From the experts:
Otis has a double image: it's cool and bluesy a la Otis Redding, but also an upscale, high-society name of the past. Otis has real appeal for parents attracted to its catchy O initial and combination of strength and spunk.
Otis originally came into use as a tribute to the Revolutionary hero James Otis, and would be familiar to kids via the Disney film The Adventures of Milo and Otis.
Though well used at the turn of the last century, Otis was off the charts for two decades from 1995 to 2014, and now sounds like a fresh choice. Tobey Maguire used the name back in 2009. More recently, and possibly contributing to Otis's return to the Top 1000 in 2015, Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis gave the name to their son.
16 names similar to Otis
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Lists containing Otis
Otis in Blog Posts
Popularity
Otis is #52 on Nameberry |
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Comments
Raincove Says:
oliviamcdonald Says:
I think this is a cool name but it’s the epitome of a hipster name. I imagine a guy who’s chilled out and creative, a musician/barista. Or like a rugged lumberjack type guy. I don’t mind the Milo & Otis association, it hasn’t stopped the name Milo being used
FionaW Says:
Not a huge fan. It kinda sounds like O dis like whose this. It could just b me. And then there is the dog thing as welllll.
indiefendi2 Says:
Olivia Wilde went old school and musical with Otis Alexander, I can't WAIT to hear what her daughter is gonna be named.
headintheclouds Says:
With regards to the name Otis, I think of a drunkard Southern hillbilly (sorry if that's harsh) or an Otis the Otter type of alliterative animal character in a children's book. Oscar would be a better not-Oliver-or-Owen popular O- name pick.
snowsbeloved Says:
I think of pugs and elevators
EW314 Says:
I like it, but I have to say I prefer Otto, which comes from the same Germanic root.
lesliemarion Says:
I prefer most dogs to most people so the Milo and Otis association doesn't bother me and I have a soft spot for Otis on Andy Griffith too.
Zoey_Artemisia Says:
Otis is also a giant in greek mythology that, with his brother, piled mountains to try and reach Mt Olympus and marry Artemis and Hera. (Also spelt Otus).
clairels Says:
This is either a talking dog, or a toothless Southern wino drinking out of a paper bag. Take your pick.
chi1127 Says:
Yep. Milo and Otis. All I can picture is a pug. And if I can shove aside the dog image in my head, all I can think of is the drunk on Andy Griffith.
MaryKathryn Says:
I hate to say this but, when I hear Otis I immediately think of a dog :(
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Sounds redneck/hillbilly to me. Also makes me think of that cow from Back at the Barnyard. and Otis from Milo and Otis because when I was little I used to watch that movie a lot