Rolvaag (1876-1931) was a Norwegian-American novelist and educator who is best known for his novel "Giants in the Earth," which depicts the struggles of Norwegian immigrants in the American West.
The name Ole also found its way into the world of sports, with Ole Evinrude (1877-1933), a Norwegian-American inventor who revolutionized the outboard motor industry and founded the Evinrude Outboard Motor Company.
Lastly, Ole Gunnar Solskjær (born 1973) is a former Norwegian professional footballer and current manager of Manchester United, one of the most successful and renowned football clubs in the world.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Ole throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence across various fields and cultural contexts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ole over time
The chart below shows babies named Ole registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ole, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 21 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ole by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ole was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3903 | 9 | 2 |
| 2010s | #2648 | 81 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2383 | 88 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2142 | 12 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Ole
- Oliver 157,197
- Oscar 67,495
- Owen 33,517
- Ollie 13,193
- Oakley 9,838
- Omar 6,823
- Otis 6,395
- Oskar 4,827
- Olly 4,403
- Otto 3,839
- Osian 3,145
- Owain 2,310
FAQ
Ole: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ole in the UK right now?
In 2022, Ole was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Ole most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 21 babies registered as Ole in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ole?
A Norwegian masculine given name of Old Norse origin meaning "ancestor's descendant".
How many people are called Ole in the UK?
A total of 190 babies have been registered as Ole across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.