Orla
Girl name · Irish · Old English · Scottish
Meaninggolden princess · Irish
- US rank
- #2,514
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1,278 in 1892
70 babies were named Orla in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1,749 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1892–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Orla you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Orla
Orla Brady
Irish actress
Choose Orla and your child shares a first name with Orla Brady, an Irish actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Orla, like who?” Orla Brady's Wikipedia article is available in 21 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Orla Brady on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 22,936 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Orla, 70 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Orla would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryOrla has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Orlas, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1892, when it reached #1,278.
- Then vs nowOrla is 4.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 95,238 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 22,936.
- TrendOrla has climbed 1,749 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #2,514. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- MeaningIn Irish, Orla means “golden princess”. Our records link it to Irish, Old English and Scottish roots.
About the name Orla
Orla is a girl name of Irish, Old English and Scottish origin meaning “golden princess”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with O and ending in “-rla”. US birth records list Orla for girls from 1892 to 2025, in 72 of those 134 years. Its best year was 1892, when it ranked #1,278 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #2,514, with 70 babies.
Origin:Irish namesOld English namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 9.2 | 109,141 girls |
| 1900s | 1.8 | 549,451 girls |
| 1910s | 7.8 | 128,866 girls |
| 1920s | 10 | 99,502 girls |
| 1930s | 5.6 | 179,856 girls |
| 1940s | 1.8 | 555,556 girls |
| 1950s | 1.0 | 980,392 girls |
| 1960s | 0.9 | 1,098,901 girls |
| 1990s | 3.1 | 318,471 girls |
| 2000s | 9.7 | 103,093 girls |
| 2010s | 16 | 64,061 girls |
| 2020s | 37 | 27,236 girls |
More Irish girl names
- Girl name: Abigail · my father is joy
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Girl name: Maeve · she who intoxicates
- Unisex name: Kennedy · helmeted head
- Unisex name: Rylee · rye clearing
- Unisex name: Sloane · raider
- Unisex name: Alani · orange tree
- Girl name: Everleigh · boar clearing
Questions about the name Orla
What does the name Orla mean?
Orla means “golden princess” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Orla?
Orla has Irish, Old English, Scottish roots in our records. Other Irish names include Abigail, Riley, Maeve.
Is Orla a boy or girl name?
Orla is a girl name.
How popular is the name Orla?
Orla ranked #2,514 for US girls in 2025, given to 70 babies. Its best year was 1892 (#1,278).