Begins or Ends with O

Oden

Swedish variation of Óðinn

"god of frenzy; poetic fury"

Oden is the Swedish form of Óðinn — or Odin, if you anglicize it — the highest of the gods in Norse mythology. Ruling over war, wisdom, art, death, law and culture, his name means "inspiration,…

Odion

Esan

"first born of twins"

Strong name from the Esan language of Nigeria, with a satisfyingly specific meaning for a child's place in the family.

Okello

Ugandan

"born after twins"

Mellow and musical.

Ollivander

Literary name, compound of Oliver and Alexander, Latin and Greek

"olive tree and defending men"

A rare twist on modern favorites like Oliver and Alexander, this elaborate option is nevertheless familiar to most people as the surname of the eminent wandmaker Garrick Ollivander, from the Harry…

Omri

Hebrew

"my sheaf"

Old Testament name of a king of Israel, related to the harvest.

Oren

Hebrew

"laurel or pine tree"

Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.

Orson

Latin and English

"bear cub"

In the past, Orson has felt like a one-person moniker, tied to film director Orson Welles, who dropped his given name of George in favor of his more distinctive middle. While the Citizen Kane creator…

Osian

Welsh variation of Oisin, Irish

"little deer"

Osian is the easier-to-comprehend version of the ancient Irish Oisin, an important name in mythology. Osian or Oisin was a warrior poet. Osian is popular in modern Wales and England. While Oisin is…

Oskar

German variation of Oscar

Oskar is to Oscar as Jakob is to Jacob: more distinctive and continental.

Oslo

Norwegian place name, Old Norse

"meadow at the foot of a hill"

Oslo, the capital city of Norway, makes for an intriguing new place name, especially with its bookended O's, as in Otto and leads to cool nickname Ozzie. One Berry has already used it and we predict…

Ossie

Short form of Oscar, Osias, Oswald et al

Ossie is best-known as the name of actor Ossie Davis, whose full name did not start with Os: It was Raiford. But Ossie makes a cute contemporary short form for any name beginning with Os.

Ovid

Latin, meaning unknown

Ovid is the English form of the Roman family name Ovidius, which possibly comes from the word for sheep. It is the usual English name for the first-century poet Publius Ovidius Naso.

Owain

Welsh variation of Eugene or Celtic "well-born; born of sheep"

"well-born; born of sheep"

Owain is much more unusual than its brother name Owen, and feels a little more rugged, a little more adventurous and ancient. Possibly an Old Welsh form of the Latin Eugenius, or, deriving from other…

Owyn

Owyn is a masculine name with Welsh and Celtic roots, serving as a variant spelling of Owen. The traditional name derives from 'Eugene' or the Welsh 'Owain,' meaning 'well-born,' 'young warrior,' or…

Ozzie

Diminutive of Osmond, Oswald, or Oscar

"divine; deer"

Ozzy has been on the rise in recent years and currently sits in the Top 1000 in the UK and the US. The Ozzie spelling has yet to catch up, but has nevertheless gained more attention thanks to its…