Odessa is a place name, best known for the Ukrainian port on the Black Sea, which was named in 1795 after the ancient Greek colony Odessos; its meaning is uncertain and it is usually associated with Odysseus, whose name is read as "wrathful", or more loosely with his long journey. In America the name also recalls Odessa, Texas, and it was a modest favorite around 1900. Odessa has been climbing again, from number 2451 in 2015 to number 1197 in 2025, its best rank in this century.