Odessa
Borrowed from Russian Оде́сса (Odéssa), named after an Ancient Greek settlement thought to have been located nearby.
Every Odessa since 1880 — 18,718 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Odessa
Odessa is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,197 in 2025 with 193 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 18,718 American babies have been named Odessa. Its peak came in 1920, when 470 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Odessa stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Odessa year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 193 | #1,197 | — | — |
| 2024 | 133 | #1,587 | — | — |
| 2023 | 109 | #1,847 | — | — |
| 2022 | 115 | #1,791 | — | — |
| 2021 | 126 | #1,663 | — | — |
| 2020 | 131 | #1,603 | — | — |
| 2019 | 118 | #1,753 | — | — |
| 2018 | 112 | #1,827 | — | — |
| 2017 | 99 | #2,002 | — | — |
| 2016 | 81 | #2,340 | — | — |
| 2015 | 75 | #2,451 | — | — |
| 2014 | 61 | #2,834 | — | — |
| 2013 | 47 | #3,397 | — | — |
| 2012 | 46 | #3,512 | — | — |
| 2011 | 46 | #3,487 | — | — |
| 2010 | 49 | #3,350 | — | — |
| 2009 | 44 | #3,663 | — | — |
| 2008 | 59 | #2,986 | — | — |
| 2007 | 64 | #2,846 | — | — |
| 2006 | 52 | #3,213 | — | — |
| 2005 | 46 | #3,355 | — | — |
| 2004 | 60 | #2,732 | — | — |
| 2003 | 59 | #2,695 | — | — |
| 2002 | 52 | #2,879 | — | — |
| 2001 | 52 | #2,838 | — | — |
| 2000 | 56 | #2,662 | — | — |
| 1995 | 53 | #2,446 | — | — |
| 1990 | 48 | #2,509 | — | — |
| 1985 | 38 | #2,580 | — | — |
| 1980 | 45 | #2,239 | — | — |
| 1975 | 47 | #1,927 | — | — |
| 1970 | 39 | #2,106 | — | — |
| 1965 | 64 | #1,386 | — | — |
| 1960 | 95 | #1,112 | — | — |
| 1955 | 103 | #988 | — | — |
| 1950 | 137 | #737 | 5 | #4,051 |
| 1945 | 159 | #582 | — | — |
| 1940 | 184 | #511 | — | — |
| 1935 | 224 | #430 | — | — |
| 1930 | 289 | #398 | — | — |
| 1925 | 437 | #321 | 9 | #3,079 |
| 1920 | 464 | #304 | 6 | #4,145 |
| 1915 | 343 | #322 | — | — |
| 1910 | 194 | #280 | — | — |
| 1905 | 113 | #318 | — | — |
| 1900 | 91 | #356 | — | — |
| 1895 | 51 | #396 | — | — |
| 1890 | 34 | #442 | — | — |
| 1885 | 17 | #535 | — | — |
| 1880 | 14 | #464 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Odessa mean?
Borrowed from Russian Оде́сса (Odéssa), named after an Ancient Greek settlement thought to have been located nearby.
How popular is the name Odessa in 2025?
Odessa ranked #1,197 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 193 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Odessa?
18,718 babies have been named Odessa in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Odessa most popular?
Odessa peaked in 1920, when 470 newborns received the name.
Is Odessa a boy or girl name?
Odessa is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Odessa rising or falling?
Odessa is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.