boy's name
Otis
OH-tiss
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 70,464
the United States
#655
2025 births
Otis is a boy's name of Germanic origin meaning "wealth" or "fortune." It began as an English surname derived from the medieval given name Ode, a form of Otto, and reached first-name use through American usage.
- Otis is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1920, when 1,056 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 726 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Otis over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Otis is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,011 |
| 1890s | 1,380 |
| 1900s | 2,038 |
| 1910s | 7,111 |
| 1920s | 9,551 |
| 1930s | 7,586 |
| 1940s | 7,765 |
| 1950s | 7,359 |
| 1960s | 5,036 |
| 1970s | 3,589 |
| 1980s | 2,237 |
| 1990s | 1,367 |
| 2000s | 1,028 |
| 2010s | 2,414 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,497 |
What Otis means
Otis means wealth or prosperity, inherited from Otto. The Germanic root od refers to inherited property and good fortune together rather than money as such.
Where Otis comes from
Otis descends from the medieval English given name Ode or Ote, itself from the Germanic Odo or Otto, from od, wealth. Families took Otis as a hereditary surname, and it returned to first-name use in America, where the surname of James Otis — a Massachusetts patriot who argued against writs of assistance in 1761 — made it a patriotic choice. Elisha Otis, who demonstrated a safety brake for lifts at the 1854 New York exposition, gave the name its most visible modern presence, since his company's name still appears inside lifts worldwide.
Otis in use
Our data marks Otis as reviving, peaking in 1920, now at 71 in England and Wales against 655 in the United States. Its cultural weight is largely American — the elevator company and the soul singer Otis Redding — yet the current revival is stronger in Britain, a pattern repeated across this batch.
How popular is Otis?
In 2025, Otis was given to 726 babies in England and Wales, ranking #71 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Otis is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Otis
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Otis also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Otis over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Otis in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Otis
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Otis — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Otis
What does the name Otis mean?
Otis means "wealth" or "fortune," from the Germanic od by way of Otto.
Is Otis related to Otto?
Yes. Otis comes from the medieval English Ode, itself a form of the Germanic Otto.
Is Otis named after the elevator company?
The other way round. Elisha Otis, who demonstrated a lift safety brake in 1854, bore an already-established surname.
How popular is the name Otis?
In 2025, Otis was given to 726 babies in England and Wales, ranking #71 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Otis a girl's or a boy's name?
Otis is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Otis?
Otis has 2 syllables.
When was Otis most popular?
Otis peaked in 1920, when 1,056 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Otis a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Otis currently ranks #71 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.