Ori - Name Meaning and Popularity -

Meaning of Ori

Ori, pronounced OH-ree (/oˈri/), is a succinct Hebraic given name formed from the root ʾôr, “light,” with the first-person singular suffix -i, thereby conveying the intimate declaration “my light.” Its earliest literary presence surfaces in the Hebrew Bible—most conspicuously at the threshold of Psalm 27 (“Adonai ʾOri vʾYishi”)—where light operates as a metaphor for divine guidance rather than mere luminosity. Historically masculine in Israeli usage, Ori’s nongendered lexical substance, coupled with an Anglo-American preference for streamlined, universal appellations, has enabled the name to migrate comfortably into unisex territory. United States Social Security data testify to its quiet durability: since attaining recordable status in the mid-1970s it has hovered between the 650th and 900th positions, with a measured yet notable rise to 111 registrations in 2024. Thus, Ori offers prospective parents a name that balances etymological depth, cross-cultural accessibility, and stylistic economy, while retaining the enduring symbolism of personal illumination.