Total births
2,802
Unisex name · since 1880
Oral
Oral has 2,802 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1917 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 2,802
- total births
- 1880–2003
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- born in that decade
2,802 boys have been named Oral since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Oral has been recorded 2,802 times among boys since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2003.
- 2,802 total births
- 1880–2003 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 23% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
2,802 boys have been named Oral since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2003.
- 2,802
- total births
- 1880–2003
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Oral was born in this single decade.
1917
Single peak year
99 babies were named Oral in 1917 - its busiest year on record.
Oral's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Oral's full recorded timeline at 1938, 34% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 66% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1883, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1917 peak of 99 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Oral at a glance
Last recorded 2003Peak year
1917
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Oral popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2003
- Peak year (1917)
- 99
- Annual births at peak, across 124 years of records
Oral popularity over time - girls
506 total births recorded since 1886 (Oral as girls' name)
Oral by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Oral's strongest decade.
655 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Oral births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 53
1880s
53 births
- 1890s 122
1890s
122 births
- 1900s 128
1900s
128 births
- 1910s
1910s
597 births
- 1920s
1920s
655 births
- 1930s
1930s
337 births
- 1940s 224
1940s
224 births
- 1950s
1950s
376 births
- 1960s 158
1960s
158 births
- 1970s 72
1970s
72 births
- 1980s 32
1980s
32 births
- 1990s 37
1990s
37 births
- 2000s 11
2000s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 655 births (23% of all-time use).
How Oral compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Oral's total volume
Oral vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Oral by state
Where Oral concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Missouri | | 151 | 5.4% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 110 | 3.9% |
| #3 | West Virginia | | 90 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 88 | 3.1% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 81 | 2.9% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 68 | 2.4% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 48 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Arkansas | | 26 | 0.9% |
Missouri share of Oral's total US births 5.4%
Even split
151 of 2,802 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Oral appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Oral? ▼
2,802 babies have been named Oral since 1880. It was last recorded in 2003. The peak year was 1917 with 99 births.
When was Oral most popular? ▼
Oral was most popular in the 1920s decade with 655 total births. The single peak year was 1917.
Where is Oral most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Oral are Missouri (151 births), Kentucky (110 births), West Virginia (90 births).
Is Oral a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Oral is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,802 births, and as a girl's name it has 506 births.
How long has the name Oral been used? ▼
Records for Oral go back to 1880, giving 124 years of history through 2003.
What names are similar to Oral? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ora, Oran, Orange, Oracio, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Oral's data
- Oral's decade-level peak was the 1920s (655 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Missouri records the most Orals (151 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Missouri names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Oral
Nearby Names Like Oral
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Oral
Ora Boy
#12349 5,616 births
Oran Boy
#4891 4,447 births
Orange Boy
598 births
Oracio Boy
423 births
Orazio Boy
#9048 310 births
Compare Oral side by side: Oral vs Ora Oral vs Oran Oral vs Orange
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2003 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Oral: Baby Name Since 1880 - 2,802 Births, Peak 1917." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/oral. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Oral draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.