Otis
Boy name · #652 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Otis ranks #652 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 422 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #844, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,265 boys born in 2025 was named Otis.
The 145-year story
Otis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 88 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 1,031 boys were named Otis — good for #146 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Otis per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Otis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Otis in class?
Otis scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Otis is most common
Geography matters for names, and Otis is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Otiss were CA (53), TX (24), NY (20), CO (19), FL (19). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Otis
Statistically, parents drawn to Otis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lewis, Amos, Hollis, Francis, and Louis.
LewisAmosHollisFrancisLouisClydeHughLyle
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Otis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 422 | #652 |
| 2024 | 359 | #732 |
| 2023 | 420 | #651 |
| 2022 | 456 | #613 |
| 2021 | 427 | #646 |
| 2020 | 413 | #648 |
| 2019 | 351 | #706 |
| 2018 | 325 | #736 |
| 2017 | 319 | #744 |
| 2016 | 324 | #750 |
| 2015 | 266 | #844 |
| 2014 | 203 | #1008 |
| 2013 | 177 | #1063 |
| 2012 | 183 | #1046 |
| 2011 | 144 | #1212 |
| 2010 | 122 | #1376 |
| 2009 | 131 | #1324 |
| 2008 | 120 | #1408 |
| 2007 | 112 | #1442 |
| 2006 | 107 | #1447 |
| 2005 | 106 | #1402 |
| 2004 | 80 | #1618 |
| 2003 | 78 | #1611 |
| 2002 | 82 | #1514 |
| 2001 | 115 | #1185 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Otis a popular boy name?
Otis ranked #652 among boys in 2025 with 422 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #844.
When was the name Otis most popular?
Otis peaked in 1920, when 1,031 American boys received the name (ranked #146 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Otis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,265 newborn American boys was named Otis. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.