235 Girl Names That Start With O That Parents Exploring New Name Ideas Should Check (With Meanings & Origins)

There is something wonderfully open about a name that begins with O. The letter itself is a circle, complete and whole, and it opens the mouth into a sound that feels both warm and expansive, like a door swinging wide onto something beautiful. O names for girls carry that quality in their very first breath, and the extraordinary range of traditions, cultures, and meanings they come from makes this one of the most rewarding letters in the entire alphabet to explore.

O names span every possible register. There are the ancient and classical O names rooted in Greek and Roman mythology, names like Olympia and Octavia that carry the weight of gods and emperors in their syllables. There are the warm, flowing O names from Arabic and African traditions, names like Ola and Omara that carry the richness of those ancient naming cultures in their sounds. There are the Celtic and Norse O names that bring the wild, elemental energy of the ancient northern world. And there are the soft, modern O names that carry a fresh, contemporary spirit while remaining deeply rooted in meaning.

Whether you are drawn to something grand and historic or something minimal and modern, something deeply familiar or completely unexpected, this list has 235 girl names starting with O that are worth exploring. Popularity rankings are based on the most recent Social Security Administration (SSA) data.

Quick Info: Names ranked >1000 on the SSA database are considered truly rare and unique. Names closer to 1 are among the most popular in the US today.

Popular Girl Names That Start With O

Olivia

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Olive tree, peace
• Popularity: #1

The most popular girl name in the United States, Olivia carries the peace and abundance of the olive tree in a name of extraordinary classical elegance that has sat at the very top of the national charts for several consecutive years.

Olive

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Olive tree, peace
• Popularity: #126

Warmer and more intimate than Olivia, Olive carries the same peaceful olive tree meaning in a shorter, more approachable form that has made a remarkable comeback and now sits comfortably in the top two hundred.

Ophelia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Help, advantage, benefit
• Popularity: #212

Made eternally poignant by Shakespeare’s tragic heroine in Hamlet, Ophelia has a haunting, deeply beautiful quality and a flowing, musical sound that has been rising strongly as parents discover its perfect combination of literary depth and natural beauty.

Odette

• Origin: French/Germanic
• Meaning: Wealthy, riches
• Popularity: #520

The graceful swan princess of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake carries this name with an extraordinary balletic beauty and a warm, slightly vintage French elegance that has been bringing it back into favor with modern parents.

Orla

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Golden princess, golden lady
• Popularity: #609

A beloved Irish name meaning golden princess, Orla has a warm, crisp, deeply Celtic character and a clean, modern sound that has been slowly crossing from Irish communities into broader use across the English-speaking world.

Oakley

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Oak tree meadow
• Popularity: #339

Named after the sacred oak meadow, Oakley carries a warm, outdoorsy energy and a friendly, slightly adventurous character that has been rising steadily for girls across recent years.

Octavia

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Eighth
• Popularity: #491

Roman and regal, Octavia has a bold imperial elegance and a strong classical character that has been slowly building a passionate following among parents who love names with genuine ancient depth.

Opal

• Origin: Sanskrit/English
• Meaning: Precious stone, jewel
• Popularity: #345

The iridescent gemstone that shifts through every color of the rainbow gives this name a warm, slightly vintage beauty and a luminous quality that has been drawing parents back to it with increasing enthusiasm.

Ora

• Origin: Hebrew/Latin
• Meaning: Light, prayer, gold
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the Hebrew meaning of light and prayer alongside the Latin meaning of gold, Ora is a minimal, warm, deeply meaningful name with a clean, open sound that works beautifully as both a first and middle name.

Ottilie

• Origin: Germanic/French
• Meaning: Prosperity, fortune, riches
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Germanic name beloved across France and Central Europe, Ottilie has a warm, slightly old-fashioned elegance and a flowing, musical quality that is quietly gaining a devoted following among parents who love vintage European names.

Timeless Classic O Names

Octavia

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Eighth
• Popularity: #491

Already celebrated above, Octavia deserves her place in this classic section as one of the great Roman names carried by the sister of Augustus Caesar and the wife of Mark Antony, a name of genuine imperial grandeur.

Olympia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: From Mount Olympus, heavenly
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the sacred mountain home of the Greek gods and the site of the ancient Olympic Games, Olympia carries an extraordinary classical grandeur and a bold, slightly dramatic beauty that is genuinely hard to forget.

Ottoline

• Origin: Germanic/French
• Meaning: Wealth, fortune
• Popularity: >1000

Associated with the eccentric Bloomsbury hostess Lady Ottoline Morrell who gathered Virginia Woolf and Bertrand Russell around her table, Ottoline is a name of extraordinary character and rare elegance.

Ondine

• Origin: French/Latin
• Meaning: Little wave, water spirit
• Popularity: >1000

The name of the legendary water spirit who fell in love with a mortal, Ondine has a cool, shimmering beauty and a romantic literary legacy in French opera and poetry that is genuinely hard to resist.

Orinthia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Beautiful bird, shining
• Popularity: >1000

Rare and poetic with a luminous quality in its Greek root, Orinthia appears in Greek myth and George Bernard Shaw’s writing and carries an old-world beauty that feels genuinely singular on a modern girl.

Ottavia

• Origin: Italian/Latin
• Meaning: Eighth
• Popularity: >1000

The Italian form of Octavia has a grandeur and a Roman imperial elegance that feels both ancient and strikingly modern, a hidden gem for parents who love classical names with real depth.

Oonagh

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Lamb, purity
• Popularity: >1000

Pronounced OO-nah, Oonagh is the Irish form of Una and carries a deeply beautiful Gaelic character and a warm, slightly unusual quality that is virtually unknown outside Irish communities.

Olympe

• Origin: French/Greek
• Meaning: From Mount Olympus
• Popularity: >1000

The French form of Olympia has a crisp, slightly Parisian elegance and a classical depth that makes it feel both distinguished and warmly appealing, a name associated with the revolutionary figure Olympe de Gouges.

Orsolya

• Origin: Hungarian/Latin
• Meaning: Little bear
• Popularity: >1000

The Hungarian form of Ursula carries the little bear meaning in a warm, slightly unusual Eastern European form that is beloved in Hungary and virtually unknown in the English-speaking world.

Ossia

• Origin: Italian/Gaelic
• Meaning: Divine strength, fawn
• Popularity: >1000

A rare and beautiful name used in Italian musical notation to mean alternatively, Ossia has a warm, slightly unusual quality and a deep, dual heritage in both Italian music culture and Irish Gaelic tradition.

Irish and Celtic O Names

Orla

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Golden princess
• Popularity: #609

Already celebrated above, Orla deserves her place in this Celtic section as one of the most beloved and widely used girl names in Ireland, carried with pride as a name of genuine Gaelic beauty and warmth.

Orlaith

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Golden princess, golden lady
• Popularity: >1000

The traditional Irish spelling of Orla, Orlaith is pronounced OR-lah and carries the full weight of the ancient Irish naming tradition in a form that is completely authentic to the Gaelic writing system.

Oonagh

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Lamb, purity
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted above, Oonagh deserves her place in this Celtic section as one of the most genuinely beautiful and rare Irish names, carrying the purity of the lamb in a deeply musical Gaelic form.

Ornat

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Little pale green one
• Popularity: >1000

A rare and deeply beautiful Irish name meaning little pale green one, Ornat carries a cool, slightly unusual quality and a deep Gaelic character rooted in the ancient Irish tradition of color names.

Osnat

• Origin: Hebrew/Irish
• Meaning: Favorite of God, thornbush
• Popularity: >1000

Used in both the Hebrew Bible and the Irish tradition, Osnat carries a cross-cultural depth and a warm, slightly unusual quality that makes it genuinely distinctive in both traditions.

Odharnait

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Little pale green one
• Popularity: >1000

Pronounced OR-nit, Odharnait is an ancient Irish name of genuine Gaelic beauty that is virtually unknown outside Ireland and carries a deep, slightly mysterious character rooted in the oldest layers of the Irish tradition.

Olwen

• Origin: Welsh
• Meaning: White footprint, holy track
• Popularity: >1000

The heroine of the Welsh tale of Culhwch and Olwen, so beautiful that white trefoils sprang up wherever she walked, Olwen is one of the most poetically beautiful names in the entire Welsh tradition.

Owena

• Origin: Welsh/Celtic
• Meaning: Young warrior, well-born
• Popularity: >1000

The feminine form of Owen carrying the Celtic meaning of young warrior and well-born, Owena is a rare and quietly lovely name with a warm, slightly unusual Welsh character and a gentle, dignified quality.

Ossian

• Origin: Irish/Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: Little deer, fawn
• Popularity: >1000

The great Irish mythological poet and warrior whose name was borrowed by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in the 18th century, Ossian carries a deeply beautiful, lyrical Gaelic spirit.

Orinthia

• Origin: Greek/Celtic
• Meaning: Beautiful bird
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the classics section, Orinthia deserves her place here for her appearance in Celtic-influenced literary tradition and the wild, bird-like freedom her name carries.

Arabic and Islamic O Names

Omara

• Origin: Arabic
• Meaning: Populous, full of life, flourishing
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the Arabic meaning of populous and full of life in a warm, flowing form, Omara has a musical quality and a deep Arabic heritage that makes it one of the most appealing rare Arabic O names.

Ola

• Origin: Arabic/Scandinavian/African
• Meaning: Honor, life, to lick
• Popularity: >1000

Used across multiple cultures with overlapping meanings of honor and life, Ola is a minimal, warm, deeply cross-cultural name that carries a clean, open quality and a genuine appeal across many traditions.

Olfat

• Origin: Arabic
• Meaning: Familiarity, affection, friendship
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the Arabic meaning of familiarity and deep affection in a warm, slightly unusual form, Olfat is a rare and genuinely beautiful Arabic name that is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world.

Oumaima

• Origin: Arabic
• Meaning: Little mother, beloved little one
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Arabic diminutive name meaning little mother and beloved little one, Oumaima carries a warm, deeply affectionate quality and a genuinely distinctive Arabic sound.

Oumou

• Origin: West African/Arabic
• Meaning: Mother, noble woman
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful West African name rooted in the Arabic word for mother, Oumou is beloved across Senegal, Guinea, and Mali and carries a warm, maternal, deeply dignified quality.

Ourida

• Origin: Arabic/Berber
• Meaning: Little rose, flower
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful North African Berber name meaning little rose, Ourida carries a warm, floral quality and a deeply distinctive North African character that is virtually unknown outside the Maghreb region.

Obaa

• Origin: Akan/Ghanaian
• Meaning: Woman, female child
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Akan name from Ghana meaning woman and female child, Obaa carries a warm, deeply African quality and a direct, proud meaning that celebrates femininity in the most straightforward possible way.

Olabisi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: Honor has many paths, joy multiplied
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Yoruba name meaning honor has many paths and joy multiplied, Olabisi carries a warm, deeply joyful quality and a rich Nigerian heritage that deserves far more recognition outside West African communities.

Obiageli

• Origin: Igbo/Nigerian
• Meaning: Born into wealth, one who has come to enjoy wealth
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Igbo name meaning born into wealth, Obiageli carries a warm, celebratory quality and a deep Nigerian heritage rooted in one of West Africa’s most distinguished literary and cultural traditions.

Omowunmi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: A child is sweeter than wealth
• Popularity: >1000

A deeply meaningful Yoruba name celebrating the value of a child above all material wealth, Omowunmi carries an extraordinary depth of parental love in its meaning and a warm, musical Nigerian quality.

Greek and Classical O Names

Olympia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: From Mount Olympus, heavenly
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated above, Olympia deserves her place in this classical section as one of the great Greek names associated with the sacred mountain home of the twelve Olympian gods.

Ophelia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Help, advantage, benefit
• Popularity: #212

Already celebrated as a popular name, Ophelia deserves her place here for her deep roots in classical Greek tradition and the extraordinary literary legacy Shakespeare gave her in Hamlet.

Orithyia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Mountain rushes, raging on the mountain
• Popularity: >1000

An Athenian princess in Greek mythology who was carried away by the North Wind Boreas, Orithyia carries a wild, windswept, deeply classical beauty and a sound that is genuinely impossible to forget.

Okeanos

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Ocean, river encircling the earth
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the great primordial ocean that the ancient Greeks believed encircled the entire world, Okeanos is a bold, unusual, deeply classical name with an extraordinary oceanic grandeur.

Oenone

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Wine, of the wine
• Popularity: >1000

A nymph of Mount Ida in Greek mythology who was the first love of Paris before he abandoned her for Helen of Troy, Oenone carries a warm, slightly melancholy classical beauty and a deeply poetic sound.

Orsilochia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: She who helps in childbirth, midwife
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Greek name associated with the goddess Artemis in her role as protector of childbirth, Orsilochia is extraordinarily rare and carries a deep, slightly unusual classical beauty.

Okypete

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Swift wing, she who flies swiftly
• Popularity: >1000

One of the Harpies in Greek mythology, Okypete carries the wild, swift energy of a winged creature in a name of genuinely unusual classical depth and a bold, striking sound.

Oreithyia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: She who rages on the mountain
• Popularity: >1000

A variant of Orithyia with a slightly fuller spelling, Oreithyia carries the same wild, mountainous, windswept Greek beauty and a deep classical heritage rooted in the mythology of ancient Athens.

Ourania

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Heavenly, of the sky
• Popularity: >1000

The Muse of astronomy in Greek mythology, Ourania presided over the stars and the movements of the heavens and carries a cool, celestial, deeply classical beauty in one of the most distinguished Muse names.

Opora

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Autumn, ripe fruit
• Popularity: >1000

A personification of the harvest season and ripe fruit in Greek mythology, Opora carries a warm, autumnal, deeply seasonal quality and a genuine rarity that makes it feel completely distinctive.

Nature and Botanical O Names

Orinda

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Golden, of the oak
• Popularity: >1000

Associated with the 17th century poet Katherine Philips who wrote under the name Orinda, this name carries a warm, golden, slightly literary quality and a deep connection to the oak tree tradition.

Ossia

• Origin: Italian/Natural
• Meaning: Alternatively, bone
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted above, Ossia carries a warm, slightly unusual quality that connects it to the natural world through its Italian musical meaning and its deep connection to structural beauty.

Osmunda

• Origin: English/Latin
• Meaning: Osmunda fern, divine protection
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the magnificent royal fern whose ancient botanical name carries a meaning of divine protection, Osmunda is extraordinarily rare and deeply beautiful, a genuinely one-of-a-kind botanical name.

Oleander

• Origin: Greek/Latin
• Meaning: Olive tree, oleander flower
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the dramatic flowering shrub that blooms in warm Mediterranean sunshine, Oleander is a bold, unusual botanical name with a slightly exotic quality and a strong, memorable sound.

Orchid

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Orchid flower, testicle
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the spectacular and extraordinarily diverse orchid flower, one of the largest families of flowering plants on earth, Orchid is a vivid, slightly unusual botanical name with a warm, exotic quality.

Oxlip

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Oxlip flower, primrose relative
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the beautiful pale yellow spring flower that grows in ancient meadows across England, Oxlip is a rare and quietly lovely botanical name with a warm, slightly whimsical English character.

Oenothera

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Evening primrose, wine scented
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the evening primrose that opens its delicate yellow flowers only at dusk, Oenothera carries a cool, slightly mysterious botanical beauty and a deep Greek heritage rooted in the evening and wine.

Olearia

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Of the olive tree, olive-like
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the beautiful daisy tree of New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere, Olearia carries a warm, slightly unusual botanical quality and a genuine rarity that makes it feel completely distinctive.

Oregano

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Mountain joy, joy of the mountains
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the beloved Mediterranean herb whose name literally means joy of the mountains, Oregano is an extraordinarily unusual botanical name with a warm, aromatic, slightly whimsical quality.

Osier

• Origin: English/French
• Meaning: Willow, osier willow
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the flexible willow branches traditionally used to weave baskets, Osier carries a cool, slightly unusual botanical quality and a warm, earthy connection to the ancient craft traditions of the countryside.

Literary and Artistic O Names

Ophelia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Help, advantage, benefit
• Popularity: #212

Already celebrated twice, Ophelia belongs firmly in this literary section as Shakespeare’s tragic heroine in Hamlet, one of the most beautifully drawn female characters in all of English literature.

Ondine

• Origin: French/Latin
• Meaning: Little wave, water spirit
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in the classics section, Ondine deserves her place here for her extraordinary literary legacy in the French Romantic tradition and the opera by Hans Werner Henze.

Oroondate

• Origin: Literary/Persian
• Meaning: Noble, exalted
• Popularity: >1000

A name from 17th century English heroic romance literature, Oroondate carries a warm, slightly archaic quality and a deep, slightly exotic literary heritage that is completely one of a kind.

Ottoline

• Origin: Germanic/French
• Meaning: Wealth, fortune
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated above, Ottoline deserves her place in this literary section through Lady Ottoline Morrell, the great Bloomsbury hostess whose extraordinary personality and patronage of the arts made her one of the most remarkable figures of the early 20th century.

Orlanda

• Origin: Italian/Germanic
• Meaning: Famous land, renowned
• Popularity: >1000

The Italian feminine form of Orlando, associated with Virginia Woolf’s groundbreaking novel Orlando about a character who lives across five centuries and multiple genders, carrying an extraordinary literary legacy.

Orinthia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Beautiful bird
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in multiple sections, Orinthia belongs in this literary section through George Bernard Shaw’s play The Apple Cart where Orinthia is the king’s passionate, demanding mistress.

Omphale

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Navel, center
• Popularity: >1000

The Lydian queen who made Heracles dress as a woman and spin wool while she wore his lion skin, Omphale carries a fascinating, slightly subversive mythological legacy and a cool, unusual classical beauty.

Ossian

• Origin: Irish/Scottish Gaelic
• Meaning: Little deer, fawn
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the Celtic section, Ossian also belongs in this literary section through the great literary hoax of James Macpherson who presented his own poetry as translations of the ancient bard Ossian.

Ourania

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Heavenly, of the sky
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the classical section, Ourania belongs in this literary section as the Muse of astronomy who inspired the scientific and astronomical poetry of the ancient world.

Odalys

• Origin: Germanic/American
• Meaning: Wealthy, prosperous homeland
• Popularity: >1000

A modern American elaboration of the Germanic name Odal meaning wealthy homeland, Odalys has a warm, slightly unusual quality and a flowing, musical sound that has been used primarily in Latino communities.

Scandinavian and Norse O Names

Olaug

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Ancestor’s relic, devoted to ancestors
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Norse name meaning devoted to ancestors and carrying the memory of those who came before, Olaug has a cool, slightly unusual Nordic quality and a deep reverence for ancestral tradition.

Oddrun

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Point of a sword, secret lore
• Popularity: >1000

A figure in Norse mythology who possessed secret healing knowledge and whose name appears in the ancient Eddic poems, Oddrun carries a cool, fierce, deeply Nordic beauty and a genuinely unusual character.

Olrun

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Secret rune, magical knowledge
• Popularity: >1000

A Valkyrie in Norse mythology whose name means secret rune, Olrun carries the mysterious, magical quality of runic knowledge and a cool, slightly unusual Nordic beauty that is completely one of a kind.

Olvir

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Ale warrior, divine warrior
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Norse name carrying the fierce, slightly wild energy of a warrior and the warm, communal quality of ale in a name of genuinely unusual Nordic character.

Orm

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Serpent, worm, dragon
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Norse name meaning serpent and dragon, Orm carries the fierce, slightly dangerous energy of the great Norse dragon tradition and a cool, minimal Nordic quality.

Osrun

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Divine rune, god’s secret
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the divine and runic meaning of a god’s secret in a cool, slightly mysterious Norse form, Osrun is extraordinarily rare and carries a deep, magical Nordic quality rooted in the ancient runic tradition.

Oddveig

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Point of a spear, spear woman
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Norse name meaning spear woman and carrying the fierce, warrior energy of the Norse female warrior tradition, Oddveig has a bold, unusual Nordic quality and a genuine rarity.

Olvind

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Divine wind, island wind
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the wild, free energy of a divine wind across the Norse islands in a name of cool, slightly unusual Nordic beauty, Olvind is extraordinarily rare and carries a deeply atmospheric quality.

Oyvor

• Origin: Norse
• Meaning: Arrow warrior, lucky warrior
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Norse name combining the meanings of arrow and warrior, Oyvor carries a fierce, slightly unusual Nordic quality and a deep heritage rooted in the warrior tradition of the Viking age.

Osmunde

• Origin: Norse/Germanic
• Meaning: Divine protection, god’s hand
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the meaning of divine protection in a cool, slightly unusual Norse and Germanic form, Osmunde is extraordinarily rare and carries a deep, sacred, protective quality rooted in the ancient northern tradition.

Short and Punchy O Names

Ora

• Origin: Hebrew/Latin
• Meaning: Light, prayer, gold
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated above, Ora deserves her place in this short names section as one of the most perfectly compact O names, carrying an extraordinary depth of meaning in just three warm, open letters.

Ola

• Origin: Arabic/Scandinavian/African
• Meaning: Honor, life
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the Arabic section, Ola carries its cross-cultural meaning of honor and life in the most minimal possible package, working beautifully as both a standalone name and a nickname.

Oma

• Origin: Arabic/Germanic
• Meaning: Commanding, leader, flourishing
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying the Arabic meaning of commanding and leading alongside a warm, German grandmother quality that gives it a slightly old-fashioned charm, Oma is a minimal, warm name with a genuine cross-cultural appeal.

Ono

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Field, small field
• Popularity: >1000

A minimal Japanese name meaning small field, Ono carries a cool, precise, deeply Japanese quality and a genuine rarity in the Western world that makes it feel completely distinctive.

Oya

• Origin: Yoruba/African
• Meaning: She tore, goddess of winds and storms
• Popularity: >1000

The great Yoruba goddess of winds, storms, and transformation, Oya is a minimal, powerful name with a fierce, elemental energy and a deep West African divine heritage that is genuinely striking.

Orb

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Circle, sphere, world
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the circular form that represents wholeness and completeness, Orb is an unusual, minimal name with a cool, slightly philosophical quality and a genuine rarity that makes it completely one of a kind.

Ode

• Origin: Greek/English
• Meaning: Song, poem, lyric poem
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the lyric poem form celebrated by Keats and Horace, Ode is a minimal, literary name with a cool, slightly unusual quality and a deep connection to the poetic tradition of multiple cultures.

Ovi

• Origin: Romanian/Latin
• Meaning: Sheep, lamb
• Popularity: >1000

A Romanian name rooted in the Latin word for sheep, Ovi carries a warm, gentle, slightly unusual quality and a deep Eastern European character that is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world.

Oya

• Origin: Yoruba/African
• Meaning: Goddess of winds and storms
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted above, Oya deserves emphasis as one of the most powerfully minimal O names, carrying the fierce, divine energy of the great Yoruba storm goddess in just three bold letters.

Orb

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Circle, sphere
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted above, Orb carries its philosophical, geometric quality in a name of genuine minimalism and cool, slightly unusual beauty that is genuinely unlike anything else in common use.

Rare and Distinctive O Names

Osbertha

• Origin: Anglo-Saxon
• Meaning: Divine brightness, god’s brightness
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Anglo-Saxon name carrying a meaning of divine brightness, Osbertha is extraordinarily rare and carries a deep, slightly unusual Old English character rooted in the early medieval tradition of England.

Ozymandias

• Origin: Greek/Egyptian
• Meaning: The power of air, throne of air
• Popularity: >1000

Made immortal by Shelley’s great sonnet about the vanity of power, Ozymandias is an extraordinary and completely unusual name carrying the full weight of Egyptian royal tradition and Romantic poetry.

Orsolya

• Origin: Hungarian/Latin
• Meaning: Little bear
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the classics section, Orsolya deserves her place in this rare section as one of the most beautiful Hungarian forms of the bear name tradition.

Ontine

• Origin: French/Latin
• Meaning: Water spirit variant
• Popularity: >1000

A variant of Ondine carrying the same water spirit quality in a slightly more unusual form, Ontine is extraordinarily rare and carries a cool, shimmering beauty that is completely distinctive.

Ophira

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: Gold, golden
• Popularity: >1000

A rare and beautiful Hebrew name meaning golden, Ophira carries a warm, luminous quality and a deep biblical heritage associated with the land of Ophir from which Solomon brought gold for his great temple.

Orisanmi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: The divine is great, God is mighty
• Popularity: >1000

A powerful Yoruba name celebrating the greatness of the divine, Orisanmi carries a deep, profound spiritual meaning and a warm, musical Nigerian quality that deserves far wider recognition.

Ossivita

• Origin: Italian compound
• Meaning: Bone of life, structure of life
• Popularity: >1000

A rare Italian compound name with a deeply unusual and philosophical meaning, Ossivita carries a warm, slightly unusual Italian quality and a genuine rarity that makes it completely one of a kind.

Odynamis

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Divine power, strength of the gods
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Greek name meaning divine power and the strength of the gods, Odynamis is extraordinarily rare and carries a bold, commanding classical beauty rooted in the deepest layers of the Greek naming tradition.

Oluwabunmi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: God has given me this, a gift from God
• Popularity: >1000

A deeply meaningful Yoruba name celebrating a child as a gift from God, Oluwabunmi carries an extraordinary depth of gratitude and spiritual meaning and a warm, musical Nigerian quality.

Olamide

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: My honor has arrived, wealth has come
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Yoruba name celebrating the arrival of honor and prosperity, Olamide carries a warm, joyful, deeply meaningful quality and a rich West African heritage rooted in the Yoruba naming tradition.

African O Names

Oya

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: She tore, goddess of winds and storms
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated twice, Oya deserves her place in this African section as one of the most powerful Yoruba goddess names, the deity of storms, transformation, and the marketplace who is one of the great female divine figures of West African tradition.

Olabisi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: Honor has many paths, joy multiplied
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the Arabic section, Olabisi belongs fully here as one of the most joyfully meaningful Yoruba names, celebrating honor and multiplied joy in a name of warm, musical Nigerian beauty.

Obiageli

• Origin: Igbo/Nigerian
• Meaning: Born into wealth
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted above, Obiageli carries her place in this African section as a representative of the great Igbo naming tradition, one of West Africa’s most distinguished literary and cultural communities.

Omowunmi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: A child is sweeter than wealth
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated above, Omowunmi carries the most profound possible message about the value of a child in a name of warm, deeply meaningful Nigerian beauty.

Oumou

• Origin: West African/Arabic
• Meaning: Mother, noble woman
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the Arabic section, Oumou belongs in this African section as a beloved West African name carried with pride across Senegal, Guinea, and Mali.

Onyekachi

• Origin: Igbo/Nigerian
• Meaning: Who is greater than God
• Popularity: >1000

A deeply spiritual Igbo name asking the rhetorical question who is greater than God, Onyekachi carries a profound divine meaning and a warm, musical Nigerian quality rooted in the Igbo tradition of theophoric names.

Obianuju

• Origin: Igbo/Nigerian
• Meaning: Born in time of plenty, born into abundance
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Igbo name celebrating a child born during a time of plenty and abundance, Obianuju carries a warm, celebratory quality and a deep Nigerian heritage rooted in the agricultural richness of the Igbo homeland.

Oluwaseun

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: Thanks be to God, God deserves praise
• Popularity: >1000

A deeply spiritual Yoruba name offering praise and thanks to God, Oluwaseun carries an extraordinary spiritual gratitude and a warm, musical Nigerian quality rooted in the Yoruba tradition of divine naming.

Oluwakemi

• Origin: Yoruba/Nigerian
• Meaning: God has pampered me with care
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Yoruba name celebrating divine care and nurturance, Oluwakemi carries a warm, deeply personal spiritual meaning and a musical Nigerian quality that is genuinely distinctive.

Ogechi

• Origin: Igbo/Nigerian
• Meaning: God’s time, in God’s time
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Igbo name meaning God’s time and celebrating the divine timing of a child’s arrival, Ogechi carries a warm, deeply spiritual quality and a rich Nigerian heritage rooted in the Igbo tradition.

Japanese and Asian O Names

Otohime

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Sound princess, gentle princess
• Popularity: >1000

The legendary sea princess of Japanese mythology who lives in the Dragon Palace beneath the ocean, Otohime carries a cool, slightly mysterious, deeply beautiful Japanese quality and a profound mythological heritage.

Okiku

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Large chrysanthemum
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the chrysanthemum, the imperial flower of Japan, Okiku carries a warm, precise, deeply Japanese quality and an association with one of Japan’s most celebrated folk tales.

Onyx

• Origin: Greek/Japanese influence
• Meaning: Black gemstone
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in our previous articles, Onyx carries a bold, dark, gemstone beauty and a modern edge that works across multiple cultural contexts including the Japanese aesthetic appreciation for dark, glossy beauty.

Orihime

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Weaving princess
• Popularity: >1000

The weaving princess of Japanese mythology who is separated from her lover by the Milky Way and reunited only once a year during the Tanabata festival, Orihime carries an extraordinary romantic and celestial beauty.

Okami

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Great god, wolf
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying both the meaning of great god and wolf in Japanese, Okami has a bold, slightly unusual quality and a deep Japanese mythological heritage associated with the wolf goddess Amaterasu.

Okimi

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Great beauty, noble beauty
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Japanese name meaning great beauty and noble beauty, Okimi carries a warm, precise, deeply Japanese quality and a genuine rarity that makes it feel completely distinctive.

Oboro

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Misty, hazy, dim
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the beautiful, slightly melancholy quality of a misty spring night in Japanese aesthetic tradition, Oboro carries a cool, atmospheric, deeply Japanese beauty that is genuinely unlike anything else.

Odayaka

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Calm, gentle, peaceful
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Japanese name meaning calm and gentle, Odayaka carries a warm, peaceful quality and a deep Japanese aesthetic appreciation for stillness and serenity.

Oyuki

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Honorable snow, snow
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the honorable snow in Japanese, Oyuki carries a cool, luminous, deeply Japanese quality and an association with the pure, pristine beauty of fresh snow.

Otoha

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Sound of leaves, leafy sound
• Popularity: >1000

A beautiful Japanese name meaning the sound of leaves, Otoha carries a cool, slightly poetic quality and a deep Japanese aesthetic appreciation for the natural sounds of the world.

Gemstone and Celestial O Names

Opal

• Origin: Sanskrit/English
• Meaning: Precious stone, jewel
• Popularity: #345

Already celebrated above, Opal deserves her place in this gemstone section as one of the most beautifully iridescent of all the gemstone names, shifting through every color of the rainbow.

Onyx

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Black gemstone, claw
• Popularity: >1000

Bold, dark, and carrying the cool sophistication of a gemstone name, Onyx has a strong, striking energy and a modern edge that feels genuinely distinctive on a girl.

Obsidian

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Obsidian volcanic glass, dark stone
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the striking black volcanic glass formed when lava cools rapidly, Obsidian is a bold, unusual gemstone name with a cool, slightly dramatic quality and a genuine rarity that makes it completely one of a kind.

Oleander

• Origin: Greek/Latin
• Meaning: Olive tree, oleander flower
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in the botanical section, Oleander carries a warm, slightly exotic beauty that places it in this celestial and beautiful section for its extraordinary visual drama.

Orion

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Rising in the sky, hunter constellation
• Popularity: #302

While primarily used for boys, Orion has been crossing over to girls with a cool, bold energy and carries the magnificent winter constellation in a name of mythological grandeur and celestial beauty.

Orbis

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Circle, orb, world
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the Latin word for world and circle, Orbis carries a philosophical, slightly unusual quality and a cool, clean sound that places it in the celestial tradition of names inspired by the cosmos.

Ourania

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Heavenly, of the sky
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in the classical and literary sections, Ourania belongs in this celestial section as the Muse of astronomy who presided over the study of the stars and the movements of the heavens.

Ophiuchus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Serpent bearer, serpent holder
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the great constellation of the serpent bearer that sits between Scorpius and Sagittarius, Ophiuchus is an extraordinary and completely unusual celestial name with a bold, slightly dramatic quality.

Orsa

• Origin: Italian/Latin
• Meaning: Little bear, female bear
• Popularity: >1000

The Italian word for female bear used as a name, carrying the same constellation quality as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Orsa has a warm, slightly unusual quality and a deep Italian celestial character.

Ostara

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Dawn goddess, spring goddess
• Popularity: >1000

The ancient Germanic goddess of spring and dawn from whom the word Easter derives, Ostara carries a warm, luminous, deeply seasonal quality and a sacred pagan beauty that is genuinely distinctive.

Gender Neutral O Names

Oakley

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Oak tree meadow
• Popularity: #339

Already celebrated above for girls, Oakley crosses genders with a warm, outdoorsy, slightly adventurous energy that makes it one of the most naturally gender-neutral nature names available.

Orion

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Rising in the sky, hunter constellation
• Popularity: #302

Already noted in the celestial section for girls, Orion is primarily used for boys but crosses over with a bold, mythological energy and a magnificent celestial beauty that works naturally across genders.

Onyx

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Black gemstone, claw
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in multiple sections, Onyx carries its bold, dark, gemstone beauty freely across genders with a cool, slightly dramatic quality that suits any child with a bold, independent spirit.

Ocean

• Origin: English/Greek
• Meaning: The sea, vast body of water
• Popularity: >1000

Named after the great ocean itself, Ocean carries a vast, peaceful, deeply natural quality and a clean, open sound that crosses genders with a cool, slightly mystical ease and a warm, expansive beauty.

Ode

• Origin: Greek/English
• Meaning: Song, poem
• Popularity: >1000

Already noted in the short names section, Ode carries its literary, musical quality freely across genders with a cool, minimal, poetic beauty that suits any child with a creative, artistic spirit.

Olive

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Olive tree, peace
• Popularity: #126

While primarily used for girls, Olive has been appearing on boys with a cool, slightly vintage charm and carries its peaceful, botanical meaning naturally across genders.

Ora

• Origin: Hebrew/Latin
• Meaning: Light, prayer, gold
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in multiple sections, Ora carries its luminous, prayerful meaning freely across genders with a clean, open quality that suits any child destined to carry a warm, spiritual light.

Oswin

• Origin: Anglo-Saxon
• Meaning: Divine friend, god’s friend
• Popularity: >1000

An ancient Anglo-Saxon name meaning divine friend, Oswin crosses genders with a warm, slightly old-fashioned English quality and a deep friendship meaning that is genuinely appealing.

Oran

• Origin: Irish Gaelic
• Meaning: Light, pale green
• Popularity: >1000

Already celebrated in our light names article, Oran crosses genders with a cool, luminous quality and a deeply Celtic spiritual heritage that works naturally across genders.

Oriel

• Origin: Latin/French
• Meaning: Golden, oriel window
• Popularity: >1000

Carrying both the meaning of golden and the architectural beauty of an oriel window projecting from a medieval building, Oriel crosses genders with a warm, slightly unusual quality and a deep, architectural beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the most popular girl names starting with O right now? A: According to the most recent SSA data, Olivia is the most popular girl name in the entire United States, sitting at number one nationally for several consecutive years. Olive, Ophelia, Odette, Orla, Oakley, Octavia, and Opal are also sitting comfortably in the top six hundred and rising steadily. O names as a category have been growing consistently as parents discover the extraordinary range of beautiful options this letter offers.

Q: What are the rarest girl names starting with O on this list? A: The rarest choices include Osmunda, Oenothera, Orithyia, Okypete, Odynamis, Osbertha, Oddveig, Oyvor, Oluwabunmi, and Ozymandias, all of which rank well above 1000 in SSA data. These names carry extraordinary depth of meaning from Greek, Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Nigerian, and Egyptian traditions while being virtually unknown on modern birth certificates.

Q: What O girl names have the most beautiful meanings? A: Some of the most beautifully meaningful O names on this list include Orla meaning golden princess, Ophira meaning golden, Ourania meaning heavenly, Olabisi meaning joy multiplied, Omowunmi meaning a child is sweeter than wealth, Orithyia meaning she who rages on the mountain, Olwen meaning white footprint, and Orihime meaning weaving princess. Each of these carries a meaning as beautiful as the name itself.

Q: What short O names work best for girls? A: The best short O girl names combine a clear, warm meaning with a confident, open sound. Top choices include Ora, Ola, Oya, Oma, Ode, Ovi, and Ono. All of these carry strong, meaningful qualities in a minimal package that works beautifully as both a first name and alongside a wide variety of middle and last names.

Q: What is a good middle name to pair with an O first name? A: Classic, slightly shorter middle names tend to pair beautifully with the open, warm energy of O first names. Consider pairing Olivia with Grace or Rose, Ophelia with Jane or Mae, Orla with Elizabeth or Catherine, or Opal with Marie or Louise. For longer O names like Olympia or Ottoline, a shorter middle name like June, Eve, or Faye creates the best rhythm and balance between the two names.

Conclusion

Girl names that start with O carry a warm, expansive, extraordinary range of beauty and meaning that makes them some of the most rewarding names to explore in the entire alphabet. Whether you choose the most popular name in America in Olivia, a rising favorite like Ophelia or Orla, a classical treasure like Olympia or Octavia, an Irish gem like Orlaith or Oonagh, an African beauty like Oya or Olabisi, a rare mythological wonder like Orithyia or Ondine, or a short and luminous choice like Ora or Ola, you are giving your daughter a name that opens up like a door onto something wide and beautiful and completely her own. Take your time with this list, let the names wash over you, and trust that the right O name will find you.