Fun Facts About the Name Orel
- 698 babies named Orel: U.S. records list 698 babies given the name Orel from 1880 through 2025. Even 136 girls received the name Orel - about 1 girl for every 4 boys.
What Does the Name Orel Mean?
Orel has two unrelated origins. In Hebrew (אורל), the name is built from or (אוֹר), meaning "light," and El (אֵל), meaning "God," so its literal sense is "light of God." The same two elements appear in other Hebrew names, such as Or, Oren, and Elior. Separately, in Czech and other Slavic languages orel is simply the word for "eagle" (Polish orzeł, Russian орёл), and the name is used in that literal sense. Because the two names happen to be spelled the same way in Latin letters, they are often confused, but they are not related.
Orel Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name belongs to a modern group of Israeli names formed from or, "light." It follows a pattern seen in Or, Oren, Orly, and Elior, and it places the divine element El at the end, as in Ariel and Gavriel. Names of this type spread with the everyday use of Hebrew as a spoken language in the 20th century.
The Slavic name comes from the ordinary word for eagle, which runs through the family as Czech and Slovak orel, Polish orzeł, and Russian орёл. In the Czech lands, Orel is found chiefly as a surname and byname, and less often as a given name. The same word also names the Orel movement, a Czech Catholic gymnastics organization founded in 1909, which is one sign of how firmly the word is established as a name and emblem in Czech use. The Hebrew and Slavic names developed independently, and the identical spelling in English is a coincidence of transliteration.
How Popular is the Name Orel?
Orel has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1916. Its best rank was #1,008 in 1883.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | #16,755 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1927 | #4,682 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #4,350 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #2,958 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #2,180 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1917 | #1,695 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1916 | #1,020 | 46 | 0.0044% |
| 1915 | #1,664 | 21 | 0.0021% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,643 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #13,663 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #13,615 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #9,456 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #10,484 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #11,759 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #10,323 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #13,540 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #11,872 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #8,811 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #10,722 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #11,971 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #11,669 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #8,123 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #10,958 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #7,672 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #6,403 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #8,875 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #11,131 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #7,350 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #6,272 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #6,659 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #7,191 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #7,974 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #4,905 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #4,450 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #5,100 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #4,905 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #4,409 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1947 | #4,124 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1943 | #2,687 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #3,927 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,873 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1940 | #3,808 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1938 | #2,600 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1937 | #2,626 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #3,931 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1935 | #2,881 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #2,898 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1933 | #2,930 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #3,030 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1931 | #2,821 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1930 | #3,219 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1929 | #3,844 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #2,652 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1926 | #3,621 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #3,649 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #1,762 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1923 | #2,298 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1922 | #2,316 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1921 | #3,155 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1920 | #2,109 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1919 | #1,861 | 18 | 0.0018% |
| 1918 | #2,361 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1917 | #1,680 | 20 | 0.0022% |
| 1916 | #1,325 | 27 | 0.0030% |
| 1915 | #1,865 | 16 | 0.0019% |
| 1914 | #2,228 | 10 | 0.0015% |
| 1913 | #2,218 | 8 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #1,708 | 10 | 0.0023% |
| 1909 | #1,405 | 6 | 0.0037% |
| 1907 | #1,299 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1891 | #1,084 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1883 | #1,008 | 5 | 0.0048% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Orel Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Orel's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Orel's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.