Oreste
Of Greek origin, meaning "mountain" or "of the mountains".
Name Census estimates that about 97 living Americans carry the first name Oreste. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Oreste today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oreste births was 1921 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oreste. 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
- • The typical person named Oreste is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Orestes were born before 1970.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Oreste. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
97
~ 1 in 3,533,550 Americans
Peak year
1921
17 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1987 SSA rank
#6,725
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Oreste: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oreste from the 1910s through to the 1980s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 119 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
Oreste 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 Oreste during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Orestes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Oreste
The name Oreste has its origins in Greek mythology and literature, derived from the Greek word "orestos," meaning "mountainous" or "of the mountains." It is the name of a prominent character in ancient Greek tragedies, particularly those written by the legendary playwright Aeschylus.
In Greek mythology, Orestes was the son of Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, and Clytemnestra. He played a pivotal role in the Oresteia trilogy, a series of tragic plays by Aeschylus that explored themes of vengeance, justice, and the consequences of one's actions. The story revolves around Orestes' quest to avenge his father's murder at the hands of his mother and her lover, Aegisthus.
The name Orestes first appeared in ancient Greek literature, most notably in Aeschylus' plays "Agamemnon," "The Libation Bearers," and "The Eumenides," which were composed around 458 BCE. These plays were foundational works in the development of Greek tragedy and have had a lasting impact on Western literature and drama.
Throughout history, the name Oreste has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded examples is Orestes of Sardis, a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BCE and wrote a history of the Persian Wars. Another noteworthy figure is Oreste Piccolomini (1468-1537), an Italian cardinal and diplomat who played a significant role in the politics of the Renaissance period.
In the realm of arts and literature, Oreste Sindici (1828-1904) was an Italian painter known for his historical and mythological works, while Oreste Ristori (1857-1912) was an Italian playwright and journalist. In the field of music, Oreste Ravanello (1871-1938) was an Italian operatic tenor who performed at some of the world's most prestigious venues.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Oreste was Oreste Salomone (1888-1957), an Italian painter and sculptor who was a prominent figure in the Futurist movement. His works, characterized by their dynamic and avant-garde style, are celebrated for their exploration of motion and energy.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the name Oreste, a name that has its roots in ancient Greek literature and mythology, and has left an indelible mark on various fields, including arts, literature, and culture.
People
Oreste + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oreste 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
Oreste: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oreste?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 97 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oreste 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 3,533,550 US residents.
Is Oreste a common name?
We classify Oreste as "Very Rare". It ranks above 64.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 357 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oreste most popular?
The single biggest year for Oreste was 1921, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oreste is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Oreste a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Oreste 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.
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.