Fun Facts About the Name Ottavia
- 44 babies named Ottavia: U.S. records list 44 babies given the name Ottavia from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ottavia Mean?
Ottavia is the Italian feminine form of Ottavio, which comes from the Latin Octavius, a Roman family name. The usual meaning is "eighth," from Latin octavus ("eighth"), which is related to octo ("eight"). Some references treat this derivation as probable rather than certain, but it is the standard explanation. The feminine Latin form was Octavia; Italian uses Ottavia, with the double t and the feminine ending -a.
The literal sense is tied to the number eight, not to a later symbolic idea. Some modern sources give "eighth-born" as the meaning, but that is a customary explanation; the surviving evidence does not show that every person named Octavius or Octavia was an eighth child. The core etymology is the Latin word for "eighth."
Ottavia Name History & Origins
In ancient Rome, Octavius was the name of a plebeian family, the gens Octavia. Its most famous member was Gaius Octavius, the future emperor Augustus. After his adoption by Julius Caesar, he was called Octavianus, the source of the English name Octavian. The feminine form Octavia was borne by his sister, Octavia the Younger (69 - 11 BC), who was married to Mark Antony. Another notable bearer was Claudia Octavia, daughter of the emperor Claudius and first wife of Nero.
Latin Octavia developed in Italy into Ottavia, the feminine counterpart of Ottavio. The name appears in Italian literature and music; in Claudio Monteverdi's opera L'incoronazione di Poppea (1643), Ottavia is the wife of Nero. That opera is a later literary use, not the name's origin: the Roman forms are centuries older. The Latin-derived Octavia also remains in use in English, while Ottavia belongs especially to Italian.
How Popular is the Name Ottavia?
Ottavia 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 2022. Its best rank was #11,962 in 2022.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #14,489 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #17,015 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #11,962 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #17,051 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #13,455 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #14,999 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #12,975 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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 Ottavia 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 very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Ottavia's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ottavia's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.