Hollis

Holly ranked among the top girls' names in the second half of the twentieth century. The retro name now feels like a modern classic. It still works, but there are fresher spins on the name. One example is Hollis. 

Hollis is a surname-name derived from the root words holegn "holly" and kel "prick". Its use as a surname dates from Medieval England. Hollis was given to families who lived near holly trees. It took several centuries for Hollis to promote to first-name status. 

Hollis was first recorded for at least 5 girls in 1895. It even broke the charts fifty years later. Hollis debuted in the top 1000 in 1948 and 1949. The name ranked again from 1951 to 1955, peaking at #772 in 1953. For boys, the name ranked every year until the early 1970s. Its quiet use for all genders over time makes Hollis unisex in style. 

Hollis may have the same unisex surname-name status as modern hits like Everly and Piper. Unlike these names, though, Hollis is clearly not new. Decades of history is rare when it comes to unisex surname-names. That makes Hollis sound more appealing. 

Hollis remains rare as a girls' name today. It is also more common than ever before despite the rankings suggesting otherwise. 

NAME STYLES:

Surname, Underused, Unisex

SISTERS:

Adair, Cleo, Ellery, Marlowe, Petra, Sylvie

BROTHERS:

Campbell, Hawkins, Ivor, Murphy, Rand, Truman

ALTERNATIVES:

Connolly, Ferris, Halston, Hathaway, Linden, Wallis

What do you think about Hollis?