Oliver

The meaning of Oliver translates to ‘olive tree’ and this name has English origins. Oliver is derived from ‘olivarius’, a Latin word which means ‘olive tree planter’. The olive tree is seen as a symbol of peace and harmony. Charles Dickens popularized this name with his novel 'Oliver Twist'. Another origin of Oliver comes from the German word ‘aelfhaeri’ which is derived from ‘aelf’ meaning ‘elves’ and ‘haeri’ translating to ‘army’, thus combining to ‘army of elves’. German mythology has witnessed elves using with their magical powers to either help humans or place obstacles in their way. There is also a third origin of this name, which comes from ‘oleifr’, an Old Norsee word which means ‘the ancestor’s descendant’. Hollywood’s Oliver Reed, Oliver Phelps who played George Weasley in the 'Harry Potter' series, the inventor of the steam engine Oliver Evans and English poet Oliver W. F. Lodge are some of the notable Olivers.