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Lorelei

♀ Girl

Pronounced LOR-uh-ly /ˈlɔːr.ə.laɪ/High

Meaning: From the German place name Loreley, a Rhine cliff, derived from Old High German 'lureln' (murmuring) and 'ley' (rock, slate), associated with a siren figure of German legendHigh

In 30 seconds: Lorelei is a hauntingly beautiful German name from the Rhine legend of a siren who lured sailors to their doom. Romantic and melodic, it has become a rising favorite for girls in the U.S.
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Origin HighGerman
MeaningFrom the German place name Loreley, a Rhine cliff, derived from Old High German 'lureln' (murmuring) and 'ley' (rock, slate), associated with a siren figure of German legend
U.S. rank (2025)#441 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births699 girls (0.04% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 18,181

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201619162025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Lorelei originates from the Loreley, a steep slate rock on the Rhine River in Germany. The name combines Old High German lureln (to murmur) with ley (rock or slate). Though the cliff is real, the siren legend was largely invented by Romantic-era poets, most famously Clemens Brentano and Heinrich Heine in the early 19th century.

As a given name, Lorelei was used occasionally in German-speaking countries during the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the English-speaking world it gained attention through Anita Loos's 1925 novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, whose heroine Lorelei Lee helped romanticize the name. It has seen a steady modern revival.

Did you know? The Lorelei legend was popularized by poet Heinrich Heine's 1824 poem Die Lorelei, which described the golden-haired siren on the Rhine cliff — transforming a place name into one of German Romanticism's most enduring images.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name — Lorelei — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

LoreleyLorelyLorelie

Nicknames

LoriLorieReliLei

Famous Bearers

  • ★Lorelei Lee
    Fictional heroine of Anita Loos's 1925 novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

If you like Lorelei…

Elara— shares the ethereal, mythological feminine quality
Seraphina— another long, romantic name with a literary and legendary feel
Isolde— equally romantic legend-rooted name with a tragic beauty
Calliope— shares the flowing, musical quality of mythological girls' names

Frequently Asked

What does Lorelei mean?

Lorelei comes from the German Loreley cliff on the Rhine, meaning 'murmuring rock' from Old High German words for murmuring and slate rock.

How do you pronounce Lorelei?

Lorelei is pronounced LOR-uh-ly /ˈlɔːr.ə.laɪ/ — three syllables with stress on the first.

Is Lorelei a mythological name?

Yes. Lorelei is associated with a German Romantic legend of a siren on the Rhine cliff, popularized by Heinrich Heine's 1824 poem Die Lorelei.

Is Lorelei popular?

Lorelei has grown steadily in the U.S. since the 2000s and ranks in the top 300 girls' names, prized for its romantic, melodic sound.