Otto
Boy name · #277 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Otto? In official American birth records, Otto has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,241 baby boys were named Otto, placing it at #277 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #544, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,450 boys born in 2025 was named Otto.
Babies named Otto per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Otto first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 271 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 1,244 babies and a rank of #274. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Otto against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Otto in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Otto is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Otto is most common
Geography matters for names, and Otto is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Otto is most common in ND (5.4 per 1,000), SD (3.6 per 1,000), ME (2.9 per 1,000), MN (2.8 per 1,000), WI (2.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Otto is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Otto
Statistically, parents drawn to Otto tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Niko, Nico, Onyx, Cairo, and Arlo.
NikoNicoOnyxCairoArloTadeoKyloCrew
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Otto | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,241 | #277 |
| 2024 | 1,244 | #274 |
| 2023 | 1,193 | #282 |
| 2022 | 1,082 | #311 |
| 2021 | 975 | #334 |
| 2020 | 792 | #389 |
| 2019 | 719 | #429 |
| 2018 | 707 | #431 |
| 2017 | 617 | #478 |
| 2016 | 560 | #526 |
| 2015 | 526 | #544 |
| 2014 | 417 | #629 |
| 2013 | 343 | #696 |
| 2012 | 288 | #786 |
| 2011 | 213 | #935 |
| 2010 | 180 | #1068 |
| 2009 | 172 | #1078 |
| 2008 | 136 | #1276 |
| 2007 | 145 | #1215 |
| 2006 | 134 | #1249 |
| 2005 | 127 | #1245 |
| 2004 | 115 | #1292 |
| 2003 | 97 | #1381 |
| 2002 | 91 | #1424 |
| 2001 | 90 | #1390 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Otto?
In official American birth records, the name Otto first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 271 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Otto a popular boy name?
Otto ranked #277 among boys in 2025 with 1,241 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #544.
When was the name Otto most popular?
Otto peaked in 2024, when 1,244 American boys received the name (ranked #274 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Otto?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,450 newborn American boys was named Otto. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.