UK boy's name
Orry
A short English variation of the Old French name Orry meaning "golden-haired".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Orry is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Orry popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 6 births.
This profile covers 38 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 41 living people in the UK are called Orry. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Orry ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 6 boys were registered as Orry.
- • Orry ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 1990.
- • About 41 living people in the UK are estimated to have Orry as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2006
6 births
Estimated living
41
2026
Meaning
What does Orry mean?
The name Orry is a diminutive form of the Old English name Orrić, which in turn is derived from the Old Norse name Óríkr. This name ultimately traces its roots back to the Proto-Germanic *audríkaz, meaning "wealthy ruler" or "prosperous leader." It is composed of the elements *audá ("wealth, prosperity") and *rīkaz ("ruler, leader").
The name Orry first appeared in written records during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, where it was borne by various individuals of noble or wealthy backgrounds. One of the earliest documented instances of this name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records an individual named Orrić holding lands in the county of Lincolnshire.
In the 12th century, an English monk named Orry of Peterborough (c. 1110-1180) achieved some renown for his historical writings, including a chronicle of the abbots of Peterborough Abbey. His work provides valuable insights into the social and political conditions of medieval England.
During the Middle Ages, the name Orry also found its way into literary works, such as the 14th-century romance poem "Sir Orry of Normandy," which tells the tale of a knight named Orry and his adventures in the court of King Arthur.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Orry was Sir Orry de St. Hilaire (c. 1300-1370), a Norman knight who served as a military commander under Edward III of England during the Hundred Years' War. He distinguished himself in battles against the French, and his exploits were recorded in contemporary chronicles.
In the 16th century, Orry de Rodes (c. 1520-1588) was a French financier and diplomat who served as the controller-general of finances under King Henry III of France. He played a significant role in reforming the country's taxation system and improving its financial administration.
While the name Orry has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it remains a part of historical records and literary works, reminding us of its rich heritage and the individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Orry over time
The chart below shows babies named Orry registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Orry, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Orry by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Orry was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4293 | 11 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4580 | 16 | 5 |
| 2000s | #2883 | 11 | 2 |
Geography
Where Orry is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Orry. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Orry ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #351 in 1990.
Across the UK
Orry in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#351 in 1990
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Orry
- Oliver 157,197
- Oscar 67,495
- Owen 33,517
- Ollie 13,193
- Oakley 9,838
- Omar 6,823
- Otis 6,395
- Oskar 4,827
- Olly 4,403
- Otto 3,839
- Osian 3,145
- Owain 2,310
FAQ
Orry: questions and answers
How popular is the name Orry in the UK right now?
In 2024, Orry was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Orry most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 6 babies registered as Orry in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Orry?
A short English variation of the Old French name Orry meaning "golden-haired".
How many people are called Orry in the UK?
A total of 38 babies have been registered as Orry across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Orry most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Orry ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #351 in 1990. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.