MallowbyNames

Orion

oh-RYE-un · Of uncertain origin; possibly from Greek Ὠρίων (Ōríōn), meaning 'boundary' or 'limit,' or associated with Akkadian 'Uru-anna' (heaven's light).

2025 rank (boys)
#334
Babies named in 2025
1,012
Peak popularity
2018
2025 frequency
1 in 1,688 boys
Usually for
Boys
Trend
Rising since 1985

Rising since 1985, #334 for boys today.

Popularity of Orion since 1880

Babies named Orion per year in U.S. Social Security records.

3847681.2k1880192019602000Most births 2018Boys
Data table (by decade)
DecadeBoys
1880s34
1890s49
1900s37
1910s192
1920s281
1930s154
1940s121
1950s84
1960s82
1970s500
1980s733
1990s1,852
2000s4,367
2010s8,595
2020s6,039

Meaning & origin

Orion is a name drawn directly from the stars, the mythological hunter fixed in the night sky as a prominent constellation. Its graph shows a clear ascent: though first recorded in 1880, it entered a long climb beginning around 1985 and reached its peak rank of 334 in 2018, before settling at rank 334 in 2025, with 1 in every 1,688 boy births bearing the name. Geographically, Orion is most popular in Alaska, Oregon, and New Mexico, suggesting an affinity in the western and mountain states. Parents today gravitate toward it for its celestial resonance and strong mythological roots, a pattern that shows no sign of reversing.

Orion is a name from Greek mythology, borne by a giant hunter placed among the stars as the constellation Orion. The etymology is disputed: it may derive from the Greek word ὄριον (órion) meaning 'boundary' or 'limit,' or from the Akkadian 'Uru-anna' (heaven's light). The name entered occasional English use in the 19th century, inspired by astronomy and classical literature.

Where Orion is most popular

Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.

2020s
Fewermore per 100k boystoo few births

Orion” around the world

Where Orion lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.

  • France

    70

    babies in 2024

  • Ireland

    4

    babies in 2025

  • New Zealand

    11

    babies in 2025

  • Quebec

    8

    babies in 2025

Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).

Nicknames & variants

Nicknames: O, Rion, Ri

Variants: Orian, Orien

Sibling names for Orion

Names that share Orion's style, for a brother or sister.

Sisters: Calliope, Lyra, Athena, Nova, Vega, Aerial, Amaris, Aurora, Briar, Cattleya, Coraline, Danae, Echo, Elara, Elvia, Halo, Ione, Isis, Jewel, Kassandra, Leandra, Luna, Minerva, Nyssa, Roxana, Selene, Star, Starla, Starr, Stormi, Thalia, Venus, Vesta, Wynter, Aeris, Alaska, Amaryllis, Ariadne, Artemis, Arwen, Aura, Aylani, Azure, Cameo, Celestia, Chenoa, Cherokee, Cyan, Denali, Elysia, Eris, Eudora, Floria, Gaia, Idalia, Juno, Jupiter, Jurnee, Lavonia, Leda, Lotus, Lucina, Mahogany, Marigold, Mazikeen, Merari, Nereida, Ninfa, Novah, Nydia, Olympia, Pandora, Persephone, Phaedra, Sable, Sequoia, Solana, Symphony, Tempest, Tesla, Xena, Zenaida, Zenobia, Acadia, Aelin, Airis, Aldora, Alura, Anthea, Antigone, Aolanis, Aphrodite, Apple, Arcadia, Arelis, Ariona, Artelia, Astraea, Athina, Atlantis, Auri, Auriel, Azora, Azura, Belladonna, Burma, Calypso, Cerena, Cirilla, Clio, Cyrena, Diantha, Elektra, Eureka, Galaxy, Gemini, Hera, Iantha, Indica, Infinity, Iridian, Jazzmen, Jurni, Kallista, Kattaleya, Kemora, Lilyth, Lumen, Lunna, Lyriq, Lysandra, Mellody, Moon, Mystic, Mystique, November, Nyx, Oasis, Oceanna, Odyssey, Omni, Onika, Orelia, Raevyn, Raiven, Sedonia, Selenia, Sephora, Sevynn, Snow, Solara, Sole, Solei, Soliana, Starlette, Starlyn, Starlynn, Talula, Tenaya, Theia, Titania, Tomara, Valena, Vela, Vesper, Vista, Xylia, Yuvia, Admire, Adonia, Aerianna, Aeriel, Aerith, Airyana, Aleera, Althia, Aluna, Ambrosia, Andromeda, Aquila, Arabia, Arbutus, Armanie, Arora, Aspasia, Astella, Asteria, Astra, Aunika, Aurorah, Bellatrix, Bloom, Cassiopeia, Celes, Chalice, Charmion, Chloris, Circe, Clytie, Cyann, Demonica, Djuna, Dynasty, Elnoria, Eluney, Erial, Estreya, Etoile, Fable, Faun, Florena, Galadriel, Galileah, Haiven, Helia, Holiday, Icelynn, Io, Ionia, Iridessa, Irisa, Iysis, Kaliope, Kassia, Katori, Kattleya, Kharis, Kismet, Krimson, Latessa, Latona, Levana, Lorian, Lumina, Lunabella, Lunabelle, Lunah, Lynix, Lyrah, Macaria, Medea, Moranda, Morningstar, Myrical, Namaari, Narcissa, Narcissus, Nieve, Novali, Novalyn, Novalynn, Novia, Orchid, Persephanie, Phoenyx, Phynix, Poet, Prisma, Quorra, Rayona, Reighn, Saphira, Sedalia, Solar, Solaris, Solstice, Starsha, Stellar, Theona, Tigerlily, Tomorrow, Ulyssa, Urania, Vanilla, Vendetta, Wrenna, Wyllow, Xylina, Yvaine, Zamia, Azori, Ellawyn, Estellar, Fauna, Kerria, Mescal, Remedi, Tacora, Aelita, Aerie, Airess, Alonia, Alori, Aloria, Alvita, Anori, Anyra, Aradia, Ardenia, Areona, Areta, Aroura, Arraya, Artemisia, Assyria, Astrea, Atenea, Athene, Athenea, Azaelia, Azaleia, Azaleya, Azalyn, Azaylie, Azoria, Azuree, Berenis, Burklee, Caliope, Callisto, Celestial, Champayne, Ciela, Cortana, Crescent, Cybele, Cynara, Cyrene, Darriona, Dejanira, Demetress, Denaly, Dreamer, Ecko, Edilia, Eirene, Ellaria, Elysium, Emberlin, Eretria, Eurydice, Evadna, Fawna, Gazella, Hebe, Hesper, Hollin, Horizon, Hyla, Hypatia, Icel, Ilithyia, Inanna, Jemini, Kauri, Kimori, Kyrene, Larimar, Laurana, Laurelin, Legacii, Leomia, Libra, Lillyth, Lun, Lunafreya, Lunarae, Lunarose, Lunetta, Luxury, Merliah, Milahni, Milian, Mirage, Miriya, Morticia, Naturi, Navee, Nebula, Nemesis, Niobe, Noir, Novalei, Novarae, Odessia, Olenna, Orphia, Ourania, Parthena, Pharah, Phenyx, Phoenicia, Priseis, Rarity, Rayvn, Rotunda, Sahalie, Salice, Sanova, Sashia, Saturn, Seleen, Seleni, Shatora, Siren, Skyra, Solae, Solani, Soli, Somalia, Starasia, Starlee, Starlena, Starletta, Starlit, Stellarose, Storii, Sunset, Symphani, Syren, Thetis, Ulanni, Winnona, Xee, Yolani, Yulani, Zanova, Zelene, Zeola, Zephyra, Zeplyn

Brothers: Atlas, Cyrus, Jasper, Leo, Felix, Adonis, Anakin, Apollo, Ares, Aries, Charon, Homer, Kashmir, Leonidas, Mars, Marvel, Nestor, Ocean, Omega, Perseus, Phoenix, Rye, Theron, Titan, Ulysses, Unknown, Zenon, Zephyr, Zeppelin, Achilles, Alonza, Arion, Arrow, Atreus, Atreyu, Avian, Cedar, Cleon, Cosmo, Daemon, Delos, Eros, Ether, Evander, Everest, Fenix, Finnick, Florian, Haze, Hercules, Ladon, Nile, Osiris, Summit, Sylus, Sylvan, Syrus, Taurus, Triton, Tyrus, Zeus, Adonnis, Adrion, Aeneas, Aero, Ajax, Alastor, Alcides, Aldrin, Altair, Anias, Aquarius, Aquiles, Arias, Ariston, Ariyon, Atom, Auron, Avant, Avenir, Caelum, Calix, Castor, Cloud, Daimon, Demon, Diamante, Eon, Falcon, Helios, Hermes, Jovian, Kairos, Kashmere, Kepler, Lucifer, Lynx, Lysander, Pheonix, Rigel, Sagan, Shadow, Sirius, Sun, Sylvanus, Takota, Theseus, Tron, Ulysee, Ulysess, Varian, Xion, Zarian, Zenith, Aarian, Aeon, Apollos, Apolo, Argus, Aristides, Arius, Astro, Athens, Azion, Banyan, Brazos, Calyx, Corion, Corydon, Cougar, Cypher, Cyprus, Daryus, Drako, Elion, Epic, Finch, Galileo, Hades, Helio, Hymen, Jedi, Jove, Kaspian, Khaos, Kratos, Legion, Lyrick, Mercury, Montay, Nike, Oberon, Orbin, Oreste, Orestes, Peregrine, Phenix, Poseidon, Raistlin, Saveon, Shine, Silus, Solan, Starlin, Syris, Thorin, Tryton, Tycho, Tyrian, Ulysees, Ulyses, Xerxes, Xylo, Xylon, Xyon, Yuma, Zarius, Zymire, Auryn, Cashmir, Eryx, Helix, Kaelum, Kyros, Acer, Aerion, Aires, Anchor, Andros, Aquan, Arson, Artimus, Atari, Atlus, Auren, Aviyon, Caspen, Chaos, Chiron, Corvus, Coyote, Damascus, Dorrien, Dragon, Dune, Eizen, Elysian, Ezren, Fenyx, Furious, Future, Huxon, Icarus, Indio, Iniko, Isair, Janus, Karas, Kharon, Kodiak, Kvion, Kyrion, Legynd, Leonidus, Leto, Logic, Lycan, Memphys, Midas, Miquan, Myreon, Naujour, Noctis, Phoenixx, Prometheus, Quanta, Rainen, Silvan, Socrates, Sonder, Syire, Taino, Taos, Thanos, Vision, Voyd, Xen, Zephyrus, Zylus, Zyrion

Names like Orion

Names whose popularity has moved with Orion's over the last 50 years.

A parent animal hugging its little one, the personalized name page

O is for Orion, our favorite little boy.

O is for Orion…”

In a Mallowby alphabet book, Orion's letter becomes Orion's page: hand-illustrated, printed hardcover or paperback, made just for them.

Make Orion's book

Books for siblings or grandkids? The second book is 15% off.

Questions parents ask

What does Orion mean?
Orion's meaning is uncertain. It is traditionally linked to the Greek mythological hunter, and some scholars suggest it means 'boundary' or 'heaven's light.'
How popular is Orion?
As of 2025, Orion ranked 334th in the United States, with roughly 1 in 1,688 newborn boys receiving the name. Its popularity has been rising since 1985, peaking in 2018.
Is Orion a boy's or girl's name?
Orion is used primarily for boys, though it is occasionally given to girls.