ollie

Ollie is a given name, nickname, and surname, most often a diminutive of Oliver. It is used in English-speaking countries and appears in various cultural contexts.

In skateboarding, the ollie refers to a fundamental trick in which the rider and board leap into the air together without using the hands. The trick is performed by popping the tail of the board against the ground with the back foot, while the front foot slides forward to level the board, allowing it to rise smoothly. The move originated in the late 1970s and is commonly credited to American skater Alan Gelfand, whose nickname “Ollie” is said to have inspired the name of the trick. Today the ollie is the foundation of modern street skating and the basis for many variations, as well as adaptations in related board sports such as snowboarding and longboarding.

Notable people named Ollie include Ollie Pope (born 1998), an English cricketer. The name continues to be used as a casual form of Oliver in contemporary naming conventions. Overall, Ollie remains both a widely used personal name and a key term in skateboarding lore.