Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2018

Othniel

Meaning God Gender Boy Rank 2025 #2,746 Trend ↓ Falling 25%

From Biblical Hebrew עָתְנִיאֵל (ʿOṯnīʾēl), of uncertain meaning but at any rate ending in אֵל (ʾēl, “God”).

Rank 2025
#2,746
among boys · ↑1,017 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
47
named Othniel · +57% vs 2024
How common
1 in 36,342
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2018
64 babies
All-time total
715
#6,349 all-time among boys
First recorded
1924
in Social Security records

Othniel popularity over time

715 babies have been named Othniel since 1924, 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
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2018Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s 5 1 – #4,803
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s 6 1 – #4,820
1980s 22 2 +267% #4,795
1990s 42 4 +91% #7,680
2000s 89 9 +112% #5,795
2010s 325 33 +265% #2,186
2020s (to 2025) 226 38 +16% #2,746

Where Othniel is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 45 0.03 outside top 500
2027 43 0.03 outside top 500
2028 41 0.02 outside top 500
2029 40 0.02 outside top 500
2030 39 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Othniel

Othniel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,746 in 2025 with 47 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1924, 715 American babies have been named Othniel. Its peak came in 2018, when 64 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

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

How old are people named Othniel?

The median living Othniel is about 8 years old; half are between 4 and 14. An estimated 700 people named Othniel are alive in the United States today.

median 8 020406080100

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

Othniel year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 47 #2,746
2024 30 #3,763
2023 36 #3,329
2022 33 #3,515
2021 42 #2,957
2020 38 #3,061
2019 56 #2,413
2018 64 #2,186
2017 44 #2,788
2016 27 #3,959
2015 31 #3,568
2014 37 #3,074
2013 24 #4,147
2012 19 #4,995
2011 12 #6,896
2010 11 #7,446
2009 11 #7,570
2008 15 #5,986
2007 14 #6,178
2006 8 #9,346
2005 8 #8,890
2004 8 #8,715
2003 13 #5,795
2002 5 #11,990
2001 7 #8,975
2000 – –
1995 6 #8,588
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Othniel

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

  1. 1 Othniel Charles Marsh Othniel Charles Marsh American paleontologist (1831–1899) 19th century
  2. 2 Othniel Othniel First judge of Israel

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Othniel?

The median living Othniel is about 8 years old. Half of all living Othniels are between 4 and 14 years old.

How many people named Othniel are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Othniel are alive in the United States, based on 715 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Othniel mean?

From Biblical Hebrew עָתְנִיאֵל (ʿOṯnīʾēl), of uncertain meaning but at any rate ending in אֵל (ʾēl, “God”).

How popular is the name Othniel in 2025?

Othniel ranked #2,746 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 47 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Othniel?

715 babies have been named Othniel in the United States since 1924, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Othniel most popular?

Othniel peaked in 2018, when 64 newborns received the name.

Is Othniel a boy or girl name?

Othniel is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Othniel rising or falling?

Othniel is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Othniel become more popular?

Othniel is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 39 boys named Othniel in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Othniel?

Well-known people named Othniel include Othniel Charles Marsh (archaeologist), Othniel (politician).

Names like Othniel

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

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