Odyssey
An epic journey fraught with adventure and obstacles before returning home.
Name Census estimates that about 727 living Americans carry the first name Odyssey. It is a predominantly female name (95.5% of registrations). The average person named Odyssey today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Odyssey births was 2022 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Odyssey. 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
727
~ 1 in 471,464 Americans
Peak year
2022
46 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2023 SSA rank
#5,385
Tracked since 1982
Gender
Gender distribution for Odyssey
Odyssey leans heavily female at 95.5% of total registrations, but 33 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Odyssey as a male name
- Ranked #9,507 in 2023
- 8 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (8 births)
Odyssey as a female name
- Ranked #5,385 in 2024
- 24 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (39 births)
Popularity
Odyssey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Odyssey from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 213 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Odyssey remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Odyssey 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 Odyssey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Odysseys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, California, New York recorded the most babies named Odyssey, while Virginia, North Carolina, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Odyssey
The given name Odyssey has its roots in the ancient Greek language and is derived from the epic poem, the Odyssey, attributed to the legendary poet Homer. The poem, believed to have been composed around the 8th century BCE, recounts the journey of the Greek hero Odysseus as he returns home from the Trojan War, encountering numerous challenges and adventures along the way.
The word "Odyssey" itself is a direct transliteration of the Greek term "Odysseia," which means "the story of Odysseus." The poem's title, and subsequently the name Odyssey, have come to symbolize an arduous and eventful journey or adventure, reflecting the trials and tribulations faced by the protagonist Odysseus.
While the name Odyssey is not commonly found in ancient texts or historical records as a personal name, it gained popularity in modern times as a symbolic representation of life's journey and the human spirit's resilience in overcoming obstacles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Odyssey being used as a given name dates back to the late 19th century. Odyssey Homer Pritchett, an American writer and editor, was born in 1878 and is believed to be among the first individuals to bear the name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have been given the name Odyssey, often as a reflection of their parents' admiration for the epic poem or as a symbolic representation of the journey they embarked upon in life.
One such individual is Odyssey Sims, an American author, and activist born in 1987. Sims is known for her work advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and has published several books, including the memoir "Bard of the Body."
Another notable figure is Odyssey Alexis Jones, an American actress born in 1989. Jones has appeared in various television shows and films, including "Coco" and "The College Admissions Scandal."
Odyssey Kambu Thao, a Hmong-American artist and activist, was born in 1979. Thao is renowned for her vibrant paintings and sculptures that celebrate Hmong culture and raise awareness about social issues.
Odyssey Mikayla, born in 1997, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She gained recognition for her soulful voice and powerful lyrics, often exploring themes of self-discovery and personal growth.
Finally, Odyssey Moon Leinart, born in 2006, is the daughter of former American football player Matt Leinart and actress Brynn Cameron. Her unique name reflects her parents' desire to instill a sense of adventure and exploration in their child's life journey.
People
Odyssey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Odyssey 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
Odyssey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Odyssey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 727 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Odyssey 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 471,464 US residents.
Is Odyssey a common name?
We classify Odyssey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 739 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Odyssey most popular?
The single biggest year for Odyssey was 2022, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Odyssey is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Odyssey a female name?
Yes, 95.5% of people registered as Odyssey 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.