Othniel
From Biblical Hebrew עָתְנִיאֵל (ʿOṯnīʾēl), of uncertain meaning but at any rate ending in אֵל (ʾēl, “God”).
Every Othniel since 1924 — 715 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Othniel
Othniel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,746 in 2025 with 47 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1924, 715 American babies have been named Othniel. Its peak came in 2018, when 64 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Othniel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Othniel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #2,746 |
| 2024 | 30 | #3,763 |
| 2023 | 36 | #3,329 |
| 2022 | 33 | #3,515 |
| 2021 | 42 | #2,957 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3,061 |
| 2019 | 56 | #2,413 |
| 2018 | 64 | #2,186 |
| 2017 | 44 | #2,788 |
| 2016 | 27 | #3,959 |
| 2015 | 31 | #3,568 |
| 2014 | 37 | #3,074 |
| 2013 | 24 | #4,147 |
| 2012 | 19 | #4,995 |
| 2011 | 12 | #6,896 |
| 2010 | 11 | #7,446 |
| 2009 | 11 | #7,570 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5,986 |
| 2007 | 14 | #6,178 |
| 2006 | 8 | #9,346 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8,890 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8,715 |
| 2003 | 13 | #5,795 |
| 2002 | 5 | #11,990 |
| 2001 | 7 | #8,975 |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | 6 | #8,588 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Othniel
- Othniel Politician
- Othniel Charles Marsh Archaeologist · 1831–1899
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Othniel mean?
From Biblical Hebrew עָתְנִיאֵל (ʿOṯnīʾēl), of uncertain meaning but at any rate ending in אֵל (ʾēl, “God”).
How popular is the name Othniel in 2025?
Othniel ranked #2,746 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 47 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Othniel?
715 babies have been named Othniel in the United States since 1924, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Othniel most popular?
Othniel peaked in 2018, when 64 newborns received the name.
Is Othniel a boy or girl name?
Othniel is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Othniel rising or falling?
Othniel is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Othniel?
Well-known people named Othniel include Othniel (politician), Othniel Charles Marsh (archaeologist).