If you’re still child-free, it’s possible that the late 80s live action film The Adventures of Milo and Otis escaped your notice.  Most parents quickly discover this charming little tale of a curious kitten and the pug puppy he befriends.

We all know that Milo’s star is on the rise, but will Otis follow?  Thanks to Another for suggesting today’s Name of the Day.

Prior to the pup, the most famous Otis was probably Redding - the Rock’n'Roll Hall of Fame inducted soul singer best known for “Try a Little Tenderness” and “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay.”  The latter was released after his tragic death in a 1967 plane crash.  This muscial Otis - actually born Otis Redding Jr. - gives the name a strong artistic tone.

As well-known as he remains, Otis Redding’s first name is often mispronounced.  Most naming dictionaries list the proper vowel sound as a long “o” - like in boat.  But some favor AH tis or even AW tis.  We’re divided on which is most appealing, but O tis is almost certainly correct.

Some of the confusion stems from Otis’ roots.  It’s originally a surname form of the German Otto, which in turn, is a variant of the diminutive Odo.  Otto and Odo each have several possible pronunciations.  What they all share is a common meaning - in old German, od means fortune or wealth.

At least some bearers of the Otis name have indeed been able to amass fortunes.  Most notably, Elisha Otis developed a safety feature to improve elevators, and Otis Elevator Company went on to become the largest in the world.  Thanks go to Mr. Otis for all of our modern skyscrapers.

There are a handful of places called Otis in the US, Canada and Germany, where there is even a stop on Berlin’s subway by the name.

Otis was a perfectly common given name for American-born boys in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  In 1880, he ranked #156; he was slightly more popular at the turn of the 20th century, reaching #94 in 1899.   By the 1940s, Otis was falling out of favor.  

When the Andy Griffith Show premiered in 1960, Otis ranked #327.  If you aren’t addicted to TVLand, you might not recall that Otis Campbell was Mayberry’s town drunk, regularly appearing on the scene just in time to complicate matters.  After nearly a decade of watching Otis lock himself into the local jail, the name had plummeted into the 400s and by 1994 had left the Top 1000 entirely.

Rob Zombie did the name further damage when he chose it for one of his murderous Firefly clan members in 1993’s gory horror flick House of 1000 Corpses.  Zombie apparently borrowed several names, including Otis, from characters played by Groucho Marx.  We’re not recommending you add this cinematic gem to your Netflix cue, but here’s betting that a lot of prospective parents will make the connection.

On balance, we find Otis a charming throwback choice that could work on a modern child.  While the pop culture references on screen are less than stellar, they are balanced by the talent of Otis Redding.  Given the resurgence of colonial picks like Silas and Miles, and the revivals of truly ancient names like Julius, Atticus and Cyrus, Otis doesn’t sound out of place.  It’s rare, but perfectly familiar.  And if you don’t mind hearing O tis, AH tis and even AW tis, then it’s quite a simple, straightforward choice. 

Just don’t call his brother Milo.