Total births
81
Boys' name · since 1916
Orpheus
81 babies named Orpheus in U.S. Social Security records since 1916, with the highest year being 1968. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #12494
- among boys today
- 81
- born since 1916
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Orpheus is the #12494 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 81 recorded since 1916.
Orpheus has 81 recorded births among boys since 1916, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #12494 as of the latest data, more common than 13% of boys, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2024.
- #12494 among boys today
- 81 born since 1916
- 1960s peak decade
- 13% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Orpheus is currently the #12494 boys' name in America, more common than 13% of boys - 81 born since 1916, peaking in the 1960s.
- #12494
- among boys today
- 81
- born since 1916
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Orpheus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12494
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 13% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Orpheus was born in this single decade.
1968
Single peak year
11 babies were named Orpheus in 1968 - its busiest year on record.
How Orpheus compares
81 23th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Orpheus's all-time total is 78% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Orpheus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 81 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 11 | 23 | 22,252 |
Orpheus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Orpheus's SSA record in two at 1973 and the more recent half accounts for 47% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 53%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1916, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1968 peak of 11, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Orpheus at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1968
Current rank
#12,494
Active since
1916
Orpheus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2024
- Peak year (1968)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Orpheus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Orpheus's strongest decade.
27 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Orpheus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 5
1910s
5 births
- 1920s
1920s
11 births
- 1960s
1960s
27 births
- 1970s
1970s
21 births
- 1980s
1980s
12 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 27 births (33% of all-time use).
Orpheus by state
Where Orpheus concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 5 | 6.2% |
Illinois share of Orpheus's total US births 6.2%
5 of 81 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Orpheus? ▼
81 babies have been named Orpheus since 1916. It currently ranks #12494 among boys. The peak year was 1968 with 11 births.
When was Orpheus most popular? ▼
Orpheus was most popular in the 1960s decade with 27 total births. The single peak year was 1968.
Where is Orpheus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Orpheus are Illinois (5 births).
How long has the name Orpheus been used? ▼
Records for Orpheus go back to 1916, giving 109 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Orpheus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Orphus. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Orpheus's data
- Orpheus's decade-level peak was the 1960s (27 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Orpheuss (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois 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 Orpheus
Nearby Names Like Orpheus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Orpheus
Compare Orpheus side by side: Orpheus vs Orphus
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Orpheus
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, 1916–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Orpheus: #12494 Boys' Name - 81 Births, Peak 1968." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/orpheus. 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 Orpheus 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.