Lorna: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,980

among girls · ↑225 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Lorna · +12% vs 2024

How common

1 in 28,701

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1957

758 babies

All-time total

28,557

#858 all-time among girls

First recorded

1885

in Social Security records

Lorna popularity over time

28,557 babies have been named Lorna since 1885, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	17	–	17	2	–	#998
1890s	163	–	163	16	+859%	#614
1900s	353	–	353	35	+117%	#533
1910s	1,557	–	1,557	156	+341%	#426
1920s	3,021	–	3,021	302	+94%	#346
1930s	3,367	–	3,367	337	+11%	#323
1940s	4,428	7	4,435	444	+32%	#298
1950s	6,649	–	6,649	665	+50%	#307
1960s	4,652	15	4,667	467	-30%	#369
1970s	1,396	–	1,396	140	-70%	#680
1980s	919	–	919	92	-34%	#1,206
1990s	747	–	747	75	-19%	#1,650
2000s	631	–	631	63	-16%	#2,085
2010s	358	–	358	36	-43%	#3,445
2020s (to 2025)	277	–	277	46	+29%	#2,980

Where Lorna is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	58	0.04	outside top 500
2027	60	0.04	outside top 500
2028	61	0.04	outside top 500
2029	63	0.04	outside top 500
2030	64	0.04	outside top 500

The story of Lorna

Lorna is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,980 in 2025 with 56 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1885, 28,557 American babies have been named Lorna. Its peak came in 1957, when 758 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lorna stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lorna?

The median living Lorna is about 66 years old; half are between 56 and 74. An estimated 18 thousand people named Lorna are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Lorna year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	56	#2,980	–	–
2024	50	#3,205	–	–
2023	42	#3,687	–	–
2022	40	#3,802	–	–
2021	36	#4,058	–	–
2020	53	#3,048	–	–
2019	45	#3,485	–	–
2018	37	#3,976	–	–
2017	31	#4,543	–	–
2016	28	#4,929	–	–
2015	36	#4,116	–	–
2014	34	#4,322	–	–
2013	39	#3,889	–	–
2012	47	#3,445	–	–
2011	28	#4,997	–	–
2010	33	#4,459	–	–
2009	38	#4,065	–	–
2008	46	#3,560	–	–
2007	51	#3,312	–	–
2006	67	#2,691	–	–
2005	69	#2,515	–	–
2004	66	#2,543	–	–
2003	81	#2,158	–	–
2002	64	#2,485	–	–
2001	80	#2,085	–	–
2000	69	#2,267	–	–
1995	70	#1,965	–	–
1990	68	#2,004	–	–
1985	112	#1,229	–	–
1980	84	#1,451	–	–
1975	133	#949	–	–
1970	234	#680	–	–
1965	510	#413	–	–
1960	678	#369	–	–
1955	740	#317	–	–
1950	463	#373	–	–
1945	428	#332	–	–
1940	416	#312	–	–
1935	329	#353	–	–
1930	328	#374	–	–
1925	334	#376	–	–
1920	234	#437	–	–
1915	204	#426	–	–
1910	51	#580	–	–
1905	31	#635	–	–
1900	30	#650	–	–
1895	19	#734	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	6	#998	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Lorna

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Lorna Luft American actress and singer (born 1952) Contemporary
2 Lorna Wing British psychiatrist and autism researcher (1928–2014) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Lorna, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Lorna?

The median living Lorna is about 66 years old. Half of all living Lornas are between 56 and 74 years old.

How many people named Lorna are alive today?

An estimated 18 thousand people named Lorna are alive in the United States, based on 28,557 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Lorna mean?

A female given name from Scottish Gaelic of mostly Scottish usage.

How popular is the name Lorna in 2025?

Lorna ranked #2,980 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 56 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Lorna?

28,557 babies have been named Lorna in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lorna most popular?

Lorna peaked in 1957, when 758 newborns received the name.

Is Lorna a boy or girl name?

Lorna is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lorna rising or falling?

Lorna is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Lorna become more popular?

Lorna is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 64 girls named Lorna in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Lorna?

Well-known people named Lorna include Lorna Luft (actor), Lorna Wing (physician).

Names like Lorna

Names that sound and feel close to Lorna: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Lorna with similar names → More names starting with L →