Loretta

Meaning: Laurel
Origin: Variant of Lauretta · Italian diminutive of Laura (from Italian, from Latin laurus)

Girl's name · #606 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Popularity over time

Loretta holds its lane: charted since 1880 and rarely far from where it stands today (#606 in 2025). About 178,000 girls have carried it along the way. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

In recent years, Loretta ran about 4× its national rate in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 31 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Loretta ranks in other countries and regions.

#584 in Mexico (2024) · #712 in Scotland (2025) · #914 in England & Wales (2025) · #1,636 in Austria (2025) · #1,430 in Canada (2024).

Famous Lorettas

Loretta Young — American actress (1913–2000)
Loretta Lynn — American country singer (1932–2022)
Loretta Lynch — American attorney (born 1959)
Loretta Swit — American actress (1937–2025)
Loretta Devine — American actress

In stories & tradition

Loretta Brown — Family Guy (TV series)
Loretta Jones — Hollyoaks (TV series)
Loretta Kugret — I'm in Love with the Villainess (novel series)

What Lorettas become

Among 175 notable people named Loretta:

Entertainers appear 1.84× more often than among typical names — e.g. Loretta Young, American actress (1913–2000).

Similar names: Eileen · Lorna · Greta · Faye · Lorraine · Sylvia

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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