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Holland

♂ Boy

Pronounced HOL-uhnd /ˈhɑ.lənd/Medium

Meaning: A transferred place name and surname referring to the Holland region; from Middle Dutch 'holt land' meaning 'wooded land' (also an English place name).Medium

In 30 seconds: Holland is a place name and surname from the Holland region, built on Middle Dutch holt land, 'wooded land'.
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Origin MediumDutch, Old English
MeaningA transferred place name and surname referring to the Holland region; from Middle Dutch 'holt land' meaning 'wooded land' (also an English place name).
U.S. rank (2024)#1562 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births111 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,036

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202218882024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

The name points to the Holland region, whose own name comes from the Middle Dutch holt land, meaning 'wooded land'; it is also an English place name. Used first as a surname and then as a given name, it keeps that map-and-landscape character. The meaning sits in the geography rather than in any personal-name tradition.

It has a smooth, two-syllable flow that works equally well as a surname-style first name. Parents drawn to it tend to like the blend of European place imagery and its soft sound.

Did you know? Holland likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Holland — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Holland…

Holt— Shares the Middle Dutch holt 'wood' element at the root of Holland.
Zealand— Another European place name used for boys, also ending in 'land'.
Sutton— A place-and-surname name with the same understated, transferred feel.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Holland mean?

Holland is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Holland?

It's commonly said HOL-uhnd /ˈhɑ.lənd/.

Is Holland a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Holland is used as a boy name.

How popular is Holland?

In 2024, Holland ranked #1562 in the U.S. for boys, with 111 births recorded.