Ordan
Of Latin origin, a variant spelling of the name Jordan meaning "descending".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Ordan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ordan today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ordan births was 1988 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ordan. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ordan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1988
5 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
1988 SSA rank
#8,181
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Ordan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Ordan 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 Ordan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Ordan
The given name Ordan is believed to have its origins in the ancient Gaelic language, which was spoken by the Celts who inhabited parts of what is now Ireland, Scotland, and northern England. The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "ord," meaning "hammer" or "mallet," possibly suggesting a connection to blacksmithing or metalworking.
In ancient Celtic mythology, there are references to a deity or figure known as Ordan, who was associated with metalworking and the forging of weapons. However, the details surrounding this figure are scarce, and the connection between the name and the mythological figure is not entirely clear.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Ordan can be traced back to the 9th and 10th centuries in medieval Irish and Scottish records. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Ordan Mac Conaill, a Scottish chieftain who lived in the late 9th century and was involved in conflicts with the Vikings.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the first name Ordan. One of the most prominent was Ordan Cuilce, an Irish monk and scribe who lived in the 7th century and is credited with transcribing and preserving several important religious texts.
Another notable figure was Ordan mac Maíl Choluim, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the 11th century and played a significant role in the struggles for power during the reign of King Macbeth. He is mentioned in several historical accounts from that period.
In the 12th century, there was an Irish cleric named Ordan O'Donnell, who served as the Bishop of Raphoe and was known for his efforts to promote education and religious reform in his diocese.
During the Renaissance period, an Italian artist named Ordan Lanzani gained recognition for his frescoes and religious paintings, which adorned several churches in northern Italy. He lived from approximately 1470 to 1540.
In more recent centuries, there was an Irish politician named Ordan O'Brien, who served as a member of the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century and was involved in the Irish Patriot movement, which sought greater autonomy for Ireland within the British Empire.
While the name Ordan has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures, it has been used across various regions and time periods, reflecting the diverse individuals who have borne this name throughout history.
People
Ordan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ordan 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
Ordan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ordan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ordan 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Ordan a common name?
We classify Ordan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ordan most popular?
The single biggest year for Ordan was 1988, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ordan is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ordan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ordan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ordan in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Ordan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ordan in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ordan can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Ordan as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.