Lorn
An English word of uncertain origin, perhaps derived from an Old English word meaning "forlorn" or "lost".
Name Census estimates that about 362 living Americans carry the first name Lorn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lorn today is around 64 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lorn births was 1921 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lorn. 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.
People living today
362
~ 1 in 946,835 Americans
Peak year
1921
22 babies that year
Average age
64
years old
2003 SSA rank
#12,033
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Lorn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lorn from the 1900s through to the 2000s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 171 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lorn 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 Lorn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lorns live
Origin
Meaning and history of Lorn
The name Lorn is a Scottish name derived from the Gaelic word "lorn" which means bare or barren. It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, referring to the desolate and sparsely populated areas of the Scottish Highlands.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lorn can be traced back to the 12th century, where it appeared as a place name in various Scottish charters and records. One of the earliest known individuals with the name Lorn was Lorn of Argyll, a Scottish nobleman and chief of the Clan MacDougall who lived in the 13th century.
In medieval times, the name Lorn was often associated with the rugged landscape of the Scottish Highlands, and it was commonly used as a descriptive term for the barren and remote regions of the country. It was not uncommon for people living in these areas to adopt the name as a way to identify with their surroundings.
One notable historical figure with the name Lorn was Lorn MacLean, a Scottish poet and soldier who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his contributions to Scottish literature and his service in the Scottish army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Another individual with the name Lorn who made a significant impact was Lorn Campbell, a Scottish historian and author who lived from 1924 to 2005. He was renowned for his extensive research on the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands, and his work helped to preserve and promote the rich heritage of the region.
In the realm of entertainment, Lorn Mackintosh was a Scottish actor who appeared in numerous television shows and films during the 20th century. He was born in 1925 and passed away in 1994, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances on both the stage and screen.
One of the most recent notable individuals with the name Lorn was Lorn Munro, a Scottish musician and producer who was born in 1983. He is known for his experimental electronic music and has collaborated with various artists across different genres.
While the name Lorn may not be as common today as it once was, it remains an important part of Scottish history and culture, serving as a reminder of the rugged and enduring spirit of the Scottish Highlands.
People
Lorn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lorn 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
Lorn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lorn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 362 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lorn 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 946,835 US residents.
Is Lorn a common name?
We classify Lorn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 805 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lorn most popular?
The single biggest year for Lorn was 1921, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lorn is about 64 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lorn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lorn in the SSA data are male. 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.