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Odette

♀ Girl

Pronounced oh-DET /oʊˈdɛt/High

Meaning: French feminine diminutive of Oda or Ode, from Old High German Aud or Od meaning wealth, fortune, or prosperity; the French -ette suffix suggests little or dear oneHigh

In 30 seconds: Odette is a French feminine name meaning wealthy or fortunate, derived from Germanic Oda, famous primarily as the name of the white swan princess in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, giving it an enduring association with grace and tragedy.
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Origin HighGermanic, French
MeaningFrench feminine diminutive of Oda or Ode, from Old High German Aud or Od meaning wealth, fortune, or prosperity; the French -ette suffix suggests little or dear one
U.S. rank (2025)#883 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births303 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,236

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202518942025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Odette is a French feminine diminutive formed from Ode or Oda, Old High German feminine names derived from aud or od, meaning wealth or fortune. The name was used in medieval France and appears in historical records across the High Medieval period. It belongs to a family of Germanic wealth-names — including Ottilia, Ottoline, and Odile — that traveled into Romance languages with Frankish culture. The -ette diminutive suffix, characteristically French, gives the name a delicate, affectionate character.

Odette became internationally iconic through Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake (1876), in which Princess Odette is transformed into a white swan by the sorcerer Rothbart. The character's combination of grace, tragedy, and eventual redemption made Odette synonymous with the highest ideals of classical femininity. In World War II the name gained heroic associations through Odette Sansom (later Hallowes), a French-British Special Operations Executive agent who was captured and tortured by the Gestapo but survived. The name remains fashionably literary and cultured today.

Did you know? In Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Odette is the pure white swan princess while the villain Rothbart creates her evil double Odile — the black swan — to trick Prince Siegfried; the two characters are traditionally danced by the same ballerina in one of the supreme tests of classical dance.
Overall data confidence 92%
Behind the Name — Odette — etymology and cultural historyGrove Music Online — Swan Lake — ballet history and character

Variations

OdileOdaOttoline

Nicknames

OdieDettie

Famous Bearers

  • ★Odette Hallowes (1912–1995)
    French-born British Special Operations Executive agent in World War II who was captured by the Gestapo, survived imprisonment at Ravensbrück, and was awarded the George Cross and the Légion d'honneur.

If you like Odette…

Colette— French -ette feminine name with the same elegant, literary two-syllable structure
Cosette— French -ette name equally associated with a famous literary character (Les Miserables)
Vivette— French -ette diminutive feminine name with a similar refined, vintage feel
Lisette— French -ette name sharing the delicate, Gallic charm of Odette

Frequently Asked

What does the name Odette mean?

Odette comes from Old High German aud or od meaning wealth or fortune; the French -ette suffix adds a diminutive, affectionate quality.

How do you pronounce Odette?

It is said oh-DET — two syllables, stress on the second.

Who is Odette in Swan Lake?

Odette is the white swan princess in Tchaikovsky's 1876 ballet, transformed into a swan by the sorcerer Rothbart and freed only by true love.

Is Odette a popular name?

Odette is experiencing a revival as part of the broader fashion for French vintage names, alongside Colette, Cosette, and Vivienne.