The nameOlympe
Olympe is a French girl's name of Greek origin, taken from Mount Olympus, home of the gods. It has been coming back into fashion since the 2010s.
- Girl's name
- Greek
Meaning
Olympe comes from the Greek Olympos, Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. In mythology it was the home of Zeus and the other gods, so the name suggests height, light and the divine.
Origin
Greek, through the Latin Olympias. Olympias was the name of Alexander the Great's mother, and Saint Olympias was a widow of Constantinople in the 4th century and a close friend of Saint John Chrysostom. Olympe is the short French form; Olympia is its international form.
History
Olympe de Gouges, born Marie Gouze in Montauban in 1748, wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen in 1791. Guillotined in 1793, she is now seen as a pioneer of feminism, and she is the reason the name is famous. Almost unused in France for most of the 20th century, Olympe has come back since the 2010s, carried by the fashion for old and mythological names. In English-speaking countries the usual form is Olympia.
Did you know?
- Olympe de Gouges was guillotined in November 1793 for her political writings.
Famous people named Olympe
- Olympe de Gouges, writer
- Olympe Bradna, French actress in Hollywood
Popularity of the name Olympe
Olympe in France
Olympe was most popular in France in the 2020s, with 2,290 births over the decade, 30% of all recorded babies named Olympe. Half of all babies named Olympe in France were born before 2010, so it is mostly a name of today's children and teenagers. Over the last five years on record, it has been rising: 396 births a year on average, against 237 in the five years before.
Olympe in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Olympe mean?
Olympe comes from the Greek Olympos, Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. In mythology it was the home of Zeus and the other gods, so the name suggests height, light and the divine.
What is the origin of the name Olympe?
Greek, through the Latin Olympias. Olympias was the name of Alexander the Great's mother, and Saint Olympias was a widow of Constantinople in the 4th century and a close friend of Saint John Chrysostom. Olympe is the short French form; Olympia is its international form.
Is Olympe a girl's or a boy's name?
Olympe is a girl's name.
Who are famous people named Olympe?
Olympe de Gouges, writer; Olympe Bradna, French actress in Hollywood.