Holding steady, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of Orchid since 1926
Babies named Orchid per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2021, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Orchid's real moment was 1926.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 30 |
| 1930s | 21 |
| 1940s | 11 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 16 |
| 2000s | 71 |
| 2010s | 91 |
| 2020s | 59 |
Meaning & origin
Orchid is a floral name of modern origin, derived from the exotic flower. In the United States, it first appeared in official records in 1926, its peak year with a rank of 10,107 and an incidence of 1 in 178,585 births. Since then, it has remained rare and stable, never experiencing a revival. The name reflects a broader trend of nature-inspired names, but unlike Lily or Rose, Orchid has never gained widespread use, maintaining an air of rarity. As of 2025, it remains a distinctive choice, with no strong association to any particular state. Its etymology, from the Greek word for 'testicle,' is a curious botanical fact that rarely surfaces in everyday use.
Orchid is a direct adoption of the English word for the flowering plant, derived from the New Latin Orchidaceae, which in turn comes from the Greek ὄρχις (orkhis) meaning 'testicle', a reference to the shape of the plant's root tubers. The name has been used as a given name since the early 20th century, fitting a tradition of floral names for girls.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Orch, Chi
Sibling names for Orchid
Names that share Orchid's style, for a brother or sister.
