UK boy's name
Otniel
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "lion of God" or "force of God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Otniel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Otniel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4702, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2015 to 2019. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Otniel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Otniel ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 3 boys were registered as Otniel.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Otniel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4702
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Otniel mean?
The given name Otniel has its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the biblical Hebrew words "otnah" meaning "force" or "strength" and "el" meaning "God". Thus, the name roughly translates to "force of God" or "strength of God".
Otniel is a name found in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Joshua. It was the name of one of the first judges of Israel, who led the Israelites after the conquest of Canaan. According to the biblical account, Otniel was the son of Kenaz and the younger brother of Caleb. He captured the city of Kiriath-sepher (also known as Debir) and was rewarded with the hand of Achsah, Caleb's daughter, in marriage.
The earliest recorded use of the name Otniel dates back to the ancient Hebrew scriptures, where it appears in the Book of Joshua and the Book of Judges. In these texts, Otniel is portrayed as a valiant warrior and a leader of the Israelites during a period of conflict with the neighboring Canaanites.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Otniel. One of the earliest was Otniel ben Kenaz (c. 1200 BCE), the biblical judge mentioned above. Another was Otniel Hayyim Akerman (1727-1807), a prominent Hebrew grammarian and author from Poland.
In the 19th century, Otniel Marsh (1831-1899) was an American paleontologist and a professor at Yale University, known for his contributions to the study of dinosaurs. Otniel E. Gillespie (1892-1980) was an American artist and illustrator, best known for his illustrations in books and magazines.
Otniel Sarig (1923-2004) was an Israeli politician and a member of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) from 1965 to 1977, representing the Labor Party. Otniel Schneller (born 1946) is an Israeli politician and a former member of the Knesset, serving from 1988 to 2006 for various right-wing parties.
While not an exhaustive list, these are some notable individuals throughout history who bore the given name Otniel, reflecting its biblical and Hebrew origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Otniel over time
The chart below shows babies named Otniel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Otniel, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Otniel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Otniel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4725 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Otniel
- Oliver 157,197
- Oscar 67,495
- Owen 33,517
- Ollie 13,193
- Oakley 9,838
- Omar 6,823
- Otis 6,395
- Oskar 4,827
- Olly 4,403
- Otto 3,839
- Osian 3,145
- Owain 2,310
FAQ
Otniel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Otniel in the UK right now?
In 2019, Otniel was ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Otniel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 3 babies registered as Otniel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Otniel?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "lion of God" or "force of God".
How many people are called Otniel in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Otniel across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.