Oder
A German name derived from the river Oder, possibly meaning "prosperous".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Oder. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oder today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oder births was 1915 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oder. 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 Oder. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1915
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1915 SSA rank
#4,226
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Oder: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Oder 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 Oder during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Oder
The given name Oder has its origins in the Old German language, derived from the word "odar," which means "prosperous" or "wealthy." This name gained prominence during the Middle Ages in various regions of present-day Germany and neighboring areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oder can be traced back to the 9th century, where it appeared in several Germanic chronicles and historical texts. It is believed that the name was particularly popular among the nobility and affluent families, reflecting their aspirations for prosperity and abundance.
In the later centuries, the name Oder found its way into various religious and literary works. For instance, it was mentioned in the writings of the renowned German monk and philosopher, Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), who praised its virtuous connotations.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Oder. One of the earliest was Oder von Bamberg (c. 1060-1109), a German bishop and diplomat who played a crucial role in the Investiture Controversy between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Oder von Feldbach (c. 1270-1345), a German master builder and architect who oversaw the construction of several magnificent cathedrals and churches across Europe, including the iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.
In the realm of literature, Oder von Ziegenhain (1390-1460) was a renowned German poet and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of the early German Renaissance theater.
During the Renaissance era, Oder von Veldenz (1520-1588) stood out as a skilled military commander and strategist, serving under various Holy Roman Emperors and playing a pivotal role in the Wars of Religion that engulfed Europe at the time.
Lastly, Oder von Lichtenstein (1630-1701) was a respected German philosopher and theologian who authored numerous influential works on ethics, metaphysics, and the nature of human existence, leaving a lasting impact on the intellectual landscape of his time.
People
Oder + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oder 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
Oder: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oder?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oder 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 - US residents.
Is Oder a common name?
We classify Oder as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Oder most popular?
The single biggest year for Oder was 1915, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oder is about 0 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 Oder in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oder a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oder 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 Oder still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oder 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 Oder 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 share the name Oder?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.