Rare ‘O’ Baby Names in 2016

There are few rare ‘O’ baby names for any gender, but the small selection that does exist is very diverse. The Social Security Administration registered a ton of West African names (especially Yoruba) under this letter in 2016, and many of them are unisex! To avoid widespread repetition in a list containing both girls’ and boys’ names, I’ve listed every unisex name (shown in purple) under its more frequent gender.  For example, Oluwadarasimi was given to 48 girls and 17 boys in 2016, so I’ve listed it under the girls’ section; meanwhile, Oluwademilade was given to 21 boys and 11 girls that year, so I’ve listed it under the boys’ section. Note: the unisex names listed aren’t all West African, and not all the West African names are unisex.

Girls

• 100-256 named: Opal, Octavia, Oaklyn, Oriana, Oona
• 50-99: Ocean, Odette, Odessa, October, Odalys, Olympia
• 25-49: Oluwadarasimi, Olga, Ona, Ora, Odelia, Orly, Oumou, Ohana, Orla, Oceana, Oliviana, Oliva, Onalee
• 10-24: Oreoluwa, Oluwanifemi, Odyssey, Ola, Oluwatamilore, Oriyah, Olina, Ottilie, Oluwadamilola, Olena, Oluwatoni, Ondine, Oksana, Olanna, Omotara, Oralia, Oceane, Olivine, Oluwatishe, Oluwatofunmi, Oyinkansola
• 8-9: Oasis, Oliana, Oluwabukunmi, Oluwafikayomi, Omni, Otilia, Oluwatumininu, Omnia, Oniyah, Orchid, Ottilia
• 7: Oktober, Omaria, Omera, Omolola, Onyinyechi, Onyinyechukwu, Osmara, Ovee, Oviya
• 6: Ogechi, Okalani, Olamiposi, Olana, Olesya, Olivette, Oluwadabira, Oluwakemi, Omolara, Oneida, Oonagh, Orielle, Ornella, Ostara, Ourania, Ovi, Oyindamola
• 5: Ogheneruona, Olani, Olia, Olisa, Ololade, Oluwadara, Oluwadunminunu, Oluwateniola, Onella, Oreofeoluwa, Orpha, Orquidea, Osariemen, Oshun, Osiyo, Oyinlola, Ozioma

Boys

• 100-187 named: Osvaldo, Onyx, Octavio, Osiris, Oren, Obadiah
• 50-99: Obed, Orson, Om, Osman, Omer, Oziel, Osmar, Ozias, Oshea, Ozzy, Omarion, Oswaldo, Octavian, Olen, Orrin, Octavius
• 25-49: Oakland, Oak, Oswald, Ousmane, Omega, Omri, Odell, Othniel, Oz, Odysseus
• 10-24: Oran, Ojas, Ole, Oluwademilade, Oisin, Olsen, Oluwatobi, Oluwatobiloba, Olamide, Orlin, Oswin, Obinna, Owais, Olaoluwa, Omid, Osbaldo, Osinachi, Oakes, Olson, Osborn, Oseas, Oluwasemilore, Obaloluwa, Oberon, Obrian, Oluwaseun, Oluwaseyi, Oneil, Osmond, Oleg, Oluwadamilare, Orville, Oxley, Oluwajomiloju, Oslo, Oaken, Olaf, Oluwafemi, Oluwaferanmi, Oluwajoba, Oluwatise, Omkar, Ontario, Othello
• 8-9: Olajuwon, Oluwatomisin, Oneal, Orhan, Osborne, Oberyn, Ociel, Octaviano, Ollivander, Owain
• 7: Obi, Ogden, Oliverio, Olujimi, Oluwatimilehin, Oluwatimileyin, Oluwatomi, Oluwatosin, Oxford
• 6: Oaks, Ogheneruno, Olanrewaju, Olivander, Olufemi, Olumide, Oluwakorede, Onyekachi, Or, Ossian, Ovidio
• 5: Ocelotl, Ohm, Oluwapelumi, Onesimo, Onesimus, Onyekachukwu, Orland, Osagie, Osric

Do you have a favorite rare ‘O’ name? Let me know!

Also, if you’re interested in reading more about West African names, here are a couple of links:

• A list of Western African names on Behind the Name.
• Africa’s naming traditions: Nine ways to name your child – BBC.