UK boy's name
Otter
A name derived from the semi-aquatic mammal, the otter.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Otter is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Otter popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2016 to 2018. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Otter. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Otter ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 4 boys were registered as Otter.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Otter as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2016
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Otter mean?
The given name Otter has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically Old English and Old Norse. The name is derived from the animal name "otter," which comes from the Proto-Germanic word "otraz." This word is believed to have emerged from the Proto-Indo-European root "ud-ro," meaning "water animal."
In Old English, the word for otter was "otor," while in Old Norse it was "otr." The name Otter likely emerged as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who resembled or had characteristics associated with the otter, such as agility, playfulness, or a connection to water.
While there are no direct historical references to the name Otter in ancient texts or religious scriptures, the use of animal names as personal names was not uncommon in various cultures, particularly in Germanic and Nordic regions. The earliest recorded examples of the name Otter can be found in medieval documents from England and Scandinavia.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Otter was an Anglo-Saxon man named Otter of Melrose, who lived in the 7th century and was a monk at Melrose Abbey in Scotland. Another early bearer of the name was Otter the Black, a Viking warrior and chieftain who lived in the 9th century and is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas.
In the 12th century, there was an English nobleman named Otter of Winchester, who served as a royal chamberlain under King Henry II. In the 13th century, Otter Galliard was a prominent French troubadour and poet from Provence.
A more recent historical figure with the name Otter was Otter Tail Otter Chief, a leader of the Otter Tail Band of Ojibwe people in Minnesota, who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a significant role in the negotiation of treaties with the United States government.
Throughout history, the name Otter has been used across various cultures and regions, reflecting the widespread presence and cultural significance of the otter animal. While not a common name today, it has left a unique and interesting legacy in the annals of human names.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Otter over time
The chart below shows babies named Otter registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Otter, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Otter by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Otter 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 | #4386 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Otter
- 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
Otter: questions and answers
How popular is the name Otter in the UK right now?
In 2018, Otter was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Otter most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 4 babies registered as Otter in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Otter?
A name derived from the semi-aquatic mammal, the otter.
How many people are called Otter in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Otter 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.