Boy · #3,558 in 2026

Ortega

Ortega is a Spanish surname. A baptismal record in 1570 records a de Ortega "from the village of Ortega". There were several villages of this name in Spain. The toponym derives from Latin urtica, meaning 'nettle'.

Current Rank
#3,558
Peak Rank
#3,558 (1958)
Total Babies
6
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1958
First Year
1958
Last Year
1958
Peak Year
#3558
Peak Rank
6
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Ortega

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Ortega is a Spanish surname. A baptismal record in 1570 records a de Ortega "from the village of Ortega". There were several villages of this name in Spain. The toponym derives from Latin urtica, meaning 'nettle'.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
Roberto Faure, coauthor of the Diccionario de Apellidos Españoles , states that Ortega is derived from the noun ortega , a variant of the modern Castilian Spanish ortiga " nettle ". The name of the plant is found as a toponym in various places in Spain, such as Ortega ( Burgos ), Ortega ( Jaén ) or Ortega ( Monfero , A Coruña ). Mexican author Gutierre Tibón advanced the alternative theory that the name derives from Ortún , earlier Fortún , from the Latin name Fortunius with an added suffix " -eca ". The Dictionary of American Surnames additionally states that the name may derive from ortega :

The Story of Ortega

Ortega first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1958, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1958, when 6 Ortegas were born — ranking #3,558 that year. As of 2026, Ortega ranks #3,558 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 6 Ortegas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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OH
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Ortega

Phonetically similar names — useful when Ortega is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Ortego
  • Artega
  • Arteaga
  • Auriga
  • Oruga
  • Ortygan
  • Noriega
  • Orta
  • Orga
  • Artesia
  • Noreiga
  • Orte

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ortega

What does the name Ortega mean?
Ortega is a Spanish surname. A baptismal record in 1570 records a de Ortega "from the village of Ortega". There were several villages of this name in Spain. The toponym derives from Latin urtica, meaning 'nettle'.
How popular is Ortega in 2026?
In 2026, Ortega ranks #3,558 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Ortega most popular?
Ortega reached its peak popularity in 1958, ranking #3,558 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Ortega a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Ortega is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Ortega?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ortega include Forman, Lara, Tenny. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Forman
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Lara
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👦
Tenny
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👦
Robrt
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👦
Gilroy
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👦
Darhyl
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Lucinda
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Williamm
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About the name Ortega

Ortega is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1958 and has accumulated 6 births in the dataset. Ortega's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #3,558. Use the chart and map above to compare Ortega's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.