Orel
Orel is a given name and a surname of multiple origins. Of various meanings, the word means 'eagle' in some Slavic languages; as a Hebrew first name (אוראל) it means Light of God. Notable people with the name include:
- Hebrew
Meaning & Origin of Orel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Orel is a given name and a surname of multiple origins. Of various meanings, the word means 'eagle' in some Slavic languages; as a Hebrew first name (אוראל) it means Light of God. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hebrew
The Story of Orel
As a girl name
Orel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1915, with 21 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1916: 46 births, good for #1,013 nationwide. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 86% of all recorded Orels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2009 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 136 Orels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Orel on the record books as a boy name in 1883, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1916, when 27 Orels were born — ranking #1,304 that year. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 22% of all recorded Orels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 556 Orels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Orel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Orel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Orel
What does the name Orel mean?
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How popular is Orel in 2026?
When was Orel most popular?
In which U.S. states is Orel most popular?
Is Orel a unisex name?
What names go well with Orel?
About the name Orel
Orel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1883 and has accumulated 556 births in the dataset. Orel's peak popularity came in 1916 when it ranked #1,304. Use the chart and map above to compare Orel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1916 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.