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Lorain
How to Pronounce Lorain
Pronounced luh-RAYN /ləˈreɪn/Medium
Meaning: Lorain is a simplified spelling of Lorraine, the name of the historic region in northeastern France. Lorraine derives from Latin 'Lotharingia', 'the kingdom of Lothair' (a Frankish king whose name means 'famous army'). The meaning is geographic and dynastic rather than a common word.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Lorain is a variant of Lorraine, taken from the historic French province. Lorraine comes from Latin Lotharingia, 'the kingdom of Lothair', after a ninth-century Frankish ruler whose name meant 'famous army'. As a given name it carries that regional, faintly aristocratic French association; the simpler spelling is a period American touch, and it echoes the Ohio city of Lorain.
Lorain appears as a rarity across the early twentieth century, most visible around 1930 and only a few dozen girls a year. It reads as a vintage, elegant place-name; Lorraine had its bigger vogue mid-century, and this streamlined spelling stayed the rarer, old-record form rather than a revived favorite.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Lorain mean?
Lorain is a variant of Lorraine, from the French region, ultimately 'the kingdom of Lothair'.
How do you pronounce Lorain?
It's said luh-RAYN /ləˈreɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the last.
Is Lorain a boy or girl name?
Lorain is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Lorain?
Lorain has always been rare in the U.S., a vintage variant of Lorraine most seen in the early twentieth century.