Orline
Orline is a feminine name derived from the French given name Aureline, meaning "golden" or "golden one".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Orline. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Orline today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orline births was 1922 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orline. 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 Orline is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Orlines were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Orline. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1922
9 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1935 SSA rank
#4,104
Tracked since 1911
Popularity
Orline: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Orline 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 28 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
Orline 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 Orline 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 Orline
The name Orline is believed to have originated from the Old French language, derived from the word "or," meaning "gold." It is thought to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, in regions where Old French was spoken, such as modern-day France and parts of England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Orline can be found in the literary work "Roman de la Rose," written by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun between the late 12th and early 13th centuries. In this allegorical poem, a character named Orline is mentioned, suggesting the name's usage during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Orline. One such person was Orline de Trie (1232-1285), a French noblewoman who played a significant role in the affairs of the Kingdom of France during the 13th century. Another was Orline de Brie (1265-1325), a French courtier and lady-in-waiting to Queen Marguerite of France.
In the realm of literature, Orline de Châtillon (1290-1348) was a French poet and writer whose works were influential during the late medieval period. Her poetry often explored themes of courtly love and chivalry.
Moving forward in time, Orline Rousseau (1678-1742) was a French playwright and novelist whose works were well-received during the 18th century. Her plays often explored themes of love, betrayal, and societal norms.
Another notable figure was Orline Duval (1832-1892), a French artist and painter known for her portraits and landscape paintings. Her works were exhibited in several prestigious salons in Paris during the 19th century.
While the name Orline may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and connections to Old French language and culture make it a unique and intriguing name with deep roots in European history.
People
Orline + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orline 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
Orline: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orline?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orline 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Orline a common name?
We classify Orline as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 58 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Orline most popular?
The single biggest year for Orline was 1922, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orline is about 83 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 Orline in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Orline a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Orline 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 Orline still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Orline 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 Orline 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 Orline?
Want to know how many Americans are named Orline? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.