Obed
Boy name · #2056 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
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, 1880–2025. 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?
Obed scores 70 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Obed is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Obeds were TX (13), CA (6), AZ (5), FL (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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. It scores 70/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "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.