Orson means bear cub or little bear — from the Latin ursus. Orson Welles IS cinema's most brilliant — he directed Citizen Kane at age 25 AND IS the most talented filmmaker. Two syllables of cinema's-most-brilliant, Citizen-Kane-at-25, and the Latin little bear.
Orson means bear cub. Welles IS cinema's most brilliant — Citizen Kane at 25.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Latin; Orson Welles (1915–1985).
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Today
Orson remains a beloved choice, ranking #1721 in the US. 2,586 babies have been named Orson since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Orson?
2023peak year
Orson reached its widest reach during the 2020s. In 2023, 132 babies received the name (ranked #1399). In the present decade it sits well outside the top 1,000 (around #1721), with about 98 babies given the name annually. Orson has been trending upward in recent years. The all-time total comes to roughly 2,586 registrations.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Orson's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — genius seeking. People named Orson tend to be warm, brilliant, and gifted at being cinema's most brilliant at age 25.
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