Othal
An Anglo-Saxon masculine name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from a word meaning "heritage".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Othal. It is a predominantly male name (97.2% of registrations). The average person named Othal today is around 93 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Othal births was 1919 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Othal. 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 Othal is about 93 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Othals were born before 1943.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Othal. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1919
15 babies that year
Average age
93
years old
1944 SSA rank
#3,788
Tracked since 1912
Gender
Gender distribution for Othal
Othal leans heavily male at 97.2% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Othal as a male name
- Ranked #3,788 in 1944
- 5 male births in 1944
- Peak: 1919 (15 births)
Othal as a female name
- Ranked #5,407 in 1918
- 5 female births in 1918
- Peak: 1918 (5 births)
Popularity
Othal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Othal from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 69 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Othal 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 Othal 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 Othal
The name Othal is believed to have originated from the Old English language, which was spoken in parts of Britain from the mid-5th to the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "oðhal," which means "homeland" or "native land." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who were deeply rooted in their local community or had a strong connection to their ancestral lands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Othal can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a collection of annals narrating the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The chronicle mentions an individual named Othal who was a member of the Kentish royal family in the late 6th century.
In the 9th century, an Othal was recorded as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 793 to 805 AD. He played a significant role in the ecclesiastical affairs of the time and was known for his efforts in promoting education and preserving manuscripts.
During the Middle Ages, the name Othal appeared in various historical records and documents. One notable figure was Othal of Bamberg, a German monk and missionary who lived in the 11th century. He was instrumental in spreading Christianity in the region of Pomerania, which is now part of modern-day Poland and Germany.
In the 12th century, an Othal was mentioned as the Bishop of St. Andrews in Scotland. He served in this position from 1159 to 1162 and is recorded as having played a crucial role in the establishment of the Scottish church.
Another historical figure with the name Othal was Othal of Rheims, a French scholar and theologian who lived in the 13th century. He was known for his writings on philosophy and theology, and his works were widely studied in medieval universities.
While the name Othal has its roots in Old English, it has been used across various cultures and regions throughout history. However, it is important to note that the name fell out of common usage in many parts of the world over time, and its popularity declined significantly in more recent centuries.
People
Othal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Othal 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
Othal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Othal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Othal 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Othal a common name?
We classify Othal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 179 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Othal most popular?
The single biggest year for Othal was 1919, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Othal is about 93 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 Othal in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Othal a male name?
Yes, 97.2% of people registered as Othal 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 Othal still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Othal 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 Othal 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 common is the name Othal?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.