Boy names starting with O are riding high, with Oliver at the heights of popularity, and Owen not too far behind.
But a surprising number of rare O names for boys exist, too. Surnames like Orson and Ogden, imports like Octavio and Oleg, and mythological names from multiple traditions also begin with this bright and energetic letter.
O ranks 17th out of the 26 letters of the alphabet in terms of popularity, putting it well behind A and E, but ahead of I and U.
Of course, it might be Oliver that fuels some of that rank. A staggering 14,147 boys received the name in 2020. It’s wildly popular elsewhere in the English-speaking world, as well as throughout Europe, ranking in the Top 50 – or better – from Sweden to Hungary to Spain, to name just a few.
But O names for boys remain far less popular than boy names starting with A, while retaining much of the same appeal of a vibrant, vowel-forward choice.
TOP 1000 BOY NAMES STARTING WITH O
OLIVER (#3)
A chart-topping favorite across much of the world, Oliver feels traditional, if not quite classic. It’s a playful name, but a sophisticated one, too. With Germanic roots and plenty of historical notables, Oliver is rooted in the past – but has never been more popular.
OWEN (#22)
A Welsh name – and sometimes Irish, too – Owen has become a go-to for parents in our era of boy names ending with n.
OSCAR (#215)
Borrowed from Irish myth, Oscar blends a literary vibe (Wilde) with all the innocence of Sesame Street.
OMAR (#253)
Most familiar as an Arabic name, Omar means flourishing. It appears in the Old Testament, too, a Hebrew name meaning speaker.
ORION (#326)
The constellation of a mythological hunter, Orion is familiar to all stargazers.
ODIN (#332)
Another mythological possibility, we all know the Norse god Odin – father of Thor – thanks to the Avengers movies.
OTTO (#386)
A palindrome name, Otto has been worn by a handful of famous Germans. It feels traditional-ish, but also quirky-cool in the US today.
OAKLEY (#421)
A cool and edgy surname name, Oakley brings to mind oak trees, but also the sunglasses company.
OMARI (#500)
Likely a Swahili spin on Omar, though other origins are possible.
ONYX (#613)
A gemstone found all over the world, Onyx is associated with its typical inky-black color.
OTIS (#649)
A buttoned-up version of Otto, originally in use as a surname.
ORLANDO (#779)
A Florida place name, borrowed from poets of the Italian Renaissance, as well as Shakespeare’s As You Like It.
OCEAN (#800)
A nature name every bit as wearable as River.
OSIRIS (#910)
The Egyptian god of the underworld, a name at least as wearable as many other mythological gems.
RARE & UNUSUAL BOY NAMES BEGINNING WITH O
OAKES
A surname name that takes the best of Oakley and Wells.
OBADIAH
Another Old Testament name, an alternative to Isaiah and Elijah.
OBERON
Shakespeare’s fairy king in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
OCTAVIO
A romance-language take on ancient Octavius.
ODYSSEUS
The much-traveled hero of Greek legend and Homer’s epic.
OGDEN
A place name-turned-surname, American poet Ogden Nash helps put this on the list of first-name possibilities.
OISIN
The name of a warrior from Irish legend, Oisin means little deer.
OLEG
A Russian name meaning blessed, Oleg has never caught on in the US.
OLIN
A Scandi import, cousin to Olaf – and likely a little more accessible for Americans.
OMRI
An Old Testament name of a wicked king, Omri nonetheless feels ready for redemption now.
OREN
A Hebrew name meaning pine tree.
ORSON
Originally a Norman surname meaning bear, Orson brings to mind director Welles and author Scott Card.
OTHELLO
A tragic figure from one of Shakespeare’s dramas, but also an o-ending name with a current sound.
OZIAS
Ozias is slightly more common than just-Oz, but in our age of Bo, is Oz any less wearable?
What are your favorite boy names beginning with O?
First published February 8, 2021, this post was revised on October 18, 2021.
How about Orpheus? Cool Greek mythological character and musician. Similar to Morpheus which may get a bump from the new Matrix movie coming out.
Otto, Otis, Oscar, Orson, Oberon, Orion, Odin: all some of my absolute favorite boy names! Something about that soft O gives me soft + strong vibes — like a bear hug in name form. Great list!
Our two boys have the middle names Obadiah and Ozias. Being Christians we loved the meaning of them both but thought the names were a little too oddball to use as firsts (Obadiah more so than Ozias, as something about it just felt too old-manlike to use on a baby. Ozias was a real toss up for first or middle place as it’s unusual but has a fairly modern vibe to it, but another name won out for first place). Since announcing their names we’ve had so many positive comments about the choice of middle names, as well as some cute nickname ideas based on these, so maybe we could have used them as firsts without any worry.
I’ve been thinking of the name Oak recently – maybe more as a middle name though! Oak trees have a lot of significance to my family. And before he died, my grandfather gave each of his granddaughters a necklace with an oak tree charm on it.
I know somebody who had a baby girl Oak last year! I do like it.