Oliwia — Name Day, Meaning & Origin

Female Polish given name · 3420 births in 2024 (rank 7)

A gentle female name linked to the olive tree and peace, very fashionable today.

Pronunciation

/ɔ.ˈli.vja/ · aw-LEE-vyah

Meaning

Oliwia is the Polish form of the name Olivia, whose meaning is connected with the olive tree and the olive. Since antiquity the olive has symbolized peace, wisdom and abundance, so the name evokes harmony and gentleness.

Origin & history

The name was popularized in the English-speaking world by Shakespeare, who gave it to a character in the comedy "Twelfth Night". The Polish spelling with the letter "w" is relatively new and gained enormous popularity only in recent decades, becoming one of the most frequently chosen names for girls.

Etymology

The source is the Latin oliva — "olive, olive tree"; the same root appears in words such as olive oil and the olive branch as a symbol of peace.

Declension (Polish cases)

Nominative	Oliwia
Genitive	Oliwii
Dative	Oliwii
Accusative	Oliwię
Instrumental	Oliwią
Locative	Oliwii
Vocative	Oliwio

Name day (imieniny)

In Poland, Oliwia celebrates its name day on 5 March, 3 June.

Diminutives

Oliwka, Ola, Oliwcia, Oliwunia, Liwia.

Forms in other languages

Equivalents in other languages include Olivia (English, Italian, German, Scandinavian), Olívia (Portuguese, Hungarian) and Olivija in the Baltic and South Slavic languages.

Notable people named Oliwia

Oliwia Bieniuk — Polish actress and dancer, daughter of Anna Przybylska.

Oliwia Dąbrowska — Played the "girl in the red coat" in "Schindler's List".

Popularity

For years Oliwia has been among the most frequently given names for baby girls in Poland.