Favorite O Names
By Knelli
Updated Thu May 25 2023
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- Oliver
Origin:
Germanic, LatinMeaning:
"elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"Description:
Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness.
- Olive
Origin:
English, from Latin, nature nameMeaning:
"olive tree"Description:
Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen.
- Ophelia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"help"Description:
Floral, elegant, and bold, Ophelia re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after more than 50 years off the charts. It has risen more than 700 spots since then and shows no signs of slowing down. Now in the US Top 300, could Ophelia one day become the next Olivia or Amelia?
- Otto
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"wealthy"Description:
Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers.
- Octavia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"eighth"Description:
Octavia began as the Latin, then Victorian name for an eighth child. While there aren't many eighth children anymore, this ancient Roman name has real possibilities as a substitute for the overused Olivia; recommended for its combination of classical and musical overtones. It was chosen for his daughter by Kevin Sorbo.
- Orion
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"boundary, limit"Description:
Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.
- Opal
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"gem"Description:
Opal is on the verge of a repolishing, following other jewel names like Ruby and Pearl. A Top 100 name during the first two decades of the twentieth century, the opalescent Opal has a good chance of coming back as another O-initial option.
- Oakley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"oak wood or clearing"Description:
As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee ending, it's not wonder Oakley is on the rise.
- Odelia
Origin:
Hebrew, GermanMeaning:
"I will praise the Lord or wealth"Description:
Pretty Hebrew name that would create a strong but feminine impression, as well as a variant of the Germanic name Odilia or Ottilie.
- Odette
Origin:
French, from GermanMeaning:
"wealthy"Description:
Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly sophisticated yet upbeat choice. In fact, it charted in the US charts in 2025 for the first time since 1905!
- Orson
Origin:
Latin and EnglishMeaning:
"bear cub"Description:
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 seemed to own the name during his lifetime, it's now an interesting possibility for any parent seeking an unusual yet solid name. It's started to appear to the celeb set too -- both Paz Vega and Lauren Ambrose have little Orsons.
- Ottilie
Origin:
German, FrenchMeaning:
"prosperous in battle"Description:
Ottilie is trending in the UK, where the pronounced T helps the name sound pretty and delicate, rather like Amelie and Elodie. Ottilie is less popular in the US, where many Americans pronounce it as a near-homonym for "oddly".
- Oswald
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"divine power"Description:
Despite the success of so many O-starting boys names--Oliver, Owen, Otis, Oscar--Oswald has not yet shown any signs of resurrection, though he does have the animating nicknames Ozzie/Ozzy and Oz. The name has some literary cred--in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare's King Lear and a novel by H. G.Wells--and there was early cartoon character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
- Ollie
Origin:
Diminutive of Oliver, LatinMeaning:
"olive tree"Description:
Down-home nickname name once associated with the friendly dragon on kids' TV. As Oliver rises, we may well hear more Ollies.
- Oren
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"laurel or pine tree"Description:
Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.
- Odessa
Origin:
Russian form of Odesa, Ukrainian place-nameMeaning:
"voyage"Description:
Odessa, (transcribed as Odesa in Ukrainian) is a Ukrainian port city and was given its name by Catherine the Great, who was inspired by Homer's Odyssey. It would make an original and intriguing choice.
- Otelia
Description:
Otelia is a feminine name with Germanic roots, derived from the elements 'aud' meaning 'wealth, fortune' or 'prosperity.' It's a variant of Odelia or Ottilia, names that have been used since medieval times. Saint Ottilia was an 8th-century abbess and patron saint of Alsace, giving the name religious significance. Otelia saw modest popularity in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but has since become uncommon. The name carries an old-world charm with its vintage sound, evoking images of grace and elegance. With the return of interest in vintage names, Otelia offers an uncommon alternative to more popular 'O' names like Olivia or Ophelia, while providing the friendly nicknames Otel, Telia, or Lia.
- Oran
Origin:
Hebrew, Irish, ScottishMeaning:
"light, song, little green one"Description:
A calm and gentle multicultural choice. Oran is popular in Ireland, where its Gaelic form is Odhrán, meaning "little green one". In Scottish Gaelic, the name means "song", and in Hebrew, it's a combination of Or "light" + Ran "singing".
- Oslo
Origin:
Norwegian place name, Old NorseMeaning:
"meadow at the foot of a hill"Description:
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 others will follow; in fact, stats suggest it is used eight times more often than it was a decade ago.
- Oskar
Origin:
German variation of OscarDescription:
Oskar is to Oscar as Jakob is to Jacob: more distinctive and continental.
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