Hollis
Meaning of Hollis
Hollis began life as an English surname for someone “who lived by the holly trees,” the element holis tracing back to Old English holegn. As a given name it has long floated in the American charts—never common, never gone—its ranking oscillating between the low 300s in the 1920s and the mid-700s today, a pattern that statisticians would label “stable low incidence.” Its unisex status aligns it with modern naming preferences, yet its history grants it a certain tweed-and-ivy gravitas, evoking small parish lanes edged with evergreen spines. In literature and pop culture it surfaces quietly—Hollis Mason, the earnest first Nite Owl of Watchmen, or singer-songwriter Hollis Brown—contributing a subtle layer of counter-culture credibility without tipping into fad territory. Pronounced HAH-lis (/hɑːlɪs/), the name offers a crisp, two-syllable cadence that fits both boardroom and playground, making it an appealing choice for parents who value gender flexibility, restrained rarity, and a dash of botanical lore.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as HAH-lis (/hɑːlɪs/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Hollis
| Hollis Watkins was a dedicated civil rights activist in Mississippi who organized with SNCC, played a key role in Freedom Summer, and founded support groups for grassroots movements. |
| Keith Hollis Thompson II is an American professional basketball player for Al-Nasr Benghazi in Libya, having played college basketball for Georgetown and 265 NBA games with the 76ers and Pelicans. |
| Hollis Conway is a renowned track and field high jumper who won two Olympic medals and dominated as the top-ranked American for seven consecutive years. |
| Hollis Summers - Hollis S. Summers Jr. was an American poet, novelist, short story writer, and editor. |
| Hollis Wong-Wear is an American singer best known for featuring on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis's "White Walls" and is also a spoken-word artist. |
