Oddis
A unique name derived from the word "odd" suggesting eccentricity or distinctiveness.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Oddis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oddis today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oddis births was 1922 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oddis. 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
- • The typical person named Oddis is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Oddis' were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oddis. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1922
10 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1950 SSA rank
#3,586
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Oddis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oddis from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 31 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oddis 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 Oddis 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 Oddis
The name Oddis is an ancient name with roots that can be traced back to the Germanic tribes of central Europe during the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "oddr," which means "point" or "spear." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to warriors or hunters who were skilled in the use of spears or other pointed weapons.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oddis can be found in the Norse sagas, which were written between the 9th and 13th centuries. In the Icelandic saga Njál's Saga, there is a character named Oddis Ófeigsson, who was a powerful chieftain and landowner in the 10th century. This suggests that the name was in use among the Norse people during this time period.
The name Oddis also appears in various historical records and documents from the medieval period. For example, there is a record of an Oddis Gunnlaugsson who was a Danish nobleman and landowner in the 12th century. Another notable figure with this name was Oddis Magnússon, a Norwegian bishop who lived in the 13th century.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Oddis. One of the most famous was Oddis Helgason (1105-1185), an Icelandic poet and lawman who was known for his expertise in the Icelandic legal system. Another well-known figure was Oddis Bjarnason (1240-1312), a Norwegian chieftain and warrior who played a significant role in the Norwegian civil wars of the 13th century.
In the 15th century, there was an Oddis Guðmundsson (1435-1498), who was a prominent Icelandic scholar and author. He is best known for his works on Icelandic history and literature. Another notable Oddis was Oddis Sigurðsson (1570-1638), an Icelandic bishop and theologian who played an important role in the Reformation in Iceland.
Despite its ancient origins and historical significance, the name Oddis has largely fallen out of use in modern times. However, it remains an important part of the cultural heritage of the Germanic and Norse peoples, and a reminder of the rich history and traditions of these cultures.
People
Oddis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oddis 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
Oddis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oddis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oddis 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Oddis a common name?
We classify Oddis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 87 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oddis most popular?
The single biggest year for Oddis was 1922, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oddis is about 84 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 Oddis in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oddis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oddis 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 Oddis still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oddis 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 Oddis 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 named Oddis?
Find out how many Americans are named Oddis on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.