Otis
Boy name · American · Australian · English · Old German
Meaningwealth, fortune · English form of Otto
- US rank
- #652
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #94 in 1899
422 babies were named Otis in the US in 2025. It has dropped 4 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Otis you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Otis
Otis Redding
American singer and songwriter (1941–1967)
Choose Otis and your child shares a first name with Otis Redding, an American singer and songwriter. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Otis, like who?” Otis Redding's Wikipedia article is available in 57 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Otis Redding on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Volt Records, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 4,047 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Otis, 422 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Otis would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryOtis has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Otiss, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1899, when it ranked #94. Today it's #652, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowOtis is 5.0× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 20,243 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 4,047.
- Where it's lovedOtis is most popular in Massachusetts, where it ranks #298, followed by Colorado (#329) and Wisconsin (#355). It's in the top 1,000 in 29 states.
- MeaningOtis is an English form of Otto, which means “wealth, fortune”. Our records link it to American, Australian and English roots.
- OriginOtis is the #3 most popular Australian boy name in the US. That's out of 18 Australian boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Otis
Otis is a boy name of American, Australian and English origin meaning “wealth, fortune”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with O and ending in “-tis”. US birth records list Otis for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1899, when it ranked #94 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #652, with 422 babies.
Origin:American namesAustralian namesEnglish namesOld German names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 917 | 1,090 boys |
| 1890s | 1,183 | 845 boys |
| 1900s | 1,437 | 696 boys |
| 1910s | 1,113 | 899 boys |
| 1920s | 849 | 1,178 boys |
| 1930s | 706 | 1,416 boys |
| 1940s | 520 | 1,922 boys |
| 1950s | 363 | 2,752 boys |
| 1960s | 258 | 3,882 boys |
| 1970s | 214 | 4,664 boys |
| 1980s | 122 | 8,214 boys |
| 1990s | 70 | 14,339 boys |
| 2000s | 51 | 19,433 boys |
| 2010s | 129 | 7,743 boys |
| 2020s | 241 | 4,151 boys |
More American boy names
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: Maverick · independent, unbranded
- Unisex name: Kai · sea
- Unisex name: Jace · healer
- Boy name: Jaxon · son of Jack
- Boy name: Milo · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Bryson · son of Brice
- Boy name: Louis · famous warrior
Questions about the name Otis
What does the name Otis mean?
Otis means “wealth, fortune” in English, as a form of Otto.
What is the origin of the name Otis?
Otis has American, Australian, English, Old German roots in our records. Other American names include Henry, Maverick, Kai.
Is Otis a boy or girl name?
Otis is a boy name.
How popular is the name Otis?
Otis ranked #652 for US boys in 2025, given to 422 babies. Its best year was 1899 (#94).