Obadiah
From Hebrew עובדיה (Ovadya, “servant of Yahweh”); comparable to Arabic عبد اللّٰه (ʕabd-allah, “servant of God”).
Every Obadiah since 1914 — 2,521 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Obadiah
Obadiah is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,630 in 2025 with 104 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 2,521 American babies have been named Obadiah. Its peak came in 2024, when 131 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Obadiah stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Obadiah year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 104 | #1,630 |
| 2024 | 131 | #1,414 |
| 2023 | 113 | #1,554 |
| 2022 | 124 | #1,464 |
| 2021 | 99 | #1,676 |
| 2020 | 105 | #1,566 |
| 2019 | 96 | #1,673 |
| 2018 | 97 | #1,661 |
| 2017 | 97 | #1,639 |
| 2016 | 107 | #1,553 |
| 2015 | 93 | #1,689 |
| 2014 | 72 | #1,993 |
| 2013 | 69 | #2,005 |
| 2012 | 69 | #2,027 |
| 2011 | 54 | #2,367 |
| 2010 | 56 | #2,313 |
| 2009 | 53 | #2,438 |
| 2008 | 33 | #3,403 |
| 2007 | 37 | #3,119 |
| 2006 | 41 | #2,812 |
| 2005 | 36 | #2,944 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3,608 |
| 2003 | 30 | #3,173 |
| 2002 | 29 | #3,164 |
| 2001 | 26 | #3,386 |
| 2000 | 35 | #2,662 |
| 1995 | 21 | #3,274 |
| 1990 | 14 | #4,123 |
| 1985 | 10 | #4,257 |
| 1980 | 21 | #2,424 |
| 1975 | 16 | #2,608 |
| 1970 | 10 | #3,213 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | 7 | #3,559 |
| 1955 | 6 | #3,774 |
| 1950 | 6 | #3,585 |
| 1945 | 5 | #3,643 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 6 | #3,540 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,074 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,410 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Obadiah
- Obadiah Religious figure · -587–-500
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Obadiah mean?
From Hebrew עובדיה (Ovadya, “servant of Yahweh”); comparable to Arabic عبد اللّٰه (ʕabd-allah, “servant of God”).
How popular is the name Obadiah in 2025?
Obadiah ranked #1,630 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 104 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Obadiah?
2,521 babies have been named Obadiah in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Obadiah most popular?
Obadiah peaked in 2024, when 131 newborns received the name.
Is Obadiah a boy or girl name?
Obadiah is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Obadiah rising or falling?
Obadiah is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Obadiah?
Well-known people named Obadiah include Obadiah (religious figure).