Otis
Boy name · #652 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Otis? In official American birth records, Otis has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Otis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Otis in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Otis is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Otis will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Otis is most common
Geography matters for names, and Otis is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Otis is most common in CO (0.7 per 1,000), MA (0.7 per 1,000), WI (0.6 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000), IN (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Otis is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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
How old is the name Otis?
In official American birth records, the name Otis first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 88 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.