Orea
Sea goddess, a reference to the ocean nymph from Greek mythology.
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Orea. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 76.2% of registrations being female. The average person named Orea today is around 108 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orea births was 1922 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orea. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Orea with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Orea is about 108 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Oreas were born before 1928.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Orea. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1922
10 babies that year
Average age
108
years old
1926 SSA rank
#4,654
Tracked since 1918
Gender
Gender distribution for Orea
Orea is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 42 total registrations, 10 (23.8%) were male and 32 (76.2%) were female.
Orea as a male name
- Ranked #4,654 in 1926
- 5 male births in 1926
- Peak: 1922 (5 births)
Orea as a female name
- Ranked #4,927 in 1932
- 5 female births in 1932
- Peak: 1923 (7 births)
Popularity
Orea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Orea from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 27 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Orea 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 Orea during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Orea
The given name Orea originates from the Greek language and culture, with its earliest recorded use dating back to ancient times. The name is derived from the Greek word "oros," which means "mountain." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived in mountainous regions or had a connection to the rugged, natural landscapes of Greece.
In ancient Greek mythology, Orea was the name of one of the Hesperides, the nymphs who guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides. This mythological reference further solidifies the name's ties to the natural world and its origins in Greek culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Orea can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. In his writings, he mentions an individual named Orea, although details about this person's life and significance are scarce.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Orea. One such figure was Orea of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician and astronomer who lived in the 4th century CE. She is credited with contributing to the development of ancient Greek astronomy and making significant advancements in the field during her time.
Another historical figure with the name Orea was a Byzantine empress who lived in the 11th century CE. She was the wife of Emperor Michael VII Doukas and played a prominent role in the political affairs of the Byzantine Empire during her husband's reign.
In the realm of literature, Orea was the name of a character in the epic poem "The Argonautica" by the ancient Greek poet Apollonius of Rhodes. This work, composed in the 3rd century BCE, tells the story of Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece.
Another notable individual named Orea was a Greek artist and sculptor who lived in the 5th century BCE. Her works, while not widely preserved, were praised for their intricate details and artistic expression during her lifetime.
Lastly, Orea was also the name of a female philosopher and scholar who lived in ancient Greece during the 4th century BCE. She was known for her contributions to the field of ethics and her teachings on virtue and moral behavior.
While the name Orea may not be as common today as it once was in ancient times, its rich history and ties to Greek culture and mythology have left an indelible mark on the annals of onomastics, showcasing the enduring legacy of this beautiful and intriguing name.
People
Orea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orea 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
Orea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orea 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Orea a common name?
We classify Orea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 42 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Orea most popular?
The single biggest year for Orea was 1922, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orea is about 108 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 Orea in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Orea a female name?
Yes, 76.2% of people registered as Orea 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.
Is Orea still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Orea 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 Orea 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 are named Orea?
Find out how many Americans are named Orea on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.