Girls' name · since 1880
Otelia
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 1,184 babies named Otelia, peaking in 1923. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,679 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,184
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Otelia sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,184 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Otelia recorded 1,184 times among girls since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, 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 1982.
- #6,679 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,184 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Otelia ranks #6,679 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,184 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #6,679 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,184
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Otelia's 1,184 recorded births place it above 90.76% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by Virginia.
Otelia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Otelia splits its recorded history at 1928: 42% of all births land in the more recent half, 58% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1882 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1923 peak of 35 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Otelia popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1982
- Peak year (1923)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 103 years of records
Otelia by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (249 births, 21% of the file).
1920s was Otelia's strongest decade.
249 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Otelia births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 17
1880s
17 births
- 1890s 83
1890s
83 births
- 1900s
1900s
146 births
- 1910s
1910s
235 births
- 1920s
1920s
249 births
- 1930s
1930s
163 births
- 1940s
1940s
131 births
- 1950s 87
1950s
87 births
- 1960s 53
1960s
53 births
- 1970s 13
1970s
13 births
- 1980s 7
1980s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 249 births (21% of all-time use).
How Otelia 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 Otelia's total volume
Otelia by state
Where Otelia concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 233 | 19.7% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 62 | 5.2% |
| #3 | Texas | | 10 | 0.8% |
233 of 1,184 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Otelia? ▼
Where does Otelia sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Otelia most popular? ▼
Where is Otelia most popular? ▼
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What to do with Otelia's data
- Otelia's decade-level peak was the 1920s (249 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Otelias (233 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Otelia
Nearby Names Like Otelia
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Otelia
Compare Otelia side by side: Otelia vs Otella Otelia vs Oteria Otelia vs Oteka
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Otelia: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1923)
Similar record span (~102 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1880–1982 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Otelia 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 August 2026.