Lorna
Lorna was the 2980th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 56 babies. Its best year was 1941, when it ranked 298th; the most babies were born in 1957 (758). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,136 places. More babies were named Lorna in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin not documented · English, Scottish
Say it LOR-nuh /ˈlɔrnə/
- Rank in 2025
- #2,980 girls, up 68 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 56girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1957758 babies
- Total since 1880
- 28,557babies recorded
What does the name Lorna mean?
Lorna was invented by the English writer R. D. Blackmore, whose 1869 novel Lorna Doone is named after its heroine. Both Wiktionary and Wikipedia say he probably took it from Lorn (Lorne), a district of Argyll in Scotland; the meaning of that place-name is not given in our sources. The name has been used mostly in Scotland and other English-speaking countries; in the US it was most common in the 1940s to 1960s.
Lorn / Lorne (Scottish place-name, “district of Argyll”)
How sure is this? Probable. The name is a literary coinage; the source place-name's meaning is not documented here.
See also: Scottish names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lorna', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Lorna', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Lorna popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 22 since 1942.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,980 | 56 |
| 2020 | #3,048 | 53 |
| 2010 | #4,459 | 33 |
| 2000 | #2,267 | 69 |
| 1990 | #2,004 | 68 |
| 1980 | #1,451 | 84 |
| 1970 | #680 | 234 |
| 1960 | #369 | 678 |
| 1950 | #373 | 463 |
| 1940 | #312 | 416 |
| 1930 | #374 | 328 |
| 1920 | #437 | 234 |
| 1910 | #580 | 51 |
| 1900 | #650 | 30 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Lorna, counting every spelling?
Lorna has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Lorna?
56 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lorna (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Lorna born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 150 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lorna.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lorna?
About 16,700 people born in the US named Lorna are alive today, with a median age of 67; half are between 56 and 74. That makes Lorna a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lorna by state
How common Lorna was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. In 49 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lorna: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lorna, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Lorna · Sibling names for Lorna
Questions about the name Lorna
What does Lorna mean?
The origin of Lorna is uncertain: the name is a literary coinage; the source place-name's meaning is not documented here.
How popular is the name Lorna?
Lorna was the 2980th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 56 babies. Its best year was 1941, when it ranked 298th; the most babies were born in 1957 (758). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,136 places. More babies were named Lorna in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Lorna a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Lorna in the US.
Where is Lorna most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lorna was most common in Tennessee (0.03 per 1,000 girls), followed by Florida and Florida.