Otto
Borrowed from German Otto, from Old High German, short form of compound names (such as Otachar, Ottokar) beginning with Proto-West Germanic *aud, from Proto-Germanic…
Every Otto since 1880 — 40,015 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Otto
Otto is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #277 in 2025 with 1,241 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 40,015 American babies have been named Otto. Its peak came in 2024, when 1,244 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Otto stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Otto 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 | — | — | 1,241 | #277 |
| 2024 | — | — | 1,244 | #274 |
| 2023 | — | — | 1,193 | #282 |
| 2022 | — | — | 1,082 | #311 |
| 2021 | — | — | 975 | #335 |
| 2020 | — | — | 792 | #389 |
| 2019 | — | — | 719 | #429 |
| 2018 | — | — | 707 | #431 |
| 2017 | — | — | 617 | #478 |
| 2016 | — | — | 560 | #526 |
| 2015 | — | — | 526 | #544 |
| 2014 | — | — | 417 | #630 |
| 2013 | — | — | 343 | #697 |
| 2012 | — | — | 288 | #789 |
| 2011 | — | — | 213 | #936 |
| 2010 | — | — | 180 | #1,079 |
| 2009 | — | — | 172 | #1,083 |
| 2008 | — | — | 136 | #1,282 |
| 2007 | — | — | 145 | #1,220 |
| 2006 | — | — | 134 | #1,253 |
| 2005 | — | — | 127 | #1,252 |
| 2004 | — | — | 115 | #1,303 |
| 2003 | — | — | 97 | #1,388 |
| 2002 | — | — | 91 | #1,431 |
| 2001 | — | — | 90 | #1,396 |
| 2000 | — | — | 61 | #1,796 |
| 1995 | — | — | 50 | #1,773 |
| 1990 | — | — | 73 | #1,302 |
| 1985 | — | — | 62 | #1,205 |
| 1980 | — | — | 53 | #1,285 |
| 1975 | — | — | 65 | #1,026 |
| 1970 | — | — | 92 | #843 |
| 1965 | — | — | 88 | #795 |
| 1960 | — | — | 141 | #661 |
| 1955 | — | — | 137 | #636 |
| 1950 | — | — | 150 | #552 |
| 1945 | — | — | 175 | #449 |
| 1940 | — | — | 227 | #382 |
| 1935 | — | — | 289 | #319 |
| 1930 | — | — | 438 | #268 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,338 | 540 | #243 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,843 | 634 | #206 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,148 | 773 | #153 |
| 1910 | — | — | 200 | #155 |
| 1905 | — | — | 172 | #125 |
| 1900 | — | — | 199 | #115 |
| 1895 | — | — | 283 | #69 |
| 1890 | — | — | 267 | #68 |
| 1885 | — | — | 263 | #69 |
| 1880 | — | — | 271 | #63 |
Famous people named Otto
- Otto von Bismarck Politician · 1815–1898
- Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Politician · 912–973
- Otto Skorzeny Military personnel · 1908–1975
- Otto von Habsburg Nobleman · 1912–2011
- Otto Hahn Chemist · 1879–1968
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Otto mean?
Borrowed from German Otto, from Old High German, short form of compound names (such as Otachar, Ottokar) beginning with Proto-West Germanic *aud, from Proto-Germanic *audaz (“wealth, riches”) (cognate of English Ed- in Edgar,…
How popular is the name Otto in 2025?
Otto ranked #277 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,241 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Otto?
40,015 babies have been named Otto in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Otto most popular?
Otto peaked in 2024, when 1,244 newborns received the name.
Is Otto a boy or girl name?
Otto is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Otto rising or falling?
Otto is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Otto?
Well-known people named Otto include Otto von Bismarck (politician), Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (politician), Otto Skorzeny (military personnel).