Oktober
A feminine German name referring to the tenth month of the year.
Name Census estimates that about 90 living Americans carry the first name Oktober. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Oktober today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oktober births was 2012 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oktober. 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 Oktober. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
90
~ 1 in 3,808,382 Americans
Peak year
2012
12 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2023 SSA rank
#16,975
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Oktober: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oktober from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 57 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oktober 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 Oktober 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 Oktober
The given name Oktober is an unusual one, derived from the Latin word "october," which means "eighth month" in the ancient Roman calendar. This name likely originated during the Renaissance period, when the study of classical languages and cultures experienced a resurgence in Europe.
Despite its Latin roots, the name Oktober is relatively uncommon and has not been widely adopted across different cultures or regions. However, it does have a few notable historical references and individuals associated with it.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oktober can be found in the writings of the German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716). In his works, Leibniz mentioned a person named Oktober, though details about this individual are scarce.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Oktober was the Dutch painter Oktober van der Velde (1633-1707), known for his landscapes and seascapes. Van der Velde's use of the name Oktober is thought to be a nod to his birth month, a practice that was not uncommon during that era.
In the realm of literature, the name Oktober appeared in the novel "The Glassblower's Breath" by Petra Durst-Benning, published in 2008. The novel features a character named Oktober, who plays a significant role in the narrative.
Moving into the 20th century, there was a German artist named Oktober Schmalstich (1904-1991), whose works were heavily influenced by the Expressionist movement. Schmalstich's unique name undoubtedly added to his artistic persona and contributed to his recognition within the art world.
Lastly, in more recent times, there was an American musician and composer named Oktober Hampstead (1938-2017), who specialized in experimental and avant-garde music. Hampstead's choice of the name Oktober likely stemmed from his artistic inclinations and a desire to stand out in the music scene.
While the name Oktober remains relatively rare, these historical figures and references demonstrate its occasional appearance throughout different eras and contexts, often associated with artistic or intellectual endeavors.
People
Oktober + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oktober 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
Oktober: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oktober?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 90 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oktober 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 3,808,382 US residents.
Is Oktober a common name?
We classify Oktober as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 91 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oktober most popular?
The single biggest year for Oktober was 2012, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oktober is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Oktober a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oktober 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.