Boys' name · since 1880
Orval
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 7,916 babies named Orval, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1,380 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 7,916
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Orval sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 7,916 recorded since 1880.
Orval has 7,916 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1995.
- #1,380 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 7,916 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Orval ranks #1,380 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 7,916 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1,380 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 7,916
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Orval's 7,916 recorded births place it above 96.96% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
27 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Oklahoma.
Orval's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Orval's SSA record in two at 1935 and the more recent half accounts for 28% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 72%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1981, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 304, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Orval popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1995
- Peak year (1918)
- 304
- Annual births at peak, across 116 years of records
Orval popularity over time - girls
12 total births recorded since 1919 (Orval as girls' name)
Orval by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (2,284 births, 29% of the file).
1920s was Orval's strongest decade.
2,284 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Orval births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 141
1880s
141 births
- 1890s 223
1890s
223 births
- 1900s 365
1900s
365 births
- 1910s
1910s
2,004 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,284 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,213 births
- 1940s 851
1940s
851 births
- 1950s 461
1950s
461 births
- 1960s 212
1960s
212 births
- 1970s 103
1970s
103 births
- 1980s 35
1980s
35 births
- 1990s 24
1990s
24 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,284 births (29% of all-time use).
How Orval 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 Orval's total volume
Orval by state
Where Orval concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Oklahoma | | 562 | 7.1% |
| #2 | Missouri | | 424 | 5.4% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 401 | 5.1% |
| #4 | Texas | | 373 | 4.7% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 353 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Iowa | | 327 | 4.1% |
| #7 | Kansas | | 317 | 4.0% |
| #8 | West Virginia | | 308 | 3.9% |
562 of 7,916 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Orval appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Orval? ▼
Where does Orval sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Orval most popular? ▼
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What names are similar to Orval? ▼
What to do with Orval's data
- Orval's decade-level peak was the 1920s (2,284 total births); usage has since declined to 24 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Oklahoma records the most Orvals (562 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Oklahoma names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Orval
Nearby Names Like Orval
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Orval
Compare Orval side by side: Orval vs Orville Orval vs Orvil Orval vs Orvel
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Orval: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1918)
Similar record span (~115 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1880–1995 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Orval 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 August 2026.