Orvile
Of French origin, meaning "sanctuary clearing".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Orvile. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Orvile today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Orvile births was 1927 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Orvile. 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 Orvile is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Orviles were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Orvile. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1927
12 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1943 SSA rank
#3,918
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Orvile: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Orvile from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 56 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
Orvile 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 Orvile 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 Orvile
The given name Orvile is believed to have its origins in Old French, derived from the Latin name Orvilius or Orvillus, which were diminutive forms of the Roman family name Orbius. This Latin name is thought to stem from the Latin word "orbus," meaning "orphan" or "bereaved." The earliest known use of the name Orvile can be traced back to the 12th century in France.
In terms of historical references, the name Orvile does not appear to have been prominently featured in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records. However, there are a few notable individuals who bore this name throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Orvile was Orvile de Nanteuil, a French nobleman who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Louis IX and participated in the Seventh Crusade.
Another notable individual was Orvile Wright, the younger of the two famous Wright brothers who pioneered the field of aviation. Orvile Wright was born in 1871 in Dayton, Ohio, and along with his brother Wilbur, he designed and built the first successful powered aircraft. Orvile made history by being one of the first two people to achieve sustained flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft in 1903.
In the realm of literature, Orvile Plumet was a French novelist and playwright who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was known for his works that explored the social and cultural issues of his time.
Another individual worth mentioning is Orvile Royce, an American businessman and co-founder of the Rolls-Royce automobile company. He was born in 1879 and played a crucial role in the development of the luxury car brand alongside Charles Rolls.
Lastly, Orvile Bateman was a Canadian politician and diplomat who served as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan from 1976 to 1983. He was born in 1910 and had a distinguished career in public service.
These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the name Orvile throughout history, spanning various fields and time periods. While the name may not have been extensively documented in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been carried by notable individuals who left their mark on various aspects of society.
People
Orvile + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Orvile 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
Orvile: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Orvile?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Orvile 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Orvile a common name?
We classify Orvile as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 118 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Orvile most popular?
The single biggest year for Orvile was 1927, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Orvile is about 96 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 Orvile in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Orvile a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Orvile 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 Orvile still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Orvile 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 Orvile 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 have the name Orvile?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Orvile on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.