Oradell was originally formed on March 8, 1894, as the borough of Delford, from portions of Harrington Township, Midland Township (now Rochelle Park) and Palisades Township. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone. The name "Delford" was a portmanteau created from the names of two communities within the new borough: Oradell and New Milford. The Hotel Delford had been constructed in 1870 after the construction of the first railroad to reach the area. On November 12, 1920, the borough's name was officially changed to "Oradell", based on the results of a referendum held ten days earlier. Oradell derives its name from "ora" (Latin for "edge") and "dell".