Skip to content
boyandgirlnames
0 saved

Orna

Girl name · Gaelic

Meaninglittle pale green one · Irish

Orna is a Gaelic girl name meaning “little pale green one”, with Irish roots. Irish names are loved for their lilting sound and their links to Celtic saints and legends. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.

Did you know?

  • AnagramShuffle the letters of Orna and you get Aron, Nora and Roan. Same letters, different names.
  • GenerationOrna peaked in 1965, which makes it a Gen X name. The typical Orna you'd meet today is about 60 years old.
  • HistoryOrna first shows up in US birth records in 1924, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 101 years since.
Happy baby lying on a soft blanket
hello, little Orna

US births per million girls, 1924–2025

036192419601973

Similar names

Girl name: LornaGirl name: VernaGirl name: MirnaGirl name: OrnellaGirl name: Aparna
Blend Orna with another name

Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.

Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).

About the name Orna

Orna is a girl name of Gaelic origin meaning “little pale green one”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the open vowel at the end makes it sound soft and warm. It hit its peak in the 1960s, so it feels familiar without being trendy. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.

Origin:Gaelic names

More Gaelic girl names

Questions about the name Orna

What does the name Orna mean?

Orna means “little pale green one” and comes from Irish. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Chloe (“green shoot”), Khloe (“green shoot”), Kloe (“green shoot”) and Oran (“little pale green one”).

What is the origin of the name Orna?

Orna is Gaelic in origin, and its meaning traces back to Irish. Other Gaelic names to consider are Nora (“honor”), Hazel (“hazel tree”), Isla (“from Islay”) and Riley (“rye clearing”).

Is Orna a boy or girl name?

Orna is a girl name.

How popular is the name Orna?

Orna is rare: fewer than 5 US girls got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 1973. It peaked at #4,202 in 1965, so it's a name with history that few kids share today.

What names are similar to Orna?

If you like Orna, you might also like Chloe, Khloe, Kloe and Oran.

What should I know before naming my baby Orna?

Orna is a Gaelic girl name meaning “little pale green one”, with Irish roots. Irish names are loved for their lilting sound and their links to Celtic saints and legends. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.