Orla
Say it: OR-la
GirlIrishMeans golden princess4 letters2 syllables
#189
in Ireland (2025)
#156 with spellings combined
30
babies in 2025
#22
best rank (1980)
9,948
babies since 1964
Down 47
10-year rank change
Orla through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #156 |
| 2024 | 31 | #149 |
| 2023 | 41 | #113 |
| 2022 | 20 | #222 |
| 2021 | 25 | #192 |
| 2020 | 44 | #123 |
| 2019 | 30 | #170 |
| 2018 | 45 | #127 |
| 2017 | 37 | #152 |
| 2016 | 60 | #95 |
| 2015 | 57 | #109 |
| 2014 | 51 | #117 |
| 2013 | 52 | #116 |
| 2012 | 80 | #82 |
| 2011 | 92 | #74 |
| 2010 | 81 | #83 |
| 2009 | 112 | #67 |
| 2008 | 98 | #72 |
| 2007 | 118 | #59 |
| 2006 | 124 | #52 |
| 2005 | 115 | #53 |
| 2004 | 116 | #52 |
| 2003 | 113 | #53 |
| 2002 | 141 | #40 |
| 2001 | 149 | #38 |
| 2000 | 167 | #34 |
| 1999 | 144 | #36 |
| 1998 | 138 | #31 |
| 1997 | 172 | #36 |
| 1996 | 171 | #36 |
| 1995 | 181 | #32 |
| 1994 | 193 | #25 |
| 1993 | 172 | #33 |
| 1992 | 237 | #22 |
| 1991 | 230 | #24 |
| 1990 | 207 | #24 |
| 1989 | 197 | #27 |
| 1988 | 194 | #30 |
| 1987 | 241 | #26 |
| 1986 | 238 | #25 |
| 1985 | 262 | #27 |
| 1984 | 236 | #34 |
| 1983 | 226 | #37 |
| 1982 | 298 | #29 |
| 1981 | 261 | #36 |
| 1980 | 361 | #22 |
| 1979 | 313 | #30 |
| 1978 | 305 | #29 |
| 1977 | 279 | #33 |
| 1976 | 250 | #35 |
| 1975 | 247 | #33 |
| 1974 | 226 | #38 |
| 1973 | 223 | #38 |
| 1972 | 256 | #32 |
| 1971 | 209 | #39 |
| 1970 | 201 | #39 |
| 1969 | 224 | #30 |
| 1968 | 164 | #46 |
| 1967 | 186 | #38 |
| 1966 | 171 | #39 |
| 1965 | 186 | #39 |
| 1964 | 120 | #52 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Orla mean?
Golden princess
English form of Irish Órfhlaith, from ór (gold) and flaith (princess).
Say it right
ORla
The "fh" in Órfhlaith is silent, which is why the English spelling is so short.
The story of Orla
Orla is the English spelling of the Irish Órfhlaith. It is made of ór, gold, and flaith, a word for a princess or ruler, so it is usually given as “golden princess”. Orlaith and Orlagh are other spellings of the same name.
It was a well-used name in Ireland throughout the CSO records. It peaked in 1980, with 361 girls, at number 22. It stayed in the top 40 for most years until the early 2000s.
Since 2018 the CSO has recorded fadas, and it counts each spelling separately. In 2025 Orla and Órla together were number 156, while Orla on its own was number 189. In Northern Ireland the name reached number 33 in 2000.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Orla (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Orla (name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Orla | 23 | 9,869 |
| Órla | 7 | 79 |
In Northern Ireland
#121 in 2025 with 17 babies. Best rank #33 (2000); 937 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.