Orly
A feminine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "light" or "my light."
Name Census estimates that about 775 living Americans carry the first name Orly. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Orly today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orly births was 2013 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orly. 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.
People living today
775
~ 1 in 442,264 Americans
Peak year
2013
33 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,901
Tracked since 1964
Popularity
Orly: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Orly from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 259 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Orly remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Orly 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 Orly during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Orlys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, California, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Orly, while New Jersey, California, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 88 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Orly
The name Orly is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the Biblical Hebrew word "or," which means "light." The name Orly is a diminutive form of this word, often translated as "little light" or "my light."
In the Old Testament, the word "or" is used to refer to the light of the sun, moon, and stars. It is also used metaphorically to represent wisdom, truth, and divine revelation. This connection to light and enlightenment may have contributed to the popularity of the name Orly in Jewish communities throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Orly can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism. The Talmud mentions a person named Orly ben Abba, who lived in the 3rd century CE. This individual was a renowned scholar and is cited as an authority on various legal and theological matters.
During the Middle Ages, the name Orly was relatively uncommon, but it did appear in some Jewish communities across Europe. One notable figure from this period was Orly ben Yitzchak, a 13th-century Jewish philosopher and scholar from Provence, France.
As the name Orly spread beyond its Hebrew roots, it gained popularity in various cultures and languages. In the 19th century, Orly Blanco was a prominent Venezuelan politician and military leader who played a crucial role in the country's struggle for independence.
In the 20th century, the name Orly gained more widespread recognition. Orly Castel-Bloom, born in 1960, is an Israeli author known for her novels and short stories that explore themes of identity and social issues.
Another notable figure is Orly Weinerman, an Israeli artist and sculptor born in 1937. Her works have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, and she is celebrated for her innovative use of materials and her exploration of the human form.
Orly Taitz, born in 1960, is an American lawyer and politician who gained attention for her involvement in the "birther" movement, which questioned the legitimacy of President Barack Obama's birth certificate.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Orly. While its origins can be traced back to the Hebrew language and the concept of light, the name has transcended its linguistic and cultural boundaries, becoming a part of diverse traditions and societies.
People
Orly + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orly 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
Orly: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orly?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 775 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orly 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 442,264 US residents.
Is Orly a common name?
We classify Orly as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 795 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Orly most popular?
The single biggest year for Orly was 2013, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orly is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Orly a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Orly 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.
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.