Boy Names That Start With O
O names have a round, open sound that feels friendly from the very first syllable. In recent years the letter has produced some of the biggest hits on the US charts — Oliver and Owen above all — while vintage names like Otis and Otto have staged cheerful comebacks.
Here are more than 100 boy names that start with O, grouped by style: popular, vintage, biblical, mythological, international and nature-inspired, with meanings and origins for each. Continue your search with our boy names that start with N and P, or see our girl names that start with O.
Popular boy names starting with O
These O names rank among the most-used in the US (SSA data) — Oliver has been a top-five name in recent years.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver | Olive tree | Latin / Norman French |
| Owen | Well-born or young warrior (possibly) | Welsh |
| Oscar | Deer lover or spear of the gods | Irish / Norse |
| Omar | Long-lived, flourishing | Arabic |
| Otto | Wealth, fortune | Germanic |
| Orion | Mighty hunter of Greek myth | Greek |
| Odin | Chief of the Norse gods; “fury, inspiration” | Old Norse |
| Oakley | Oak meadow | English |
| Otis | Wealth | Germanic |
| Omari | Long-lived; form of Omar | Swahili / Arabic |
| Orlando | Famous land (Italian form of Roland) | Italian |
| Onyx | Black gemstone; “claw, nail” | Greek |
| Ozzy | Short for Oswald or Osborne | English |
| Ollie | Short for Oliver | English |
Vintage and classic O names
Old-fashioned names with plenty of charm. Browse more in our classic boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Oswald | God’s power | Old English |
| Orville | Golden town | French |
| Oren | Pine tree | Hebrew |
| Orson | Bear cub | Latin / French |
| Olin | Ancestor’s relic (possibly) | Scandinavian |
| Ogden | Oak valley | English |
| Oswin | God’s friend | Old English |
| Osbert | Divinely bright | Old English |
| Osborne | Divine bear | Old Norse |
| Ormond | Red (from Irish surname) | Irish |
| Orrin | Pale green (possibly) | Irish |
| Octavius | Eighth | Latin |
| Oakes | By the oaks | English |
| Olney | Olla’s island | English |
Biblical boy names that start with O
Scripture names with sturdy sounds. See also our biblical boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Bible reference |
|---|---|---|
| Obadiah | Servant of God | Book of Obadiah |
| Obed | Servant, worshipper | Ruth 4 |
| Omri | My sheaf | 1 Kings 16 |
| Othniel | Strength of God (possibly) | Judges 3 |
| Onesimus | Useful | Philemon 1 |
| Ozias | Strength of the Lord (Greek form of Uzziah) | Matthew 1 |
| Ozni | My hearing | Numbers 26 |
| Oded | Restorer | 2 Chronicles 15 |
| Ophir | Faithful; land of gold | Genesis 10 |
O names from mythology and legend
Gods, heroes and poets of old. More in our mythology boy names.
| Name | Who he was | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Osiris | God of the afterlife | Egyptian |
| Orpheus | Musician who ventured into the underworld | Greek |
| Oberon | King of the fairies | English folklore |
| Odysseus | Cunning hero of the <em>Odyssey</em> | Greek |
| Oceanus | Titan of the world-ocean | Greek |
| Ossian | Legendary bard; son of Fionn | Scottish / Irish |
| Ogma | God of eloquence, inventor of Ogham | Irish |
| Ogun | God of iron, war and labor | Yoruba |
| Obatala | Sky father, creator of humans | Yoruba |
| Olorun | Supreme god, “owner of the heavens” | Yoruba |
| Orestes | Son of Agamemnon; “of the mountains” | Greek |
International boy names beginning with O
O names from Irish, Scandinavian, Turkish, African and Japanese traditions. Explore further in our Irish boy names and Turkish boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Oisín | Little deer (say “uh-SHEEN”) | Irish |
| Oran | Pale, pale-green (Odhrán) | Irish |
| Odhrán | Pale green (say “OH-rawn”) | Irish |
| Owain | Welsh form of Owen | Welsh |
| Olaf | Ancestor’s descendant | Old Norse |
| Olav | Norwegian form of Olaf | Norwegian |
| Ole | Danish and Norwegian short form of Olaf | Scandinavian |
| Oskar | Scandinavian and German form of Oscar | Swedish / German |
| Octavio | Eighth | Spanish |
| Osvaldo | God’s power | Spanish / Italian |
| Osman | Baby bustard (bird); name of the Ottoman founder | Turkish |
| Orhan | Great khan | Turkish |
| Onur | Honor | Turkish |
| Ozan | Poet, bard | Turkish |
| Oleg | Holy (from Norse Helgi) | Russian |
| Oleksandr | Defender of men | Ukrainian |
| Ondřej | Czech form of Andrew | Czech |
| Omid | Hope | Persian |
| Obinna | Father’s heart | Igbo |
| Olumide | My God has come | Yoruba |
| Otieno | Born at night | Luo (Kenya) |
| Osamu | Discipline, study | Japanese |
| Ottavio | Eighth | Italian |
| Olivier | French form of Oliver | French |
| Olavi | Finnish form of Olaf | Finnish |
| Oskari | Finnish form of Oscar | Finnish |
| Otávio | Portuguese form of Octavius, “eighth” | Portuguese |
| Oriol | Golden | Catalan |
| Olek | Polish pet form of Aleksander | Polish |
| Okechukwu | God’s portion | Igbo |
| Ohene | Chief, king | Akan (Ghana) |
| Omer | Sheaf of grain | Hebrew |
Nature, place and word names starting with O
Earthy, easygoing picks drawn from trees, the sea, places and simple words. See more in our nature boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Oak | The oak tree | English |
| Ocean | The sea | English |
| Oro | Gold | Spanish |
| Otso | Bear (a poetic Finnish name) | Finnish |
| Oxford | Ford where oxen crossed | English |
| Onni | Luck, happiness | Finnish |
Unique boy names that start with O
Rarer O names for a one-of-a-kind boy — see our unique boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Octavian | Eighth; first Roman emperor’s name | Latin |
| Odell | Wooded hill | English |
| Orlo | Form of Orlando | Italian |
| Otho | Wealth (Roman emperor’s name) | Latin / Germanic |
| Oszkár | Hungarian form of Oscar | Hungarian |
| Oriel | Gold (possibly); a type of window | Latin |
| Ottokar | Watchful of wealth | Germanic |
| Osric | Divine ruler | Old English |
| Osei | Noble | Akan (Ghana) |
| Oluwaseun | We thank God | Yoruba |
| Obie | Short for Obadiah | English |
| Ossie | Short for Oswald | English |
| Odo | Wealth | Germanic |
| Odilon | Wealth | French |
Tips for choosing an O name
- Watch vowel collisions. An O name followed by a surname starting with a vowel (Owen Oates, Oscar Ellis) can run together; try it aloud.
- Pick your nickname path. Oliver gives Ollie, Oswald gives Ozzy, Obadiah gives Obie — or choose Otto or Omar, which rarely get shortened.
- Help with Irish spellings. Oisín and Odhrán are lovely but need explaining in the US; anglicized Oran is an easier option.
- Mix vintage with modern. A retro first name like Otis pairs nicely with a modern middle name, and vice versa.
- Look at the meaning. Omid (“hope”), Onni (“happiness”) and Oluwaseun (“we thank God”) make beautiful statements — find more in our boy names with meaning.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular boy name that starts with O?
Oliver is by far the most popular O name for boys in the US and has ranked in the top five in recent years (SSA data). Owen, Oscar, Omar, Orion and Otto follow.
What are unique boy names that start with O?
Octavian, Osric, Ottokar, Osei, Oriel and Orlo are uncommon O names that are still easy to say.
What O names come from mythology?
Odin, Orion, Osiris, Orpheus, Oberon, Odysseus and Ossian all come from Norse, Greek, Egyptian or Celtic legend.
What does Otis mean?
Otis comes from a Germanic element meaning “wealth” or “fortune.” It became a surname in England and later a first name in the US.
How do you pronounce Oisín?
Oisín is pronounced “uh-SHEEN” (or “OSH-een” in some regions). It means “little deer” in Irish.