Lorelei
Girl name · #441 in 2025 · Distinctive
Lorelei ranks #441 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 699 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #449, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,575 girls born in 2025 was named Lorelei.
The 109-year story
Lorelei first appears in the Social Security records in 1916, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 716 girls were named Lorelei — good for #450 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Lorelei per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lorelei against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lorelei in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lorelei is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lorelei is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lorelei is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Lorelei is most common in OR (1.2 per 1,000), MN (1.1 per 1,000), IA (1 per 1,000), TN (1 per 1,000), OK (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lorelei is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Lorelei
Statistically, parents drawn to Lorelei tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lorelai, Lilliana, Londyn, Kennedi, and Charli.
LorelaiLillianaLondynKennediCharliScarletJourneyAdelynn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lorelei | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 699 | #441 |
| 2024 | 690 | #454 |
| 2023 | 631 | #485 |
| 2022 | 715 | #441 |
| 2021 | 701 | #446 |
| 2020 | 601 | #504 |
| 2019 | 682 | #456 |
| 2018 | 659 | #472 |
| 2017 | 683 | #462 |
| 2016 | 716 | #450 |
| 2015 | 704 | #449 |
| 2014 | 653 | #482 |
| 2013 | 604 | #496 |
| 2012 | 573 | #528 |
| 2011 | 585 | #502 |
| 2010 | 548 | #535 |
| 2009 | 504 | #597 |
| 2008 | 446 | #681 |
| 2007 | 431 | #681 |
| 2006 | 380 | #734 |
| 2005 | 320 | #809 |
| 2004 | 248 | #965 |
| 2003 | 226 | #1020 |
| 2002 | 202 | #1056 |
| 2001 | 99 | #1795 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lorelei a popular girl name?
Lorelei ranked #441 among girls in 2025 with 699 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #449.
When was the name Lorelei most popular?
Lorelei peaked in 2016, when 716 American girls received the name (ranked #450 that year). Since 2016 the name has recovered some ground.
How rare is the name Lorelei?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,575 newborn American girls was named Lorelei. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.