Lorelai
A feminine name derived from the German "Lurline", meaning alluring enchantress or siren.
Name Census estimates that about 9,249 living Americans carry the first name Lorelai. It sits at #402 in the overall ranking, outside the top 50 but still well-represented. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lorelai today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lorelai births was 2024 (786 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lorelai. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Lorelai is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 10 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
9.2K
~ 1 in 37,059 Americans
Peak year
2024
786 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#402
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Lorelai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lorelai from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 4,343 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Lorelai remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lorelai by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lorelai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lorelais live
The SSA's state-level files cover 43 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Lorelai, while New Mexico, Hawaii, Rhode Island recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 194 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lorelai
The name Lorelai is derived from the German word "Lore," meaning "alluring" or "tempting," and the name "Ley" or "Lay," which refers to a meadow or clearing. The name originated in the 19th century and is associated with the legendary figure of the Lorelei, a beautiful maiden who lived on a rock along the Rhine River.
According to folklore, the Lorelei was a siren whose enchanting singing lured sailors to their deaths on the treacherous rocks. The name became popular in Germany and other German-speaking regions, and it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Lorelai can be found in the writings of German writer Clemens Brentano, who published a ballad titled "Lore Lay" in 1801. The ballad tells the story of the Lorelei and her tragic fate.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Lorelai. One of the most famous was Lorelai Gilmore, a fictional character from the popular television series "Gilmore Girls," which aired from 2000 to 2007. The character, portrayed by actress Lauren Graham, was known for her quick wit and close relationship with her daughter, Rory.
Another notable Lorelai was Lorelai Linklater, an American actress and director born in 1976. She is the daughter of acclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater and has appeared in several of her father's films, including "Boyhood" and "Everybody Wants Some!!"
In the world of literature, Lorelai Kude was a German writer and poet who lived from 1919 to 2011. She was known for her works exploring themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Lorelai Dieckmann, a German actress born in 1965, has had a successful career in both film and television. She is best known for her roles in the TV series "Tatort" and "Der Alte."
Lorelai Mosnegutu, born in 1937, was a Romanian gymnast who competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games. She won a gold medal in the team competition at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
While the name Lorelai may have originated from German folklore and mythology, it has since transcended its roots and gained popularity in various cultures around the world, with each bearer adding their own unique story and significance to the name.
People
Lorelai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lorelai as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lorelai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lorelai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9,249 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lorelai going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 37,059 US residents.
Is Lorelai a common name?
We classify Lorelai as "Rare". It ranks above 97.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9,322 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lorelai most popular?
The single biggest year for Lorelai was 2024, when 786 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lorelai is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lorelai a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lorelai in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.