Octavian
Boy name · #2585 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Octavian? In official American birth records, Octavian has been tracked continuously since 1970, giving it 55 years of documented American history.
Octavian is currently the #2585 boy name in the United States — 51 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3513, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 35,294 boys born in 2025 was named Octavian.
The 55-year story
Octavian first appears in the Social Security records in 1970, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 66 boys were named Octavian — good for #2157 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Octavian per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Octavian against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Octavian in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Octavian is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Octavian will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Octavian is most common
State-level data for Octavian is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Octavian
Statistically, parents drawn to Octavian tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hadrian, Cristhian, Zayvian, Xavian, and Yulian.
HadrianCristhianZayvianXavianYulianKhristianAvianJovian
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Octavian | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #2572 |
| 2024 | 64 | #2236 |
| 2023 | 58 | #2362 |
| 2022 | 61 | #2325 |
| 2021 | 66 | #2157 |
| 2020 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2265 |
| 2018 | 47 | #2635 |
| 2017 | 40 | #2951 |
| 2016 | 56 | #2335 |
| 2015 | 31 | #3513 |
| 2014 | 33 | #3297 |
| 2013 | 43 | #2715 |
| 2012 | 29 | #3625 |
| 2011 | 54 | #2346 |
| 2010 | 38 | #3014 |
| 2009 | 55 | #2348 |
| 2008 | 44 | #2753 |
| 2007 | 58 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 33 | #3227 |
| 2005 | 24 | #3815 |
| 2004 | 29 | #3285 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 27 | #3259 |
| 2001 | 22 | #3721 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Octavian?
In official American birth records, the name Octavian first appeared in 1970 (over 55 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 55 years.
Is Octavian a popular boy name?
Octavian ranked #2585 among boys in 2025 with 51 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3513.
When was the name Octavian most popular?
Octavian peaked in 2021, when 66 American boys received the name (ranked #2157 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Octavian?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 35,294 newborn American boys was named Octavian. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.