Otis

Meaning: Riches, or great wealth
Origin: Variant of Otto (from Germanic)

Nicknames: Odie

Boy's name · #652 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Popularity over time

Few names move less than Otis — on the books since 1880, #652 in 2025, and dependable in between. Roughly 61,000 boys share it. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Otis is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 35 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Otis ranks in other countries and regions.

#21 in Belgium (2025) · #22 in Netherlands (2025) · #71 in England & Wales (2025) · #85 in Sweden (2025) · #121 in New Zealand (2025) · #197 in Scotland (2025) · #382 in N. Ireland (2025) · #498 in Ireland (2025) · #535 in Switzerland (2025) · #943 in Austria (2025) · #1,211 in France (2025) · #562 in Canada (2024).

Famous Otises

Otis Redding — American singer and songwriter (1941–1967)
Otis Davis — American sprinter (1932–2024)
Otis Rush — American musician (1935–2018)
Otis Harris — American athletics competitor
Otis Spann — American Chicago blues pianist (1930–1970)

In stories & tradition

Otis (Ratcatcher) — Detective Comics (comics)
Otis — Superman (film)
Otis Campbell — The Andy Griffith Show (TV series)

What Otises become

Among 281 notable people named Otis:

Sports figures appear 1.84× more often than among typical names — e.g. Otis Davis, American sprinter (1932–2024).

Similar names: Otto · Louie · Hugh · Harley · Alton · Ray

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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