Holding steady.
Popularity of Jolly since 1891
Babies named Jolly per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1934, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Jolly's real moment was 1891.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0 | 0 |
| 1910s | 0 | 51 |
| 1920s | 10 | 63 |
| 1930s | 30 | 92 |
| 1940s | 30 | 55 |
| 1950s | 21 | 45 |
| 1960s | 6 | 21 |
| 1970s | 0 | 11 |
| 1980s | 11 | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 |
| 2000s | 6 | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 |
| 2020s | 5 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Jolly is a rare English word name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1891, its peak year for usage. The name has never ranked among the top 1000 names, maintaining a stable but minimal presence since the 1890s. As a word name, it carries a straightforward positive meaning of merriment and cheer, though it never achieved the popularity of other virtue or word names. With no recorded usage as a '1 in N' name in recent decades, Jolly remains a curiosity of late 19th-century naming trends, appealing to those who appreciate its literal and uplifting meaning.
Jolly is an English word name derived from the Old French 'joli' meaning 'merry, gay, pretty'. It was used as a given name in the 19th century, occasionally for both boys and girls, but it never achieved widespread popularity. Its use as a given name declined after the early 1900s.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Jolie
Sibling names for Jolly
Names that share Jolly's style, for a brother or sister.
