Girl name · Irish Gaelic
Orla
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: golden ruler, from Órlaith: ór, gold, and flaith, rulerOrla is a girl's name that comes from Irish Gaelic and means "golden ruler, from Órlaith: ór, gold, and flaith, ruler". It is used in Irish and English.
- Meaning
- Golden ruler, from Órlaith: ór, gold, and flaith, ruler
- Origin
- Irish Gaelic
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- OR-la
Meaning and origin of Orla
As a girl's name, Orla comes from Irish Gaelic and means "golden ruler, from Órlaith: ór, gold, and flaith, ruler". It is used in Irish and English.
Say it OR-la. In Irish, say OR-luh. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Orla on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Orla on 3 lists.
“From ór, gold, and flaith, princess; anglicized Irish. Say OR-luh.”
From Irish girl names, irish girl names in English spelling
“Irish for golden princess”
From Orange cat names, orange cat names for girls
“Golden princess; Irish Gaelic. Say OR-la”
From Unique girl names, uncommon Irish, Welsh and Cornish girl names
How popular is Orla?
- US rank in 2025
- #2,532
- 70 babies, 44 per million girls
- Best rank
- #1,410 in 1892
- Most babies: 71 in 2024
- Babies since 1892
- At least 1,199
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 8 per million |
| 1900s | 2 per million |
| 1910s | 9 per million |
| 1920s | 10 per million |
| 1930s | 6 per million |
| 1940s | 2 per million |
| 1950s | 1 per million |
| 1960s | 1 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 3 per million |
| 2000s | 10 per million |
| 2010s | 16 per million |
| 2020s | 37 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,605 | #6,472 | #4,747 | #3,984 | #4,338 | #2,989 | #2,850 | #2,609 | #2,525 | #2,532 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Orla
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- OlaLife, health (Hawaiian, unisex)
- OraLight (Hebrew, girl)
- OrliLight for me (Hebrew, girl)
- OrlyLight is mine (Hebrew, girl)
- OrnaLittle dun-colored one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- OlgaHoly, blessed (Old Norse, girl)
- OlyaShort form of Olga, holy (Old Norse, girl)
- OnaWave (Catalan, girl)
- OriMy light (Hebrew, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- AureliaGolden (Latin, girl)
- ErikEternal ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- RicardaBrave ruler (Germanic, girl)
- AlaricRuler of all (Germanic, boy)
- FlaviaGolden, blond (Latin, girl)
- HenryHome ruler (Germanic, boy)
- RichardBrave ruler (Germanic, boy)
- AmberAmber, golden fossil resin (Arabic, girl)
- AubreyElf ruler (Germanic, unisex)
- AurelioGolden (Latin, boy)
Middle names for Orla
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- BriarThorny shrub (Old English, unisex)
- ConstanceSteadfast, constant (Latin, girl)
- CosimaOrder, decency (Greek, girl)
- FrancesFrenchwoman, from France (Latin, girl)
- LydiaWoman from Lydia (Greek, girl)
- MagnoliaFlower named for botanist Pierre Magnol (French, girl)
- MarigoldMary's gold (English, girl)
- WilhelminaResolute protector (Germanic, girl)
More girl names from Irish Gaelic
- RoryRed king (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- BridgetExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BridieExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- BrigitteExalted one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- CaseyVigilant, watchful (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- CassidyCurly-haired (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
- DymphnaLittle fawn (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- ErinOf Ireland (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- KeiraDark one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
Orla: common questions
What does the name Orla mean?
Orla comes from Irish Gaelic and means "golden ruler, from Órlaith: ór, gold, and flaith, ruler".
Is Orla a boy or girl name?
Orla is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Orla come from?
Orla comes from Irish Gaelic and means "golden ruler, from Órlaith: ór, gold, and flaith, ruler". Today it is used in Irish and English.
How do you pronounce Orla?
Say OR-la. In Irish, say OR-luh. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Orla?
Orla ranked #2,532 in the US in 2025, with 70 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Orla?
Names spelled like Orla include Ola, Ora, Orli, Orly and Orna.
What middle names go with Orla?
Middle names that flow well with Orla include Briar, Constance, Cosima, Frances and Lydia. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.