Fun Facts About the Name Odetta
- 628 babies named Odetta: U.S. records list 628 babies given the name Odetta from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Odetta Mean?
Odetta is a feminine given name of French origin meaning "wealthy in battle," a sense inherited from the older Germanic name Odilia. It is a variant of Odette, the French pet form of Odile. Odile comes from Odilia, usually analyzed as a compound of the Old High German element ōt (from a Germanic root meaning "wealth" or "riches") and hild ("battle"). The elements are conventionally interpreted as "wealthy in battle" or "fortunate in battle"; shorter accounts simplify the meaning to "wealthy." Odetta itself is a later affectionate formation, so the meaning belongs to the parent name rather than being coined anew. The exact formation of Odilia is not fully certain, and the "battle" element is the part most often debated.
Odetta Name History & Origins
Odile is the French form of Odilia, the name of Saint Odile, an early medieval abbess and patron saint of Alsace. Her cult spread in French- and German-speaking regions, and the name Odile became established in French. French speakers formed the affectionate diminutive Odette with the suffix -ette; the spelling Odetta adds the feminine ending -a to that diminutive, a pattern familiar from pairs such as Henriette and Henrietta. Odetta is used in English and is the professional name of the American folk singer Odetta Holmes (1930 - 2008). It is distinct from the similar-looking Odessa and from Oda, which have separate histories.
How Popular is the Name Odetta?
Odetta has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1922. Its best rank was #1,823 in 1933.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #16,994 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #17,121 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #7,873 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #5,643 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #7,200 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #7,058 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #3,894 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #4,980 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #6,410 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #5,501 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #3,989 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #4,763 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #6,311 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #3,642 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1963 | #3,040 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1962 | #4,778 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #3,559 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1960 | #3,172 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1959 | #6,948 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #5,890 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #6,471 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #4,552 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #4,487 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1952 | #6,179 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #4,706 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1950 | #3,180 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1949 | #5,821 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #4,825 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1945 | #5,067 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #3,427 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1941 | #3,486 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #4,766 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #2,880 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #4,148 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1936 | #4,037 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #2,883 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1934 | #3,710 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #1,823 | 19 | 0.0019% |
| 1932 | #3,821 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1931 | #3,163 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1930 | #2,392 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #3,325 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #4,081 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #3,783 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1926 | #2,441 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1925 | #2,359 | 16 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #1,979 | 21 | 0.0017% |
| 1923 | #2,435 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1922 | #1,879 | 22 | 0.0018% |
| 1921 | #2,600 | 14 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #2,693 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #2,471 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #2,266 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1917 | #1,900 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1916 | #2,101 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1915 | #2,653 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1914 | #2,226 | 11 | 0.0014% |
| 1913 | #2,130 | 10 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #3,314 | 5 | 0.0009% |
| 1911 | #1,913 | 8 | 0.0019% |
| 1907 | #2,298 | 5 | 0.0016% |
| 1904 | #2,092 | 5 | 0.0018% |
| 1900 | #2,144 | 5 | 0.0017% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Odetta Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Odetta's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Odetta's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.