Orman
A boy's name of Norse origin with 886 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
a village in Iclod, Cluj County, Romania
Orman is a boy's baby name of Old Norse origin, from the Old Norse Ormrinn or Orman, possibly meaning 'serpent man' (from ormr, serpent) or alternatively an anglicization of the Gaelic Tormán, meaning 'thunder.' It may also be a variant of Norman.
Orman was used most in the American South and Midwest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where unusual masculine names were common in rural communities. It has the crisp, no-nonsense character of a name that doesn't ask for attention but earns it through quiet distinctiveness.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Orman is rooted in the Norse tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1908 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Orman’s 886 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Orman has 57+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1908.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 22 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 33 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 79 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 145 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 175 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 258 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 162 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 5 | — |
The Story of Orman
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1923, Orman is a name steeped in history. Boys named Orman are most likely born between 1913 and 1933.
How rare is Orman?
With 886 total births on record, Orman remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1908, peaked in the 1920s with 258 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Orman by the numbers
- Would fill 18 school buses
- Meeting one Orman per day would take 2.4 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(57 years, 1908–1984)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 7 | #5417 |
| 1977 | 7 | #4971 |
| 1973 | 8 | #3967 |
| 1970 | 7 | #4125 |
| 1969 | 7 | #3839 |
| 1967 | 8 | #3169 |
| 1963 | 8 | #3257 |
| 1961 | 5 | #4491 |
| 1960 | 5 | #4443 |
| 1959 | 7 | #3502 |
| 1958 | 6 | #3820 |
| 1956 | 6 | #3827 |
| 1955 | 6 | #3781 |
| 1954 | 12 | #2400 |
| 1953 | 5 | #4205 |
| 1952 | 12 | #2346 |
| 1951 | 14 | #2119 |
| 1950 | 11 | #2404 |
| 1949 | 13 | #2197 |
| 1948 | 14 | #2091 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1908–1984