Orestus
A Greek given name referring to a hero from Greek mythology.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Orestus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Orestus today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orestus births was 1916 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orestus. 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 Orestus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1916
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1916 SSA rank
#4,337
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Orestus: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Orestus 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 Orestus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Orestus
The given name Orestus has its origins in ancient Greek mythology and literature. It is derived from the Greek name Orestes, which itself comes from the Greek word "oros" meaning "mountain." The name Orestes was borne by a famous character in Greek tragedy who avenged the murder of his father Agamemnon by killing his mother Clytemnestra.
The earliest recorded use of the name Orestes dates back to ancient Greek texts such as the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer, as well as the tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides. The name was particularly popular in ancient Greece and was often associated with strength, courage, and a sense of justice.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Orestus was a Thracian prince who lived in the 4th century BC. He was the son of King Cotys I of Thrace and was involved in various conflicts and power struggles in the region.
During the Roman Empire, the name Orestus gained some popularity, particularly among the upper classes. One notable figure was Orestus, a Roman senator who lived in the 3rd century AD and was known for his involvement in various political intrigues.
In the Middle Ages, the name Orestus was less common but still appeared occasionally, particularly in regions with strong Greek cultural influences. One example is Orestus, a Byzantine general who lived in the 10th century AD and played a key role in the military campaigns against the Bulgarians.
During the Renaissance, the name Orestus experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly among the educated elite who were inspired by classical Greek literature and mythology. One notable figure was Orestus Manlius, an Italian humanist and scholar who lived in the 15th century and was known for his translations of ancient Greek texts.
Throughout history, the name Orestus has also been borne by several other notable individuals, including Orestus Brownson, an American writer and philosopher who lived in the 19th century, Orestus Hartwell, an American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor recipient, and Orestus Castellanos, a Cuban writer and poet of the 20th century.
People
Orestus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orestus 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
Orestus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orestus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orestus 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 - US residents.
Is Orestus a common name?
We classify Orestus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% 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 Orestus most popular?
The single biggest year for Orestus was 1916, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orestus is about 0 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 Orestus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Orestus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Orestus 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 Orestus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Orestus 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 Orestus 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 common is the name Orestus?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Orestus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.