Orson
Boy name · #1428 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
In 2025, 126 baby boys were named Orson, placing it at #1428 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2112, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,286 boys born in 2025 was named Orson.
The 145-year story
Orson first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 132 babies and a rank of #1397. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Orson per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Orson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Orson in class?
Orson scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Orson is most common
Geography matters for names, and Orson is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Orsons were CA (11), NY (10), TX (9), WA (8), OH (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Orson
Statistically, parents drawn to Orson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jetson, Jenson, Olson, Yeison, and Wesson.
JetsonJensonOlsonYeisonWessonIversonEversonCaison
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Orson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 126 | #1425 |
| 2024 | 121 | #1487 |
| 2023 | 132 | #1397 |
| 2022 | 127 | #1433 |
| 2021 | 98 | #1678 |
| 2020 | 104 | #1568 |
| 2019 | 105 | #1582 |
| 2018 | 63 | #2189 |
| 2017 | 73 | #1958 |
| 2016 | 90 | #1724 |
| 2015 | 66 | #2112 |
| 2014 | 53 | #2402 |
| 2013 | 42 | #2763 |
| 2012 | 31 | #3450 |
| 2011 | 34 | #3235 |
| 2010 | 28 | #3708 |
| 2009 | 23 | #4278 |
| 2008 | 18 | #5067 |
| 2007 | 23 | #4243 |
| 2006 | 14 | #5781 |
| 2005 | 13 | #5875 |
| 2004 | 7 | #8927 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 12 | #5725 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Orson a popular boy name?
Orson ranked #1428 among boys in 2025 with 126 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2112.
When was the name Orson most popular?
Orson peaked in 2023, when 132 American boys received the name (ranked #1397 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Orson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,286 newborn American boys was named Orson. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.