Will my child share the name Orson with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 109 UK babies named Orson per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Orson in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Orson becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Orson has been fairly steady, ranked #379 in 2025 against #406 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #374 in 2024.

Is Orson a good choice for a distinctive name?

Orson is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.

Is Orson a popular baby name in the United States?

Orson does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice.

👦 Boy's name 💎 Relatively Unique UK #379

Orson

🗳️ Add Orson to a family shortlist

Orson is a distinctive choice, ranked #379 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Orson in their class.

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UK Rank 2025

#379

About the Name Orson

2024 marks Orson's peak year in UK records so far, sitting at UK #374. The name has climbed 32 places in the last five years — a significant surge by any measure. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.

Orson is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Orson in their class.

⭐ Famous People Named Orson

Orson Welles radio credits — This is a comprehensive listing of the radio programs made by Orson Welles.

Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.