Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Odessa
GirlGreek· “from the Ukrainian city Odessa”
- Meaning
- from the Ukrainian city Odessa
- Origin
- Greek
- Pronunciation
- oh-DEH-suh
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #1,197
- US babies 2025
- 193
- Best rank
- #278 (1908)
- Peak year
- 1920
Meaning and origin of Odessa
Odessa is a Greek name that is usually said to mean “from the Ukrainian city Odessa”.
Odessa is the name of a port city on the Black Sea in Ukraine, founded in the late eighteenth century and named after an ancient Greek colony called Odessos. It is sometimes connected with the Greek Odysseus, the hero of Homer's Odyssey, though that link is by sound rather than etymology. As a given name it was used in the US in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and it has a vintage charm today. It is pronounced oh-DEH-suh. Dessa, a name in its own right, is the usual short form.
Popularity over time
Odessa has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 77 different years. Its best national rank was #278 in 1908, and the most babies received it in 1920, when 464 were named Odessa. In 2025, 193 babies were named Odessa, and it ranked #1,197 nationally. That is 157% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #304 in 1920, #737 in 1950, #2,239 in 1980, #2,662 in 2000, #3,350 in 2010, and #1,197 in 2025. Of the 18,564 US girls named Odessa since records began, 22% were born in the 1920s, its biggest decade. The 1910s come next, with 3,085 babies. Since 2010, 1,541 more have been named Odessa.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Madge, Dollie, Cornelia, Aline, and Zelma.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Odessa ranked highest in Idaho, Wisconsin, and Oregon.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho | #462 | 5 |
| Wisconsin | #596 | 8 |
| Oregon | #609 | 6 |
| Washington | #667 | 10 |
| Ohio | #861 | 11 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Odessa is usually pronounced oh-DEH-suh, with three syllables. It has six letters, starts with O and ends in “-sa”.
Middle names for Odessa
A few middle names that flow with Odessa: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Odessa
Similar names
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Lists that include Odessa
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Odessa mean?
Odessa is a Greek name that is usually said to mean “from the Ukrainian city Odessa”.
What is the origin of the name Odessa?
Odessa has Greek roots. Odessa is the name of a port city on the Black Sea in Ukraine, founded in the late eighteenth century and named after an ancient Greek colony called Odessos.
Is Odessa a popular name?
Not especially. Odessa ranked #1,197 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Odessa a boy or girl name?
Odessa is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Odessa?
Odessa is usually pronounced oh-DEH-suh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings