Octavus
The eighth born child or eighth in a sequence.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Octavus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Octavus today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Octavus births was 1989 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Octavus. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Octavus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1989
5 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1989 SSA rank
#8,869
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Octavus: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Octavus 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 Octavus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Octavus
The name Octavus has its origins in the Latin language and culture, dating back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "octavus," which means "eighth." This suggests that the name was likely given to children who were the eighth-born son in a family.
Octavus was a common name among the ancient Romans, particularly in the upper classes and noble families. One of the most famous historical figures to bear this name was Gaius Octavius, later known as Augustus, the first Roman emperor. He was born in 63 BC and reigned from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. Augustus was a pivotal figure in Roman history, known for ushering in the Pax Romana, a period of relative peace and stability in the Roman Empire.
Another notable Octavus from ancient times was Octavius Balbus, a Roman statesman and military commander who lived in the 1st century BC. He served as a praetor and was responsible for the construction of several public works projects in Rome.
In the Middle Ages, the name Octavus remained in use, although it was not as common as in ancient times. One individual who bore this name was Octavus, Bishop of Barcelona in the 6th century AD. He is known for his efforts in preserving and promoting Christian teachings during a time of political upheaval in the region.
During the Renaissance period, the name Octavus experienced a resurgence, particularly among the intellectual and artistic circles of Italy. One notable figure was Octavus Ferrarius, an Italian humanist and scholar who lived in the 16th century. He was a renowned linguist and contributed to the study of ancient Greek and Latin texts.
In more recent history, Octavus has been a relatively uncommon name, but it has been used sporadically. One notable individual was Octavus Valentine Catto, an African American educator, activist, and civil rights leader who lived in the 19th century. He was a prominent figure in the struggle for equal rights and education for African Americans in Philadelphia.
While the name Octavus has fallen out of widespread use, it remains a significant part of history, particularly in the context of ancient Roman culture and the influential figures who bore this name. Its meaning as the "eighth" child in a family serves as a reminder of the importance of numerology and naming traditions in various cultures throughout history.
People
Octavus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Octavus 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
Octavus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Octavus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Octavus 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Octavus a common name?
We classify Octavus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Octavus most popular?
The single biggest year for Octavus was 1989, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Octavus is about 36 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 Octavus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Octavus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Octavus 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 Octavus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Octavus 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 Octavus 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 are called Octavus?
Find out how many people share the name Octavus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.