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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ornella

Ornella

♀ Girl

Pronounced or-NEL-uh /ɔːrˈnɛl.ə/High

Meaning: From the Italian ornello, the flowering ash tree (Fraxinus ornus). The name was popularised by Gabriele D'Annunzio, who used it for a character in his 1904 play La figlia di Iorio.Medium

In 30 seconds: An Italian tree name: Ornella is the flowering ash (said 'or-NEL-uh').
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Origin MediumItalian
MeaningFrom the Italian ornello, the flowering ash tree (Fraxinus ornus). The name was popularised by Gabriele D'Annunzio, who used it for a character in his 1904 play La figlia di Iorio.
U.S. rank (2024)#13077 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2013
Total births (all-time)≈ 234

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201319682024

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

Ornella comes from the Italian ornello, the flowering ash tree. It owes its life as a name to Gabriele D'Annunzio, who gave it to a character in La figlia di Iorio (1904); Italian families adopted it from there, and it has stayed in gentle use since. A literary nature name (said 'or-NEL-uh').

It appears only very rarely for girls in the U.S. Very rare, Italian, and elegant.

Did you know? Ornella was largely invented for the stage — the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio used it in his 1904 play, and Italy took it up. It names the flowering ash, a tree of the Mediterranean hills (said 'or-NEL-uh').
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Ornella — Italian ornello 'flowering ash'; D'Annunzio, La figlia di Iorio (1904)

Variations

OrnelaOrnelia

Nicknames

NellaOrnie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ornella…

Gabriella— a like Italian -ella favourite
Fiorella— another Italian nature-and-flower name
Marcella— the same warm -ella shape
Antonella— a classic Italian cousin

Explore names like Ornella

By themenatureitalianliterarytree
By meaningFlower

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ornella mean?

Ornella is Italian for the flowering ash tree, from ornello.

How do you pronounce Ornella?

It's said or-NEL-uh /ɔːrˈnɛl.ə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Ornella a boy or girl name?

Ornella is a girl's name.

How popular is Ornella?

Ornella is a very rare name for girls in the U.S., though known in Italy and France.

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