Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Produced from felsic lava, obsidian is rich in the lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, aluminium, sodium, and potassium. It is commonly found within the margins of rhyolitic lava flows known as obsidian flows.
Meaning & Origin of Obsidian
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Produced from felsic lava, obsidian is rich in the lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, aluminium, sodium, and potassium. It is commonly found within the margins of rhyolitic lava flows known as obsidian flows.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Obsidian
Obsidian first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2013, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 22 Obsidians were born — ranking #4,648 that year. As of 2026, Obsidian ranks #4,648 for baby boys with 22 births, rising sharply (+79% over the past five years). In total, more than 161 Obsidians have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Obsidian
Phonetically similar names — useful when Obsidian is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Ascidian
- Obsession
- Upsidedown
- Assyrian
- Abaddon
- Ophidian
- Acedia
- Abbadon
- Upsidown
- Abadan
- Basidium
- Abscission
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Obsidian
What does the name Obsidian mean?
How popular is Obsidian in 2026?
When was Obsidian most popular?
Is Obsidian a unisex name?
What names go well with Obsidian?
About the name Obsidian
Obsidian is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2013 and has accumulated 161 births in the dataset. Obsidian's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #4,648. Use the chart and map above to compare Obsidian's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.