Oban
A masculine name of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "little bay".
Name Census estimates that about 23 living Americans carry the first name Oban. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oban today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oban births was 2021 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oban. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Oban with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oban. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
23
~ 1 in 14,902,363 Americans
Peak year
2021
8 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2022 SSA rank
#13,780
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Oban: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oban from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 13 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oban by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Oban during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Oban
The name Oban has its roots in the Scottish Gaelic language, originating from the region of Argyll and Bute in western Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic phrase "an Oban" which translates to "the little bay" or "the inlet." This connection to the geography of the area suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone residing near a small bay or harbor.
In terms of historical references, the name Oban is closely tied to the town of the same name located in Argyll and Bute. This coastal town, known for its picturesque setting and whisky distilleries, has existed since the early medieval period and was an important fishing and trading hub. The name Oban is thought to have originated from this settlement, with individuals likely adopting it as a surname or given name.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Oban can be found in the 16th century, when a certain Oban MacLean was mentioned in historical documents related to the clan MacLean. This suggests that the name was in use as a given name or surname among Scottish clans during this time period.
Moving forward in history, a notable figure bearing the name Oban was Oban MacKenzie, a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the 18th century. Born in 1730, he participated in various conflicts, including the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, where he fought alongside British forces against the American colonists.
Another individual of note was Oban Macdonald, a Scottish poet and writer who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in 1780, he is remembered for his contributions to Scottish Gaelic literature and his efforts in preserving the language and cultural traditions of the Highlands.
In the 19th century, Oban Cameron, a Scottish businessman and entrepreneur, made significant contributions to the development of the town of Oban. Born in 1820, he established several successful businesses and played a pivotal role in promoting the town as a popular tourist destination.
Lastly, Oban MacGregor, a Scottish artist and painter, gained recognition for his landscape paintings depicting the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands. Born in 1875, his works captured the beauty of the region and helped to popularize the area's natural wonders.
People
Oban + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oban as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Oban: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oban?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 23 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oban going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 14,902,363 US residents.
Is Oban a common name?
We classify Oban as "Very Rare". It ranks above 42.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 23 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oban most popular?
The single biggest year for Oban was 2021, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oban is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Oban in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oban a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oban in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Oban still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oban in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Oban can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Oban?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.