Total births
2,125
Boys' name · since 1880
Ole
Ole has 2,125 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1881 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4890
- among boys today
- 2,125
- born since 1880
- 1880s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
2,125 babies have been named Ole since 1880, making it today's #4890 boys' name.
Ole has 2,125 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4890 as of the latest data, more common than 66% of boys, busiest in the 1880s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #4890 among boys today
- 2,125 born since 1880
- 1880s peak decade
- 66% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ole is currently the #4890 boys' name in America, more common than 66% of boys - 2,125 born since 1880, peaking in the 1880s.
- #4890
- among boys today
- 2,125
- born since 1880
- 1880s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
Ole vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4890
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 66% of names given to boys today.
1880s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Ole was born in this single decade.
1881
Single peak year
42 babies were named Ole in 1881 - its busiest year on record.
How Ole compares
2,125 Top 20% higher than 80% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ole's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ole | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,125 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 42 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ole's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ole's full recorded timeline at 1946, 38% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 62% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1987, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1881 peak of 42 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ole at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1881
Current rank
#4,890
Active since
1880
Ole popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1881)
- 42
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ole by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1880s was Ole's strongest decade.
310 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Ole births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
310 births
- 1890s
1890s
165 births
- 1900s 122
1900s
122 births
- 1910s
1910s
280 births
- 1920s
1920s
216 births
- 1930s
1930s
151 births
- 1940s 116
1940s
116 births
- 1950s
1950s
148 births
- 1960s 109
1960s
109 births
- 1970s 92
1970s
92 births
- 1980s 40
1980s
40 births
- 1990s 19
1990s
19 births
- 2000s 75
2000s
75 births
- 2010s
2010s
165 births
- 2020s 117
2020s
117 births
What this shows Peak: 1880s at 310 births (15% of all-time use).
How Ole compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Ole's total volume
Ole vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ole by state
Where Ole concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 138 | 6.5% |
| #2 | North Dakota | | 65 | 3.1% |
| #3 | Washington | | 11 | 0.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #5 | California | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #6 | South Dakota | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 5 | 0.2% |
Minnesota share of Ole's total US births 6.5%
Even split
138 of 2,125 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ole? ▼
Ole has been given to 2,125 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4890 as of the latest data. 42 babies were born in 1881, its single highest year.
When was Ole most popular? ▼
Ole was most popular in the 1880s decade with 310 total births. The single peak year was 1881.
Where is Ole most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ole are Minnesota (138 births), North Dakota (65 births), Washington (11 births).
How long has the name Ole been used? ▼
Ole has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Ole? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Olen, Oleg, Olegario, Oley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ole's data
- Ole's usage has stayed within range of its 1880s decade-level peak (310 total births) through the 2020s (117) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Minnesota records the most Oles (138 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ole
Nearby Names Like Ole
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ole
Olen Boy
#2875 7,665 births
Oleg Boy
#11135 466 births
Olegario Boy
414 births
Oley Boy
373 births
Oleksandr Boy
#8803 87 births
Compare Ole side by side: Ole vs Olen Ole vs Oleg Ole vs Olegario
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ole
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ole: #4890 Boys' Name - 2,125 Births, Peak 1881." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ole. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ole draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.