Jolly

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Jolly

Pronounced JOL-ee /ˈdʒɑl.i/Medium

Meaning: Jolly comes from the English word jolly, 'merry, cheerful,' which itself passed into English from Old French. It is also a real surname, sometimes a nickname for a good-humored person, and its use as a first name draws on both that cheerful word and the family name behind it.Low

In 30 seconds: Jolly is a rare boy's name from the word 'jolly,' meaning merry or cheerful, and an English surname. It is said JOL-ee.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningJolly comes from the English word jolly, 'merry, cheerful,' which itself passed into English from Old French. It is also a real surname, sometimes a nickname for a good-humored person, and its use as a first name draws on both that cheerful word and the family name behind it.

U.S. rank (1978)#5406 ↘ Falling

1978 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1934

Total births (all-time)≈ 348

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jolly traces to the everyday word for 'merry' or 'cheerful,' which came into English from Old French. It also lives on as a surname, often begun as a nickname for a lively, good-humored person, and its first-name use plays on both the sunny word and that family-name history.

It was never common as a given name, appearing for only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the mid-nineteen-thirties, and it stayed a rarity. A boy named Jolly then would be a great-grandfather today.

Did you know? As a medieval nickname, Jolly was pinned on someone known for good cheer, and that byname hardened into a lasting English surname.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Jolly — Word 'jolly' (merry, cheerful) via Old French; also an English surname; both routes noted.

Variations

JolyJolleyJollie

Nicknames

JolJolls

Famous Bearers

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If you like Jolly…

Jolene— a comparable Jol- name in sound

Jody— a warm, informal J- name of the era

Jonah— another two-syllable J- boy's name

Grizzly— a fellow English choice

Early— another English name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jolly mean?

It is from the English word 'jolly,' meaning merry or cheerful, and is also an established English surname.

How do you pronounce Jolly?

It is said JOL-ee /ˈdʒɑl.i/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Jolly a boy or girl name?

Jolly is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Jolly?

Jolly was always rare in the United States, appearing for only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the mid-nineteen-thirties.