Orion
Boy name · #334 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Orion? In official American birth records, Orion has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Orion ranks #334 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,012 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #367, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,779 boys born in 2025 was named Orion.
The 145-year story
Orion first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 1,152 boys were named Orion — good for #300 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Orion per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Orion against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Orion in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Orion is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Orion is most common
Geography matters for names, and Orion is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Orion is most common in OR (2.2 per 1,000), NM (2 per 1,000), CO (1.3 per 1,000), ID (1.3 per 1,000), WA (1.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.7 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Orion is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Orion
Statistically, parents drawn to Orion tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gideon, Zion, Lawson, Paxton, and Karson.
GideonZionLawsonPaxtonKarsonDaxtonKysonWinston
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Orion | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,012 | #334 |
| 2024 | 1,065 | #325 |
| 2023 | 869 | #373 |
| 2022 | 1,021 | #332 |
| 2021 | 1,056 | #314 |
| 2020 | 1,016 | #325 |
| 2019 | 1,077 | #313 |
| 2018 | 1,152 | #300 |
| 2017 | 1,023 | #334 |
| 2016 | 1,072 | #324 |
| 2015 | 877 | #367 |
| 2014 | 821 | #381 |
| 2013 | 759 | #394 |
| 2012 | 679 | #419 |
| 2011 | 574 | #469 |
| 2010 | 561 | #467 |
| 2009 | 519 | #521 |
| 2008 | 496 | #535 |
| 2007 | 469 | #549 |
| 2006 | 486 | #527 |
| 2005 | 427 | #558 |
| 2004 | 418 | #551 |
| 2003 | 399 | #562 |
| 2002 | 367 | #583 |
| 2001 | 404 | #540 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Orion?
In official American birth records, the name Orion first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Orion a popular boy name?
Orion ranked #334 among boys in 2025 with 1,012 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #367.
When was the name Orion most popular?
Orion peaked in 2018, when 1,152 American boys received the name (ranked #300 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Orion?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,779 newborn American boys was named Orion. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.