The baby name Orval is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˈɔːr.vəl/ (OR-vuhl); French: /ɔʁ.val/ (or-VAL).
Orval is French in Origin.
The baby name Orval is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˈɔːr.vəl/ (OR-vuhl); French: /ɔʁ.val/ (or-VAL).
Orval is French in Origin.
Orval is a masculine given name with French toponymic roots, taken from places called Orval in France and from the Cistercian Orval Abbey in Belgium. Its elements are French or “gold” + val “valley,” yielding the evocative meaning “golden valley.” A medieval legend at the abbey - where a trout returned a countess’s lost gold ring - reinforces the etymology. The name also sits near Orville, an English literary coinage built from similar French parts and often glossed “gold town.”
In given-name use, Orval flourished in the United States from the late 19th century through the 1920s before fading to rarity. Notable bearers include Arkansas governor Orval Faubus and early baseball pitcher Orval Overall. Variants and near-forms include Orvil, Orvell, Orvelle, Orvel, and the more common Orville; occasional feminine or elaborated forms such as Orva and Orvilla appear historically. The traditional nickname is Orv.
Orval is vanishingly rare. In all, it appears just 14 times, across 12 countries.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR | 0 | #165 | 1 | 5,526 | |
| PR | Boys | 0 | #178 | 1 | 2,508 |
| TW | Boys | 0 | #256 | 1 | 7,111 |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #293 | 1 | 6,876 |
| CO | 0 | #510 | 1 | 7,768 | |
| BO | Boys | 0 | #622 | 1 | 9,244 |
| LB | 0 | #690 | 1 | 13,263 | |
| CL | Boys | 0 | #699 | 2 | 13,390 |
| BR | Boys | 0 | #784 | 2 | 12,213 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #926 | 1 | 14,506 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,033 | 1 | 16,355 |
Orval is popular in 12 countries — most recent births per country:
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