Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1919

Ossie

Gender Unisex · 63% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Ossie
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1919
138 babies
All-time total
4,594
#3,662 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Ossie popularity over time

4,594 babies have been named Ossie since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 71 41 112 11 – #553
1890s 143 48 191 19 +71% #622
1900s 284 73 357 36 +87% #619
1910s 614 241 855 86 +139% #654
1920s 730 282 1,012 101 +18% #796
1930s 487 236 723 72 -29% #913
1940s 319 241 560 56 -23% #1,165
1950s 196 185 381 38 -32% #2,054
1960s 67 124 191 19 -50% #3,693
1970s – 85 85 9 -55% –
1980s 6 57 63 6 -26% #9,989
1990s – 30 30 3 -52% –
2000s – 29 29 3 -3% –
2010s – 5 5 1 -83% –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Ossie

Ossie is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 4,594 American babies have been named Ossie, about 63% girls and 37% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1919, when 138 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Ossie stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ossie?

The median living Ossie is about 73 years old; half are between 62 and 82. An estimated 1,200 people named Ossie are alive in the United States today.

median 73 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Ossie 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – 5 #13,513
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – 6 #11,978
2006 – – 6 #11,678
2005 – – – –
2004 – – 6 #10,968
2003 – – 6 #10,516
2002 – – – –
2001 – – 5 #11,845
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – 8 #6,259
1985 – – 9 #4,593
1980 6 #9,989 7 #5,348
1975 – – 6 #5,280
1970 – – 11 #3,022
1965 11 #4,130 5 #4,291
1960 5 #7,049 15 #2,180
1955 11 #3,725 18 #1,888
1950 22 #2,107 22 #1,602
1945 31 #1,474 20 #1,523
1940 40 #1,165 23 #1,424
1935 44 #1,051 17 #1,744
1930 64 #913 29 #1,363
1925 85 #804 22 #1,664
1920 83 #796 42 #1,105
1915 71 #786 22 #1,495
1910 43 #654 18 #725
1905 30 #654 9 #902
1900 32 #631 15 #673
1895 15 #854 6 #1,049
1890 9 #990 – –
1885 6 #1,020 7 #820
1880 5 #913 9 #673

Famous people named Ossie

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Ossie Davis Ossie Davis American actor, director, writer, and activist (1917–2005) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Ossie, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Ossie?

The median living Ossie is about 73 years old. Half of all living Ossies are between 62 and 82 years old.

How many people named Ossie are alive today?

An estimated 1,200 people named Ossie are alive in the United States, based on 4,594 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Ossie in 2025?

Ossie did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Ossie?

4,594 babies have been named Ossie in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ossie most popular?

Ossie peaked in 1919, when 138 newborns received the name.

Is Ossie a boy or girl name?

Ossie is used for both: about 63% of babies named Ossie have been girls and 37% boys.

Is the name Ossie rising or falling?

Ossie has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Ossie?

Well-known people named Ossie include Ossie Davis (actor).

Names like Ossie

Names that sound and feel close to Ossie: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Ossie with similar names → More names starting with O →