Olson
Boy name · #3680 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Olson? In official American birth records, Olson has been tracked continuously since 1927, giving it 98 years of documented American history.
Olson is currently the #3680 boy name in the United States — 30 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #6676, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 60,000 boys born in 2025 was named Olson.
The 98-year story
Olson first appears in the Social Security records in 1927, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 36 babies and a rank of #3272. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Olson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Olson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Olson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Olson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Olson will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Olson is most common
State-level data for Olson is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Olson
Statistically, parents drawn to Olson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Orson, Reason, Koleson, Woodson, and Ederson.
OrsonReasonKolesonWoodsonEdersonJeisonYeisonAyson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Olson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #3658 |
| 2024 | 36 | #3272 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4002 |
| 2022 | 21 | #4701 |
| 2021 | 14 | #6032 |
| 2020 | 14 | #5980 |
| 2019 | 13 | #6406 |
| 2018 | 22 | #4476 |
| 2017 | 14 | #6060 |
| 2016 | 16 | #5555 |
| 2015 | 12 | #6676 |
| 2014 | 15 | #5733 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7537 |
| 2011 | 6 | #10808 |
| 2010 | 6 | #10766 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12553 |
| 2005 | 6 | #10151 |
| 2004 | 5 | #11356 |
| 1997 | 5 | #9265 |
| 1982 | 5 | #6385 |
| 1968 | 6 | #3673 |
| 1960 | 5 | #4038 |
| 1957 | 8 | #3024 |
| 1956 | 5 | #3942 |
| 1955 | 5 | #3886 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Olson?
In official American birth records, the name Olson first appeared in 1927 (over 98 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 98 years.
Is Olson a popular boy name?
Olson ranked #3680 among boys in 2025 with 30 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6676.
When was the name Olson most popular?
Olson peaked in 2024, when 36 American boys received the name (ranked #3272 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Olson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 60,000 newborn American boys was named Olson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.