Orsen
A masculine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "bear cub".
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Orsen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Orsen today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orsen births was 2022 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orsen. 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 Orsen with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Orsen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
2022
6 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2022 SSA rank
#11,927
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Orsen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Orsen from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Orsen remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Orsen 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 Orsen 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 Orsen
The given name Orsen has its roots in the Old Norse language, originating from the Viking era in Scandinavia around the 8th to 11th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "ǫrn," meaning "eagle," symbolizing strength, courage, and keen vision. The name's earliest known spelling was "Órn" or "Órinn," which later evolved into various forms, including "Orsen" and "Orson."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Orsen can be traced back to the Icelandic sagas, which were oral traditions and written accounts of historical events and mythological tales from the Viking age. The name appears in the Laxdæla saga, a renowned Icelandic saga from the 13th century, where a character named Orsen is mentioned as a prominent figure.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Orsen. One of the earliest recorded examples is Orsen of Bayeux (c. 1025-1092), a Norman nobleman and one of the prominent companions of William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England in 1066. He played a significant role in the Battle of Hastings and was later rewarded with land and titles for his loyalty.
Another historical figure with the name Orsen was Orsen de Beaumont (c. 1110-1180), a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Second Crusade. He was known for his bravery and military exploits during the siege of Damascus in 1148.
In the literary world, Orsen Welles (1915-1985) was a renowned American actor, director, writer, and producer. He is best known for his groundbreaking film "Citizen Kane" (1941), which is often regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. Welles' innovative techniques and storytelling abilities have had a lasting impact on the film industry.
In the realm of music, Orsen Lenoir (1927-2009) was a French composer and pianist. He made significant contributions to the development of contemporary classical music and was known for his experimental and avant-garde compositions.
Lastly, Orsen Oleson (1915-2002) was a Norwegian-American architect and urban planner. He played a crucial role in shaping the urban landscape of several cities in the United States, including Minneapolis and San Francisco, through his innovative and sustainable design principles.
People
Orsen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orsen 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
Orsen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orsen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orsen 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 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Orsen a common name?
We classify Orsen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Orsen most popular?
The single biggest year for Orsen was 2022, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orsen is about 8 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 Orsen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Orsen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Orsen 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 Orsen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Orsen 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 Orsen 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 Orsen?
Find out how many people share the name Orsen on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.