Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, often shortened to Othello, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulated by his ensign, Iago, into suspecting his wife Desdemona of infidelity.
- Literature
Meaning & Origin of Othello
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, often shortened to Othello, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulated by his ensign, Iago, into suspecting his wife Desdemona of infidelity.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Literature
The Story of Othello
As a girl name
American parents first put Othello on the record books as a girl name in 1905, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1919, when 10 Othellos were born — ranking #3,005 that year. About 43% of every Othello on record arrived during the 1910s, its defining decade. Othello last appeared in the published SSA data in 1930, with 8 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 116 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1900s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Othello on the record books as a boy name in 1913, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2025, when 17 Othellos were born — ranking #5,523 that year. As of 2026, Othello ranks #5,540 for boys with 17 births, rising sharply (+57% over the past five years). All told, over 713 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Othello
Phonetically similar names — useful when Othello is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Othello
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How popular is Othello in 2026?
When was Othello most popular?
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Is Othello a unisex name?
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About the name Othello
Othello is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1913 and has accumulated 713 births in the dataset. Othello's peak popularity came in 2025 when it ranked #1,772. Use the chart and map above to compare Othello's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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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.