Orville
Orville is a boy's name of French origin.
Meaning
Golden town or city of gold.
Origin and history
Orville is a given name of Norman French origin, derived from place names meaning 'golden town'. It gained widespread usage in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, partly popularized by aviation pioneer Orville Wright. Though its usage has declined significantly in modern times, it remains an iconic vintage American name.
Popularity in the United States
35,065 babies in the United States have been named Orville since 1880. It ranks #615 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1848.
States where it is most popular
- IL (7.6 %)
- KY (7.1 %)
- MO (6.9 %)
- MN (6.2 %)
- OH (6.1 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 615 |
| 1890-1900 | 870 |
| 1900-1910 | 1,365 |
| 1910-1920 | 7,901 |
| 1920-1930 | 9,722 |
| 1930-1940 | 5,825 |
| 1940-1950 | 3,845 |
| 1950-1960 | 2,290 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,184 |
| 1970-1980 | 615 |
| 1980-1990 | 319 |
| 1990-2000 | 179 |
| 2000-2010 | 132 |
| 2010-2019 | 124 |
| 2020-2029 | 79 |
Famous people named Orville
- Orville Wright: Aviation Pioneer, Inventor
- Orville Redenbacher: Entrepreneur, Agronomist
- Orville Peck: Musician, Singer
Nicknames
Orv, Orvie
Fun facts
- The name was invented or popularized by 18th-century English author Fanny Burney in her novel Evelina.
- Orville Wright made the first controlled, powered airplane flight in human history in 1903.