Otis
English surname from the medieval name Ode, “wealth”; American use honored Revolutionary orator James Otis.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Otis appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in 3 different years between 1899 and 1909. Its biggest year was 1920, when 1,031 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 146 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1899, at No. 94. In 2025 it ranked No. 652 for boys. All told, 61,969 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Ottis (4,647) (total births since 1880)
Explore Otis interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,006 | No. 119 |
| 1890s | 1,349 | No. 94 |
| 1900s | 1,966 | No. 99 |
| 1910s | 6,963 | No. 109 |
| 1920s | 9,352 | No. 146 |
| 1930s | 7,456 | No. 172 |
| 1940s | 7,654 | No. 195 |
| 1950s | 7,285 | No. 221 |
| 1960s | 4,955 | No. 326 |
| 1970s | 3,553 | No. 366 |
| 1980s | 2,237 | No. 492 |
| 1990s | 1,367 | No. 697 |
| 2000s | 1,028 | No. 1185 |
| 2010s | 2,414 | No. 706 |
| 2020s | 2,497 | No. 613 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.