When was Holly most popular?

The name Holly reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.

What are the origins of the name Holly Willis?

The name Holly Willis combines two different traditions: the first name Holly has English roots, while the surname Willis originates from French.

Holly Willis — 181K & 130K bearers

Holly Willis is a name that combines English origins. The first name Holly is a feminine given name of English origin. Holly is an English-language surname and given name. Holly is known as an English or Irish surname (variant Holley) it is either locational, ultimately derived from the Old English hol lēah "[dwelling by] the clearing by the hollow", or descriptive, from hol-ēage "hollow-eyed". In Ireland, it was also used as a translation of the name Mac Cuilinn, which is derived from cuileann, the Gaelic name of the holly tree, and by extension sometimes of the similar-sounding McQuillan surname of Ulster. The surname Willis: Willis is a surname of English, Norman French, and Scottish origin. The oldest extant family of the name, the Willes family of Warwickshire, formerly of Newbold Comyn and Fenny Compton, has used the spellings 'Willis,' 'Willys,' and 'Wyllys' and appear in records from 1330. In this case, the name derives from the name de Welles (under which name the family were Lincolnshire noblemen) which comes from the Norman name de Vallibus (meaning 'of the valley'), which in turn was derived from the Vaux family tree. Holly is a distinctive first name, carried by approximately 181K people globally, with the highest concentration in United States. The name Holly reached peak popularity in the 1970s, reflecting the naming trends of that era.

Etymology & Origin

First Name: Holly

English

Holly is an English-language surname and given name. Holly is known as an English or Irish surname (variant Holley) it is either locational, ultimately derived from the Old English hol lēah "[dwelling by] the clearing by the hollow", or descriptive, from hol-ēage "hollow-eyed". In Ireland, it was also used as a translation of the name Mac Cuilinn, which is derived from cuileann, the Gaelic name of the holly tree, and by extension sometimes of the similar-sounding McQuillan surname of Ulster.

Surname: Willis

French

Willis is a surname of English, Norman French, and Scottish origin. The oldest extant family of the name, the Willes family of Warwickshire, formerly of Newbold Comyn and Fenny Compton, has used the spellings 'Willis,' 'Willys,' and 'Wyllys' and appear in records from 1330. In this case, the name derives from the name de Welles (under which name the family were Lincolnshire noblemen) which comes from the Norman name de Vallibus (meaning 'of the valley'), which in turn was derived from the Vaux family tree.

Geographic Distribution

The first name Holly is distributed across the globe, with the highest concentrations in the following countries:

United States 51%

United Kingdom 27%

Australia 12%

Canada 10%

Popularity Over Time

Popularity of the name Holly by decade, based on birth registration data:

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Notable People Named Holly Willis

People listed above share this name. Listed for informational purposes only. Source: Wikipedia.

Numerology

According to Pythagorean numerology, each letter in a name carries a numerical value. Here are the key numbers for Holly Willis:

3

Expression Number

Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.

6

Soul Urge Number

Nurturing and responsibility. Associated with care, family values and a strong sense of duty towards loved ones.

6

Personality Number

Nurturing and responsibility. Associated with care, family values and a strong sense of duty towards loved ones.

Numerology is a cultural tradition for exploring symbolism in names. Results are for entertainment purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the origin of the first name Holly?: The first name Holly originates from English. Holly is an English-language surname and given name. Holly is known as an English or Irish surname (variant Holley) it is either locational, ultimately derived from the Old English hol lēah "[dwelling by] the clearing by the hollow", or descriptive, from hol-ēage "hollow-eyed". In Ireland, it was also used as a translation of the name Mac Cuilinn, which is derived from cuileann, the Gaelic name of the holly tree, and by extension sometimes of the similar-sounding McQuillan surname of Ulster.
When was Holly most popular?: The name Holly reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.
What is the origin of the surname Willis?: The surname Willis originates from French. Willis is a surname of English, Norman French, and Scottish origin. The oldest extant family of the name, the Willes family of Warwickshire, formerly of Newbold Comyn and Fenny Compton, has used the spellings 'Willis,' 'Willys,' and 'Wyllys' and appear in records from 1330. In this case, the name derives from the name de Welles (under which name the family were Lincolnshire noblemen) which comes from the Norman name de Vallibus (meaning 'of the valley'), which in turn was derived from the Vaux family tree.
What are the origins of the name Holly Willis?: The name Holly Willis combines two different traditions: the first name Holly has English roots, while the surname Willis originates from French.