Orson, of Latin origin, means 'bear cub'. It's a name that was popularized by American writer and director Orson Welles, known for his iconic film 'Citizen Kane'. In literature, it's also the name of the main character in Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel 'Brave New World'. The name has two syllables and ends with an 'n' sound, making it rhyme with words like horn and morn.
The name Orson experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a total of 2467 births recorded between 1880 and 2023. It started off strong in the late 19th century, peaking at 29 births in 1919. However, it steadily declined throughout much of the 20th century, bottoming out at just 6 births in 1964. Since the 1970s, there has been a gradual resurgence in popularity, with a notable spike in recent years, reaching 132 births in 2023. Despite these ups and downs, Orson remains a relatively uncommon name overall.