Total births
18,564
Girls' name · since 1880
Odessa
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 18,564 babies named Odessa, peaking in 1920. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1579
- among girls today
- 18,564
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Odessa is the #1579 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 18,564 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Odessa recorded 18,564 times among girls since 1880, holding rank #1579 nationally today, ahead of 91% of girls, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1579 among girls today
- 18,564 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 91% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Odessa is currently the #1579 girls' name in America, more common than 91% of girls - 18,564 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1579
- among girls today
- 18,564
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Odessa vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1579
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 91% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Odessa was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
464 babies were named Odessa in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
How Odessa compares
18,564 Top 6% higher than 94% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Odessa's all-time total is 49x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Odessa | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 18,564 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 464 | 48 | 19,840 |
Odessa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Odessa's full recorded timeline at 1953, 26% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 74% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 10 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1920 peak of 464 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Odessa at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1920
Current rank
#1,579
Active since
1880
Odessa popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1920)
- 464
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Odessa popularity over time - boys
154 total births recorded since 1908 (Odessa as boys' name)
Odessa by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Odessa's strongest decade.
4,114 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Odessa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 204
1880s
204 births
- 1890s 508
1890s
508 births
- 1900s 1,183
1900s
1,183 births
- 1910s
1910s
3,085 births
- 1920s
1920s
4,114 births
- 1930s
1930s
2,436 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,708 births
- 1950s 1,167
1950s
1,167 births
- 1960s 683
1960s
683 births
- 1970s 505
1970s
505 births
- 1980s 439
1980s
439 births
- 1990s 447
1990s
447 births
- 2000s 544
2000s
544 births
- 2010s 734
2010s
734 births
- 2020s 807
2020s
807 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 4,114 births (22% of all-time use).
How Odessa compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Odessa's total volume
Odessa vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Odessa by state
Where Odessa concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,493 | 8.0% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 1,403 | 7.6% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 1,313 | 7.1% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 1,066 | 5.7% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 1,030 | 5.5% |
| #6 | South Carolina | | 725 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 710 | 3.8% |
| #8 | Louisiana | | 626 | 3.4% |
Texas share of Odessa's total US births 8.0%
Even split
1,493 of 18,564 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Odessa appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Odessa? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 18,564 babies named Odessa. Today it holds rank #1579 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1920, with 464 births.
When was Odessa most popular? ▼
Odessa was most popular in the 1920s decade with 4,114 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Odessa most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Odessa are Texas (1,493 births), Georgia (1,403 births), North Carolina (1,313 births).
How long has the name Odessa been used? ▼
Odessa has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Odessa? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Odette, Odell, Odelia, Odella, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Odessa's data
- Odessa's decade-level peak was the 1920s (4,114 total births); usage has since declined to 807 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Odessas (1,493 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Odessa
Nearby Names Like Odessa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Odessa
Odette Girl
#1214 4,239 births
Odell Girl
4,151 births
Odelia Girl
#2890 2,860 births
Odella Girl
#12208 828 births
Odetta Girl
#15372 628 births
Compare Odessa side by side: Odessa vs Odette Odessa vs Odell Odessa vs Odelia
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Odessa
Elianny #1578
1,046 births · Peak 2025
Nadine #1580
53,381 births · Peak 1958
Aanya #1577
3,732 births · Peak 2014
Adalia #1581
2,499 births · Peak 2024
Hosanna #1576
1,875 births · Peak 2025
Melania #1582
3,573 births · Peak 2017
Camden #1575
3,923 births · Peak 2009
Memphis #1583
2,550 births · Peak 2022
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Odessa: #1579 Girls' Name - 18,564 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/odessa. 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 Odessa 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.