Origin, Meaning, And History Of Holly
The feminine name Holly refers to the Holly Tree with red berries and is derived from “holen,” an Old English word. It may also be from the French word “houx,” meaning ‘shrub.’ The houx is an evergreen tree with red berries and prickly leaves. The Irish also used it as a translation of the name Mac Cuilinn, which derives from cuileann, the Gaelic name of the holly tree.
Holly is also a toponymic surname originating from the industrious people of the county of Flanders. It was given to people residing near areas with hills, streams, churches, or certain types of trees. Another meaning associated with the name is “dwelling by the hollow.” The name Holly is often given to baby girls born in December, as customarily, the holly tree’s distinctive leaves and red berries are used in Christmas decorations.
The ancient Celts began the tradition of decorating homes with Holly, believing the bright decorations would bring them good luck. The name Holly first appeared as a feminine name in the 20th century. In the US it was first used in the 1930s and is believed to have been popularized by Holly Golightly, a character in the novel Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote. It was later adapted into a movie in 1961. Thus Holley became more popular in the US in the latter part of the 1900s.
The name Holly has several variations, including Hollie, Holli, Hollee, Holleigh, Hollis, Hollyann, and Holley. Hol, Holls, Holl, Holly Bear, and Holly Berry are some nicknames associated with the name Holly. Masculine variants of the name Holly include Hollis in English, Holic in Czech, and Holleb in Polish.
There are several references to the name in the fictional world. For example, Holly Flax is the HR representative and a character in The Office. Other characters by the name are Holly Holliday, the substitute teacher from Glee, and Holly Robinson, a supporting character of Catwoman in DC Comics .
Unisex
Christianity
English, French
9
Two
1 word, 5 letters, 1 vowel, 4 consonants
Short and easy to pronounce
How To Pronounce Holly?
The way you pronounce a name can make all the difference.
Listen to the sound of the name Holly in English.
Famous People With The Name Holly
- Holley FainAmerican actress, famous as Dr. Julia Canner from Grey’s Anatomy, and Maureen van der Bilt from Gossip Girl
- Holly RothAmerican crime writer in the genres of detective fiction and spy fiction, with twelve novels and many short stories to her name, along with an Edgar Award nomination
- Holly Marie CombsAmerican actress and producer famously known as Kimberly Brock from Picket Fences , Piper Halliwell from Charmed, and Ella Montgomery from Pretty Little Liars and a recipient of the Best Young Actress in a New Television Series (1993)
Holly On MomJunction Popularity Chart
Know how popular the name Holly is among the MomJunction readers. We used a unique approach to gather relevant insights for creating this popularity chart by observing the interactions and interest around the name on our platform. See what the trend has been among our readers over these past years.
Names With Similar Sound As Holly
Holly is a name with a pleasant sound. If you want to explore more names with a similar ring, have a look at the list below.
Popular Sibling Names For Holly
If you are looking for some matching sibling names that resonate with Holly, check our suggestions here.
Boy Sibling Names For Holly
Find matching brother names for Holly and create a wonderful team of siblings.
Haele Hailen Halbert Halburt Hale Halebeorht Haligwiella Halin Hallam HalleyGirl Sibling Names For Holly
Looking for some suitable sister names for Holly? Check out our collection of beautiful and unique names.
Haelee Haeley Haely Haila Haileigh Hailey Hailie Haisley Halee HaleighOther Popular Names Beginning With H
Looking for more baby names starting with the letter H to resonate with your family’s naming tradition or to rhyme with the sibling names? Find a range of alternative names starting with this letter.
Names With Similar Meaning As Holly
Listed below are a variety of delightful names that share a similar essence as Holly.
Popular Songs On The Name Holly
Holly’s Zodiac Sign And Birth Star As Per Vedic Astrology
Vedic astrology, also called Jyotisha, provides deep insights into a person’s life based on celestial positions at birth. Rashi and nakshatra, which are an integral part of Jyotisha, are believed to influence an individual’s personality and life events. The following sections give you rashi-related information, such as the associated letters, elements, ruling body, quality, and nakshatra for the name holly. These details help analyze a person’s characteristics, personality, and behavior.
Zodiac Sign (Rashi)
As shown in the following table, each rashi is associated with specific sounds, which are often used as the starting letters of names for newborns in Hindu families. Each rashi is represented by a figure and one of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether (Space). One ruling celestial body, known as its 'rashi lord' or 'ruler' is assigned to these rashis. These bodies include Venus, Mars, Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Furthermore, the rashis are assigned various qualities or gunas.
Rashi (zodiac sign) | Karka (Cancer) |
---|---|
Starting letters for Karka (Cancer) rashi | DD, H |
Representation | Crab |
Element | Water |
Ruling body | Moon |
Quality | Movable |
Birth Star (Nakshatra)
Another important aspect of Vedic Astrology is the nakshatras, the lunar constellations or star clusters that the Moon occupies during a person's birth. There are 27 nakshatras, each with its own unique qualities, attributes, and symbolism. Each rashi contains two-and-one-fourth nakshatras in it. For example, Aries contains Ashwini, Bharani, and Krithika nakshatras.
The below table provides information on the nakshatras’ degrees on the zodiac circle, their lords and related syllables, for babies born in the Karka (Cancer) rashi. These syllables/phonetics are popularly used to choose the baby name. For precise nakshatra calculation based on your baby's birthplace and date, use our Nakshatra Calculator.
Nakshatra | Degrees Of The Nakshatra | Nakshatra Lord (Ruler) | Name Syllables |
---|---|---|---|
Punarvasu (Punartham, Punarpoosam) | Cancer (0 to 3.20 degrees) | Jupiter | Ke, Kay, Ko, Ha, Hi, Hee |
Pushya (Pooyam, Pushyami) | Cancer (3.20 to 16.40 degrees) | Saturn | Hu, He, Ho, Da |
Aslesha (Aayilyam) | Cancer (16.40 to 30 degrees) | Mercury | Di, Du, De, Do, Dee, Me, Da |
Infographic: Know The Name Holly‘s Personality As Per Numerology
Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.
Download InfographicHolly In Different Languages
It’s exciting to see our baby’s name spelled and written in various languages. See how people spell Holly in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and more! Each language has its own way of saying Holly, but it’s still the same special name. Learn how the name looks and sounds in different languages around the world!
Name | Language | Code |
---|---|---|
Holly | English | en |
冬青 | Chinese | zh-CN |
होली | Hindi | hi |
Holly | Spanish | es |
Holly | French | fr |
هولي | Arabic | ar |
হলি | Bengali | bn |
Holly | Portuguese | pt |
Холли | Russian | ru |
ہولی | Urdu | ur |
Holly | Indonesian | id |
Holly | German | de |
ヒイラギ | Japanese | ja |
होली | Marathi | mr |
హోలీ | Telugu | te |
Holly | Turkish | tr |
ஹோலி | Tamil | ta |
Holly | Vietnamese | vi |
Holly | Tagalog | tl |
홀리 | Korean | ko |
Holly | Hausa | ha |
Holly | Swahili | sw |
Holly | Javanese | jv |
Holly | Italian | it |
ਹੋਲੀ | Punjabi | pa |
હોલી | Gujarati | gu |
ฮอลลี่ | Thai | th |
ಹಾಲಿ | Kannada | kn |
ሆሊ | Amharic | am |
होली | Bhojpuri | bho |
Holly | Yoruba | yo |
How To Communicate The Name Holly In Sign Languages
In Nautical Flags
holly
In Sign Language
holly
In Braille Alphabet
holly
In Morse Code
holly
Name Numerology For Holly
Numerology is an occult system that gives significance to numbers and their influence on human life and destiny. Numerologists attribute specific qualities, energies, and characteristics to a number. Parents who believe in numerology prefer to choose baby names that resonate positively with the child’s unique numerical vibrations, often derived from their date of birth. Here we give a general birth number and personality traits of the name Holly, based on the Pythagorean (Western) system. This analysis will differ from child to child based on their date of birth. You may use our numerology calculator for more personalized information.
Baby Name Lists Containing Holly
Read through our baby name lists that include the name Holly and several other similar names. The wider the choice, the better your selection. Isn't it?
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Movie Titles Inspired By The Name Holly
Discover the presence of Holly in an array of films. Know about the various movies that have this name.
Movie title | Other titles | Release year |
---|---|---|
Holly | Девственность Холли, Холли | 2023 |
The Holly | 2022 | |
Holly Slept Over | Entre amigos, Holly bekavar, Im Bett mit Holly, Nocka u Holly, Qué pasa cuando eres adulto, Um Fim De Semana Com Holly, Холли остается ночевать, 荷莉過夜日記 | 2020 |
Holly Day | 2018 | |
Holly Near: Singing For Our Lives | Holly Near: Singing for Our Lives | 2018 |
Holly Star | Blago za Božić, Ein Schatz zu Weihnachten, Tesouros de Família, Un Trésor pour Noël | 2018 |
Holly Does Hollywood 4 | 1991 | |
Holly Does Hollywood Again | Holly Does Hollywood 2, Holly rumbo a Hollywood de nuevo | 1987 |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Holly?
The name Holly means ‘Holly tree with red berries.’
2. What is the origin of the name Holly?
Holly has an English and French origin.
3. Is Holly a popular name?
According to the SSA popularity data, the name Holly rose seven ranks higher to 459 in 2022 from rank 466 in 2021. The name has been within the top 500 names in the US, which means Holly is a popular name in the US (1).
4. What is a nickname for Holly?
Parents may choose any nickname for their child based on their personal preferences. If you are looking for a nickname for Holly, you can consider Holz, Holls, Hollyberry, Hollypop, Hollykins, Hollybear, and Hollsicle.
5. Is Holly an old name?
Holly may have been around for centuries as a word referring to the Holly tree with red and black fruits and as a toponymic surname for people inhabiting areas of hills, streams, and specific trees. However, as a girl’s name, it is believed to have been used since the 20th century.
References:
- Names that increased in popularity from 2021 to 2022;
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/popularity_increase.html
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