With a rich legendary and literary past, it would be a mistake to give this one over to the Mouse.

Thanks to Jane for suggesting Orlando as Baby Name of the Day.

Back when Central Florida was still swampland, long before Walt Disney ever picked up a pencil, Orlando was the stuff of dreams.

Roland was a medieval hero, celebrated across the continent.

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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What do you think?

13 Comments

  1. Thanks so much – a great profile of the name! I ddin’t know 99% of this stuff.
    I love love love the name Orlando. Orlando Bloom’s ex used to call him Orly, and I quite liked the sound of it. My husband prefers Olly. I think I have a thing for Shakespearean names, although quite unintentionally – I totally love Rosalind, Ophelia and Orlando.

  2. I quite like this, but I am not sure that it is usable here in my neck of the woods. People here tend to be a little more conservative-in everything, including baby naming. That being said, I like Orlando (and had a major crush on Orlando Bloom during his LotR-Pirates phase 🙂 ), and really like the idea of Ollie as a a nickname. Maybe someday I will move someplace where I can use all these romantic, unique names(Like Orlando, Sebastian or Lysander) that I really love.
    P.S. I never realized that it was so popular!

  3. Orlando was hubby’s great-great grandfather’s middle name and I think it’s so interesting that it’s been on and off the list. I actually find it less “fussy” than Leonardo but I like it in the same way. I have always loved Olly but not Oliver and can’t believe I never saw it as a nickname for Orlando before. I’ve been utterly bored with my boys list these days so maybe Orlando nn Olly is getting. May be a tad too much on the romantic side though.

  4. I agree with Colleen… a bit to fussy for me. It’s fine though. Orly is kind of an odd sort of nn, but Olly and Andy are both doable with the name and offer up some more usual nns for a fairly unusual (although less unusual than I thought before I read this) full name. The trio of associations: FL, Woolf, and Bloom kind of swirl around in my head when I hear the name… it’s a really weird mix. But it falls into that same zone as Sebastian and Fernando and Aloysius for me – a little too much for me, but likable nonetheless.

  5. The first thing that I thought of was the Orlando Pirates soccor team/club.

    It’s not a bad name & I can get the appeal, but it’s really my vibe. I honestly don’t have any problem with it at all ! It’s just a name for someone else

  6. Orlando is just okay, in my opinion. I like the history, but it’s a bit too fussy for my taste. Plus, I can’t quite put Florida out of my mind when I hear it. Still, it’s an interesting history and has a very adventurous/romantic sound. A great name for a character in a romance novel, I think.

    P.S. Orlando Hudson, a second baseman for the Minnesota Twins, is often called “O-Dog”.

    1. O-dog was my first thought as well, he seems like a very likable guy and I could imagine him inspiring a number of namesakes if he stays off of the D.L.

      I prefer Roland, Orlando is a bit fussy for my taste, but the nickname Lando could be fun.