Otto

Otto - A very unique male name

Otto appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #154. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Otto and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Otto? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Otto. The baby boy name Otto was given to 1,222 baby boys in 2025, ranking #276 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,200 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Otto peaked in popularity 113 years ago in 1913 on position 147.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Otto, 1-5?

Otto is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Otto is currently topping the baby name charts in North Dakota at position #59 - and is the least popular in Georgia at position #669.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Otto is where you live.

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Otto origin and meaning

German, from Old High German

From the element ot, 'wealth, fortune, riches' — Otto began as a short form of names beginning with Ot-

Otto is an old German name borne by Holy Roman emperors, built on the Old High German word for wealth. It faded in the US through the 20th century but is a textbook vintage revival: up from #387 in 2020 to #276 in 2025, near its 2024 peak. Its palindrome spelling adds to the appeal.

Attested etymology

Otto is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Otto, pop culture references for the name Otto and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Otto

We've found the following names that sound similar to Otto, sorted by popularity.

Otha / Otho / Odie / Oddie / Ottie / Oded / Oday / Ott /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Otto

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Otto a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Otto?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AH-toh · /ˈɑtoʊ/

Around the world

• Otto (German) — Used as-is in German, pronounced OT-toh

Spellings and nicknames

• Odo — Older Germanic form of the same name family

Famous bearers

• Otto von Bismarck — German statesman who unified Germany and served as its first chancellor (1815–1898) Historical
• Otto Frank — German businessman, father of Anne Frank and publisher of her diary (1889–1980) Historical

Style

ClassicVintage revivalInternational

Why parents choose it

Otto is a compact old-world name with a playful palindrome shape, riding the vintage-revival wave to near its best US showing ever.

Worth knowing

• English speakers say AH-toh, not the German OT-toh, and the name can draw 'otto-man' jokes from older children.