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Otelia
How to Pronounce Otelia
Pronounced oh-TEE-lee-uh /oΚΛtiΛ.li.Ι/Medium
Meaning: Otelia is a variant of Otilia/Ottilia and Odelia, names built on the Germanic element odal ('wealth, inherited property, heritage'). It reached American families through German and Central-European immigrant lines and was sometimes felt as a cousin to Ophelia or Cordelia in sound.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Otelia is one spelling of Otilia/Ottilia and Odelia, all resting on the old Germanic element odal, 'wealth' or 'heritage'. The Ott-/Od- family spread through German-speaking Europe and traveled to America with immigrant families in the nineteenth century.
In the U.S. it was a modest vintage choice, peaking softly in the early twentieth century around 1923 before dropping out of use by the 1980s. Only a few dozen girls a year ever carried it.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Otelia mean?
Otelia is a variant of Otilia/Odelia, from the Germanic element odal meaning 'wealth, fortune, heritage'.
How do you pronounce Otelia?
It's said oh-TEE-lee-uh /oΚΛtiΛ.li.Ι/ β four syllables, stress on the second.
Is Otelia a boy or girl name?
Otelia is used as a girl's name, a variant of Otilia.
How popular is Otelia?
Otelia has always been rare in the U.S., a vintage German-rooted name most seen in the early twentieth century.