Oliver /oliv-er/ [3 sylls.] as a boys' name is pronounced AH-lih-ver. It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Oliver is olive tree.Name of one of Charlemagne's knights in the 12th-century poem Chanson de Roland. Also possibly from Alfihar (Old German) host of elves or Olafr (Old Norse) ancestor.Biblical: the olive tree is a symbol of fruitfulness, beauty, and dignity.liver is a very prominent first name for males (#319 out of 1220, Top 26%) and also a very prominent last name for all people (#248 out of 150436, Top 1%). (2000 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity of Oliver for boys. Oliver reached its peak rank of #32 in the U.S. in 2014.