Orchid
A feminine name derived from the flower, symbolizing beauty and refinement.
Name Census estimates that about 238 living Americans carry the first name Orchid. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Orchid today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orchid births was 2021 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orchid. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
238
~ 1 in 1,440,144 Americans
Peak year
2021
14 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,374
Tracked since 1926
Popularity
Orchid: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Orchid from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 91 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Orchid remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Orchid by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Orchid during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Orchids live
Origin
Meaning and history of Orchid
The name Orchid is of Greek origin, derived from the word "orkhis," which means "testicle." This unusual etymology can be traced back to the shape of the orchid flower's roots, which resemble testicles. The name Orchid first appeared in English literature in the 16th century, when the plant was introduced to Europe from Asia.
During the Victorian era, the name Orchid became popular among the upper classes in England and France, as the exotic flower symbolized luxury, beauty, and refinement. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Orchid was Orchid Constance, born in 1842 to a wealthy family in London.
In ancient Greek mythology, the orchid was associated with fertility and virility, which may have influenced the choice of the name for some parents. However, there are no documented instances of the name Orchid appearing in classical Greek texts or religious scriptures.
One of the most famous women named Orchid was Orchid Thayer (1858-1924), an American socialite and philanthropist who was a prominent figure in New York City's high society during the Gilded Age. Another notable Orchid was Orchid Fairchild (1892-1976), a British actress and dancer who performed on the West End stage in the early 20th century.
In the world of literature, Orchid Lewisohn (1916-2003) was a British writer and critic who published several novels and works of non-fiction. Orchid Williams (1923-2014) was an American civil rights activist and educator who fought for desegregation in the South during the 1950s and 1960s.
More recently, Orchid Spangiafora (1929-2003) was an Italian-American artist and sculptor known for her abstract and minimalist works. Her sculptures can be found in public collections around the world.
While the name Orchid may have an unusual origin, it has been embraced by parents across various cultures for its association with beauty, elegance, and exoticism. Despite its rarity, the name has left a lasting impression on history through the achievements of remarkable individuals who have borne it.
People
Orchid + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orchid as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Orchid: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orchid?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 238 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orchid going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,440,144 US residents.
Is Orchid a common name?
We classify Orchid as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 295 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Orchid most popular?
The single biggest year for Orchid was 2021, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orchid is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Orchid a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Orchid in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.