Boy name · Old Norse
Odin
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: frenzy, inspirationOdin is a boy's name that comes from Old Norse and means "frenzy, inspiration". It is used in Scandinavian and English.
- Meaning
- Frenzy, inspiration
- Origin
- Old Norse
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #502 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Odin
As a boy's name, Odin comes from Old Norse and means "frenzy, inspiration". It is used in Scandinavian and English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Odin on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Odin on 5 lists.
“The all-father of Norse myth, for a wise old cat”
From Boy cat names, myth and legend names for boy cats
“Chief of the Norse gods, wise and watchful”
From Boy dog names, mythology names for boy dogs
“The chief Norse god, for a wise old dog”
From Firefighter dog names, brave and strong fire dog names
“Frenzy, inspiration; Old Norse, the chief god of Norse myth”
From Strong boy names, strong Norse boy names
“Frenzy, inspiration; chief of the Norse gods”
From Viking names, norse mythology names
How popular is Odin?
- US rank in 2025
- #502
- 604 babies, 354 per million boys
- Best rank
- #327 in 2021
- Most babies: 1,023 in 2022
- Babies since 1884
- At least 13,282
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 5 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 7 per million |
| 1910s | 13 per million |
| 1920s | 6 per million |
| 1930s | 1 per million |
| 1940s | 1 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 1 per million |
| 1970s | 4 per million |
| 1980s | 4 per million |
| 1990s | 6 per million |
| 2000s | 61 per million |
| 2010s | 342 per million |
| 2020s | 499 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #383 | #366 | #336 | #331 | #331 | #327 | #331 | #361 | #478 | #502 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Odin
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- OwenAnglicized form of Owain, possibly from Latin Eugenius (Welsh, boy)
- OddPoint of a blade (Old Norse, boy)
- OisínLittle deer (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- OkanArcher (Turkish, boy)
- OllinMovement (Nahuatl, boy)
- OmidHope, expectation (Persian, boy)
- OranLittle dun-colored one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- OrenPine tree (Hebrew, boy)
- OriMy light (Hebrew, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- EsinInspiration (Turkish, girl)
- IlhamInspiration (Arabic, girl)
- UlulaniHeavenly inspiration (Hawaiian, girl)
Middle names for Odin
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old Norse
- ErikEternal ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- SvenBoy, young man (Old Norse, boy)
- BjörnA bear (Old Norse, boy)
- HaraldArmy ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- HolgerIsland spear (Old Norse, boy)
- IngolfIng's wolf (Old Norse, boy)
- IvorYew warrior (Old Norse, boy)
- RaghnallCounsel ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- RonaldCounsel ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- SigmundVictory protection (Old Norse, boy)
Odin: common questions
What does the name Odin mean?
Odin comes from Old Norse and means "frenzy, inspiration".
Is Odin a boy or girl name?
Odin is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Odin come from?
Odin comes from Old Norse and means "frenzy, inspiration". Today it is used in Scandinavian and English.
How popular is the name Odin?
Odin ranked #502 in the US in 2025, with 604 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Odin?
Names spelled like Odin include Owen, Odd, Oisín, Okan and Ollin.
What middle names go with Odin?
Middle names that flow well with Odin include Ambrose, Evander, George, Harrison and Josiah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.