Unisex name · since 1880

Otha

6,386 babies named Otha in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

6,386
total births
1880–2018
years on record
1920s
peak decade
18%
born in that decade

Otha sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 6,386 recorded since 1880.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Otha has been recorded 6,386 times among boys since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2018.

  • 6,386 total births
  • 1880–2018 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 18% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

6,386 boys have been named Otha since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2018.

6,386
total births
1880–2018
years on record
1920s
peak decade
18%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

18% of everyone ever named Otha was born in this single decade.

1920
Single peak year

140 babies were named Otha in 1920 - its busiest year on record.

Otha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Otha splits its recorded history at 1946: 38% of all births land in the more recent half, 62% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1999 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 140 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Otha at a glance

Last recorded 2018

Total births

6,386

Since 1880

139 years of records

Peak year

1920

140 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 2018

Active since

1880

Recorded for 139 years

Last year on file: 2018

Otha popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2018

Last recorded 2018
Peak year (1920)
140
Annual births at peak, across 139 years of records
-50050100150 188018991916193319501967198420012018 7

Otha popularity over time - girls

1,403 total births recorded since 1887 (Otha as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 1,403 births
01020304050 188719011911192119311941195119621971 9

Otha by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Otha's strongest decade.

1,172 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.

Otha births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 1,172 births (18% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Otha 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 Otha's total volume

Otha vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Otha vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15%20% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Otha
Otha vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Otha by state

Where Otha concentrates geographically, total births since 1880

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Otha
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Mississippi
926 14.5%
#2 Texas
473 7.4%
#3 North Carolina
425 6.7%
#4 Georgia
318 5.0%
#5 Alabama
312 4.9%
#6 Tennessee
299 4.7%
#7 Arkansas
283 4.4%
#8 Kentucky
212 3.3%
Mississippi share of Otha's total US births 14.5%
Even split

926 of 6,386 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.

Otha appears in 20 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Otha? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 6,386 babies named Otha. The most recent recorded year was 2018. Its busiest year on record was 1920, with 140 births.
When was Otha most popular? ▼
Otha was most popular in the 1920s decade with 1,172 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Otha most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Otha are Mississippi (926 births), Texas (473 births), North Carolina (425 births).
Is Otha a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Otha is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 6,386 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,403 births.
How long has the name Otha been used? ▼
Records for Otha go back to 1880, giving 139 years of history through 2018.
What names are similar to Otha? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Otho, Othel, Othniel, Othello, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Otha's data

  • Otha's decade-level peak was the 1920s (1,172 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Mississippi records the most Othas (926 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Mississippi 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 Otha

Nearby Names Like Otha

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Otha

Otho Boy
3,328 births
Othel Boy
732 births
Othniel Boy
#3708 715 births
Othello Boy
#5681 687 births
Othman Boy
#4018 536 births

Compare Otha side by side: Otha vs Otho Otha vs Othel Otha vs Othniel

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Antwon #4103
6,388 births · Peak 1990
Baby #4452
6,374 births · Peak 1994
Nevin #3279
6,372 births · Peak 2007
Cayson #765
6,367 births · Peak 2016
Giuseppe #1691
6,365 births · Peak 1975
Rashawn #3066
6,408 births · Peak 1995
Demario #3303
6,364 births · Peak 1989
Lonny #12524
6,357 births · Peak 1957

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, 1880–2018 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Otha: Baby Name Since 1880 - 6,386 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/otha. 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 Otha 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.