Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1916

Orel

Meaning Orel is a given name and a surname of multiple origins Gender Unisex · 19% girls Rank 2025 #11,643

Orel is a given name and a surname of multiple origins.

Rank 2025
#11,643
among boys · ↑2,073 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
6
named Orel
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1916
73 babies
All-time total
698
#7,360 all-time among boys
First recorded
1883
in Social Security records

Orel popularity over time

698 babies have been named Orel since 1883, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 5 5 1 – #1,008
1890s – 5 5 1 0% #1,084
1900s – 12 12 1 +140% #1,299
1910s 117 122 239 24 +1892% #1,325
1920s 13 105 118 12 -51% #1,762
1930s – 72 72 7 -39% #2,600
1940s – 29 29 3 -60% #2,687
1950s – 5 5 1 -83% #4,408
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – 7 7 1 – #4,905
1980s – 21 21 2 +200% #4,451
1990s – 54 54 5 +157% #4,905
2000s 6 70 76 8 +41% #6,404
2010s – 31 31 3 -59% #10,326
2020s (to 2025) – 24 24 4 +29% #9,460

The story of Orel

Orel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,643 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1883, 698 American babies have been named Orel, about 81% boys and 19% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1916, when 73 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Orel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Orel?

The median living Orel is about 23 years old; half are between 16 and 35. An estimated 200 people named Orel are alive in the United States today.

median 23 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Orel year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 6 #11,643
2024 – – 5 #13,716
2023 – – 5 #13,624
2022 – – – –
2021 – – 8 #9,460
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – 7 #10,486
2016 – – 6 #11,762
2015 – – 7 #10,326
2014 – – – –
2013 – – 5 #13,543
2012 – – 6 #11,874
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 6 #16,756 9 #8,811
2008 – – 7 #10,722
2007 – – 6 #11,971
2006 – – 6 #11,672
2005 – – 9 #8,123
2004 – – 6 #10,959
2003 – – 9 #7,673
2002 – – 11 #6,404
2001 – – – –
2000 – – 7 #8,875
1995 – – 9 #6,271
1990 – – 11 #4,905
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – 5 #3,808
1935 – – 8 #2,881
1930 – – 8 #3,219
1925 – – 7 #3,649
1920 – – 16 #2,109
1915 21 #1,664 16 #1,865
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Orel, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Orel?

The median living Orel is about 23 years old. Half of all living Orels are between 16 and 35 years old.

How many people named Orel are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Orel are alive in the United States, based on 698 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Orel mean?

Orel is a given name and a surname of multiple origins.

How popular is the name Orel in 2025?

Orel ranked #11,643 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Orel?

698 babies have been named Orel in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Orel most popular?

Orel peaked in 1916, when 73 newborns received the name.

Is Orel a boy or girl name?

Orel is used for both: about 19% of babies named Orel have been girls and 81% boys.

Is the name Orel rising or falling?

Orel is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Orel

Names that sound and feel close to Orel: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Orel with similar names → More names starting with O →