Find out how popular the first name Ozzy has been for the last 42 years (from 1982 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ozzy by gender

Based on the last 42 years of data, Ozzy is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 93% of people named Ozzy being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 526 male babies and 71 female babies born with the name Ozzy.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 71 baby girls were named Ozzy in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Ozzy

The name Ozzy is derived from the Old English name Osric, which means "divine ruler" or "ruler of the gods." This name has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon period, dating back to the 5th to 11th centuries AD. The name is a combination of the Old English words "os," meaning "god," and "ric," meaning "ruler" or "power."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Osric can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record dating back to the 9th century. In this text, Osric is mentioned as a king of Northumbria who ruled in the early 7th century.

Over time, the name Osric evolved into various spellings and variations, including Osric, Osrick, and eventually, Ozzy. The shortened form, Ozzy, became more popular in the 20th century and is often associated with the famous British rock musician Ozzy Osbourne, whose real name is John Michael Osbourne.

Another notable individual named Ozzy was Ozzy Nelson, an American actor, and television personality born in 1906. He starred in the popular sitcom "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" alongside his wife, Harriet, and their sons, David and Ricky Nelson.

In the realm of literature, Ozzy is the name of a character in the novel "The Glorious Heresies" by Lisa McInerney, which won the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction in 2016.

Another historical figure with the name Ozzy was Osric Chau, a Canadian actor born in 1986, known for his roles in various TV shows and films, including "Supernatural" and "The 100."

Lastly, Ozzy Smith, born in 1954, was a former professional baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals, renowned for his exceptional defensive skills and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ozzy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ozzy, please contact us.

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