Odyn
A masculine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "the frenzied one".
Name Census estimates that about 305 living Americans carry the first name Odyn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Odyn today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Odyn births was 2018 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Odyn. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Odyn with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
305
~ 1 in 1,123,785 Americans
Peak year
2018
35 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,177
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Odyn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Odyn from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 177 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Odyn remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Odyn by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Odyn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Odyns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Odyn
The name Odyn has its roots in the Old Norse language and dates back to the Viking Age in Scandinavia, roughly between the 8th and 11th centuries CE. It is derived from the Old Norse word "óðr," which means "fury" or "frenzy," and is closely associated with the ancient Norse god Odin, the revered ruler of the Aesir gods in Norse mythology.
Odin was a complex figure in Norse mythology, representing wisdom, poetry, war, and the acquisition of knowledge. He was often depicted as a wandering old man with a long beard, a wide-brimmed hat, and a staff. The name Odyn was likely given to children as a tribute to this powerful deity, reflecting the Norse belief in the importance of strength, courage, and the pursuit of knowledge.
One of the earliest recorded individuals named Odyn was a Viking chieftain from Norway, who lived in the late 9th century CE. He is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas as a fearsome warrior and leader who led his men on many raids and conquests across Europe.
Another notable figure with the name Odyn was a Danish scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE. He is known for his collection of poems and writings that provide valuable insights into the language, culture, and beliefs of the Norse people during that time.
In the 13th century, there was a Swedish king named Odyn who ruled from 1216 to 1234 CE. He is remembered for his efforts to strengthen the kingdom's defenses and promote trade with other nations in the Baltic region.
Moving forward in history, Odyn Stormfjord was a Norwegian explorer and navigator who lived in the late 15th century. He is credited with leading several expeditions to Greenland and the Arctic regions, contributing to the expansion of geographic knowledge during the Age of Discovery.
Finally, Odyn Thorvaldsson was an Icelandic poet and playwright who lived in the early 17th century. He is renowned for his influential works that helped preserve and promote the rich literary traditions of Iceland, drawing inspiration from the ancient Norse sagas and myths.
These examples illustrate the enduring legacy of the name Odyn, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, ranging from warriors and rulers to scholars and artists, all connected by their association with the ancient Norse culture and the revered figure of Odin.
People
Odyn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Odyn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Odyn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Odyn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 305 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Odyn going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,123,785 US residents.
Is Odyn a common name?
We classify Odyn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 307 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Odyn most popular?
The single biggest year for Odyn was 2018, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Odyn is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Odyn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Odyn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Odyn in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Odyn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Odyn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Odyn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Odyn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.