Total births
14,883
Unisex name · since 1883
Odell
Since 1883, U.S. Social Security records show 14,883 babies named Odell, peaking in 1922. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4581
- among boys today
- 14,883
- born since 1883
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Odell is the #4581 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 14,883 recorded since 1883.
Odell has 14,883 recorded births among boys since 1883, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4581 as of the latest data, more common than 68% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 2025.
- #4581 among boys today
- 14,883 born since 1883
- 1920s peak decade
- 68% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Odell is currently the #4581 unisex name in America, more common than 68% of boys - 14,883 born since 1883, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4581
- among boys today
- 14,883
- born since 1883
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other boys
Odell vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4581
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 68% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Odell was born in this single decade.
1922
Single peak year
367 babies were named Odell in 1922 - its busiest year on record.
How Odell compares
14,883 Top 7% higher than 93% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Odell's all-time total is 41x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Odell | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 14,883 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 367 | 23 | 22,252 |
Odell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Odell splits its recorded history at 1957: 25% of all births land in the more recent half, 75% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1892 (6 births) -- compare that against the 1922 peak of 367 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Odell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1922
Current rank
#4,581
Active since
1883
Odell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–2025
- Peak year (1922)
- 367
- Annual births at peak, across 143 years of records
Odell popularity over time - girls
4,151 total births recorded since 1889 (Odell as girls' name)
Odell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Odell's strongest decade.
3,035 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Odell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 29
1880s
29 births
- 1890s 64
1890s
64 births
- 1900s 359
1900s
359 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,847 births
- 1920s
1920s
3,035 births
- 1930s
1930s
2,459 births
- 1940s
1940s
2,113 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,769 births
- 1960s 1,019
1960s
1,019 births
- 1970s 726
1970s
726 births
- 1980s 505
1980s
505 births
- 1990s 369
1990s
369 births
- 2000s 198
2000s
198 births
- 2010s 238
2010s
238 births
- 2020s 153
2020s
153 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 3,035 births (20% of all-time use).
How Odell compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Odell's total volume
Odell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Odell by state
Where Odell concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 1,613 | 10.8% |
| #2 | South Carolina | | 1,447 | 9.7% |
| #3 | Texas | | 1,251 | 8.4% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 1,064 | 7.1% |
| #5 | Arkansas | | 883 | 5.9% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 777 | 5.2% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 617 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Alabama | | 468 | 3.1% |
North Carolina share of Odell's total US births 10.8%
Even split
1,613 of 14,883 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 26 reporting states.
Odell appears in 26 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Odell? ▼
Odell has been given to 14,883 babies in the U.S. since 1883, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4581 as of the latest data. 367 babies were born in 1922, its single highest year.
When was Odell most popular? ▼
Odell was most popular in the 1920s decade with 3,035 total births. The single peak year was 1922.
Where is Odell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Odell are North Carolina (1,613 births), South Carolina (1,447 births), Texas (1,251 births).
Is Odell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Odell is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 14,883 births, and as a girl's name it has 4,151 births.
How long has the name Odell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Odell since 1883 -- 143 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Odell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Oden, Odes, Odean, Odel, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Odell's data
- Odell's decade-level peak was the 1920s (3,035 total births); usage has since declined to 153 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Odells (1,613 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Odell
Nearby Names Like Odell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Odell
Oden Boy
#2217 1,574 births
Odes Boy
367 births
Odean Boy
351 births
Odel Boy
181 births
Odessa Boy
154 births
Compare Odell side by side: Odell vs Oden Odell vs Odes Odell vs Odean
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Odell
Matthews #4580
1,605 births · Peak 1988
Rosendo #4582
5,422 births · Peak 1993
Gardner #4579
3,016 births · Peak 1915
Lovell #4583
3,412 births · Peak 1916
Soloman #4578
1,679 births · Peak 1999
Harlin #4584
1,879 births · Peak 1924
Arlington #4577
1,586 births · Peak 1917
Olan #4585
2,732 births · Peak 1920
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1883–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Odell: #4581 Unisex Name - 14,883 Births, Peak 1922." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/odell. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Odell draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.