21 November: Oliver Name Day

In Hungary, today is the name day of people called Oliver. Oliver is a masculine given name of Old French and Medieval British origin, said to be derived from the Latin olivarius, meaning "olive tree planter". Alternative theories include that it derives from Old German words for "Wolf" or "Army." From 2013 to 2017, Oliver was the most popular given name for baby boys born in England. Here are 10 famous Olivers:

1. Oliver Cromwell: English military and political leader and later Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Known for being a bit of a misery who cancelled Christmas and didn't want people having any fun.
2. Oliver Hardy: American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy.
3. Oliver Postgate: English animator, puppeteer and writer, creator of some of Britain's most popular children's television programmes including Bagpuss, Pingwings, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Clangers and Pogles' Wood. In a 1999 BBC poll Bagpuss was voted the most popular children's television programme of all time.
4. Oliver Reed: English actor known for his macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. Notable films include Women in Love, The Three Musketeers, Tommy, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Gladiator. He's also known for playing Bill Sikes in, appropriately enough, Oliver! Which brings us neatly to...
5. Oliver Twist: protagonist of Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, the little boy who asked for more.
6. Oliver Stone: American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films include Midnight Express, Scarface, Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, Wall Street and its sequel Money Never Sleeps, The Doors and Natural Born Killers.
7. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr: American physician and poet, one of the fireside poets. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table in 1858. In addition to his work as an author and poet, Holmes also served as a physician, professor, lecturer and inventor. He had a son, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr who became one of the most influential American common law judges, known for concise wit and pithy opinions. Holmes retired from the court at the age of 90, an unbeaten record for oldest justice on the federal Supreme Court.
8. Oliver the Great Western Engine: An engine in the Thomas the Tank Engine series who 'escaped' from the Other Railway where he was due to be scrapped. He first appears in the book Enterprising Engines, where he was rescued by Douglas.
9. Oliver Goldsmith: Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright and poet, best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield and his play She Stoops to Conquer. He is thought to have written the classic children's tale The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes.
10. Oliver, or Olivier de Vienne or de Gennes: a legendary knight who appears in the French epic The Song of Roland. He was Roland's closest friend, advisor, confidant and brother-in-law to be, one of Charlemange's twelve peers and brother of Aude, Roland's betrothed. He dies with Roland at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. Oliver's sword is described as being of burnished steel, with a crystal embedded in a golden hilt. Its name, Hauteclere "high [and] neat".

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