If you're looking for a baby boy name that's ancient but feels increasingly modern, Ozias might appeal. With deep biblical roots, a spiritual meaning, and more than one trendy sound, Ozias has a lot to offer—and parents are finally starting to take notice. Read on for the full scoop on the name Ozias, including insights into its origins and recent surge in popularity.
Even though Ozias made its debut on U.S. Top 1000 Boy Names list only in 2024, it's by no means a new baby name. If we go back in time to the 1700s and 1800s, we'll find several men who proudly wore the name Ozias. Among them were Ozias Bowen, a justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, and Ozias Goodwin, one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut. Yet another notable bearer was Ozias M. Hatch, Illinois Secretary of State and a prominent political figure during the Lincoln era.
Political bearers aside, Ozias also left its mark in the arts, notably through the English painter Ozias Humphrey, the Canadian painter Ozias Leduc, and the Flemish painter Osias (with an S) Beert.
Now, the parents of these men probably didn't name their baby boys Ozias (or Osias) just because they liked the awesome O-beginning or the zingy Z-sound. What they were likely thinking was the biblical king Uzziah, or Azariah, whose name commonly appears as Ozias in Latin texts.
The biblical King Uzziah, or Ozias, was the tenth king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. His reign was characterized by prosperity and military success, but also divine punishment, which he suffered after usurping priestly duties.
As for the biblical meaning of the name Ozias, the moniker is commonly understood to encompass the words "Lord" and "strength". As for its exact meaning, the Easton Bible Dictionary suggests Ozias (technically Uzziah) means "the Lord is my strength", while in Jones's Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names the meaning of Ozias (Uzziah) is given as "Strength of the Lord".
In modern times, the appealing meaning of Ozias has undoubtedly played a role in the renewed interest in this ancient name, which made history in 2024 by entering the U.S. Social Security Administration's Top 1000 Baby Boy Names list for the first time. And it did it with a bang, landing at #861 straight away.
Aside from its biblical roots and spiritual meaning, Ozias also has a couple of other things going for it. First, it sounds and looks a lot like Elias, a more well-established baby name that has seen a huge surge in popularity among millennial parents. Add to that the fact that both names have biblical roots, and Elias and Ozias becomes a compelling possibility for Christian parents looking for the perfect sibling set name.
Or, some parents might like the name Elias but find it a little too popular, in which case Ozias could make a great alternative with its similar background and sounds.
And then there's the fact the boy names that start with O seem to very much in vogue, as per our research based on Americans' past search history on Google. Yet, legit O-beginning boy names can be hard to find, especially if you want something other than Oliver, Owen, Oscar or Otto.
Finally, there's the zesty Z-sound that lends Ozias a nice edge, and makes it a sibling name possibility for names like Ezra and Ezekiel, both biblical names that have proven popular among millennial parents.
So what do you think of Ozias? Could it be the perfect baby name for your future son? If you're still on the edge, you might also want to check out our list of other biblical boy names that start with O, or our list of modern biblical baby boy names.