Oceana
From Latin words meaning "ocean", a feminine name representing the vast sea.
Name Census estimates that about 1,081 living Americans carry the first name Oceana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Oceana today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oceana births was 2004 (53 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oceana. 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.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 317,072 Americans
Peak year
2004
53 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,094
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Oceana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oceana from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 371 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Oceana remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oceana 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 Oceana during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Oceanas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Florida, Colorado recorded the most babies named Oceana, while Washington, Colorado, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 55 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Oceana
The name Oceana is of Latin origin, derived from the word "oceanus," which means "ocean." This name is believed to have been first used in the late 16th or early 17th century, during the Age of Exploration when European explorers were venturing across the world's oceans.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Oceana can be found in the work of the English philosopher James Harrington. In his 1656 book "The Commonwealth of Oceana," he presented a utopian vision of a fictional republic called "Oceana," which was governed by principles of liberty and equality.
In the 18th century, the name Oceana gained some popularity among the aristocracy and upper classes in Europe. One notable figure was Oceana Willoughby (1692-1768), an English noblewoman and writer who was known for her poetry and correspondence with prominent figures of the time.
Another historical figure with the name Oceana was Oceana Mayhew (1786-1862), an American writer and activist who was involved in the anti-slavery movement. She published several books and articles advocating for the abolition of slavery and the rights of women.
In the 19th century, the name Oceana appeared in various literary works, including the novel "Oceana" by James Fenimore Cooper, published in 1859. This novel explored themes of maritime adventure and the conflict between civilization and nature.
Another notable bearer of the name was Oceana Browne (1869-1954), an American artist and suffragist who was involved in the women's rights movement in the early 20th century. She was known for her portraits and landscape paintings, as well as her advocacy for women's voting rights.
While the name Oceana has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been used by various individuals across different eras and cultures, often associated with themes of exploration, freedom, and a connection to the ocean and nature.
People
Oceana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oceana 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
Oceana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oceana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,081 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oceana 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 317,072 US residents.
Is Oceana a common name?
We classify Oceana as "Rare". It ranks above 90.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,104 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oceana most popular?
The single biggest year for Oceana was 2004, when 53 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oceana is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Oceana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oceana in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.