Obed
Boy name · #2056 in 2025 · Very rare
Obed ranks #2056 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 72 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1740, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,000 boys born in 2025 was named Obed.
Babies named Obed per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Obed first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2005, when 137 boys were named Obed — good for #1162 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Obed against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Obed in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Obed is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Obed will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Obed is most common
State-level data for Obed is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Obed
Statistically, parents drawn to Obed tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Saeed, Syed, Saad, Waleed, and Osmar.
SaeedSyedSaadWaleedOsmarSaidKonradAman
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Obed | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 72 | #2056 |
| 2024 | 81 | #1938 |
| 2023 | 84 | #1875 |
| 2022 | 84 | #1875 |
| 2021 | 83 | #1853 |
| 2020 | 68 | #2069 |
| 2019 | 68 | #2110 |
| 2018 | 74 | #1981 |
| 2017 | 62 | #2170 |
| 2016 | 97 | #1641 |
| 2015 | 88 | #1740 |
| 2014 | 94 | #1641 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1568 |
| 2012 | 93 | #1657 |
| 2011 | 100 | #1565 |
| 2010 | 114 | #1447 |
| 2009 | 117 | #1433 |
| 2008 | 110 | #1482 |
| 2007 | 118 | #1387 |
| 2006 | 114 | #1391 |
| 2005 | 137 | #1162 |
| 2004 | 98 | #1435 |
| 2003 | 95 | #1400 |
| 2002 | 96 | #1372 |
| 2001 | 87 | #1429 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Obed a popular boy name?
Obed ranked #2056 among boys in 2025 with 72 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1740.
When was the name Obed most popular?
Obed peaked in 2005, when 137 American boys received the name (ranked #1162 that year). Since 2005 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Obed?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,000 newborn American boys was named Obed. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.