ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1939

First Year

2023

Last Year

1956

Peak Year

#3048

Peak Rank

288

Total Count

38

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Lorel

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. 

Laurel is part of the English common name of many trees and other plants with glossy evergreen leaves, most of which are not closely related to each other.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5Fplants%5Fknown%5Fas%5Flaurel) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5Fplants%5Fknown%5Fas%5Flaurel)

📖

## The Story of Lorel

Lorel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1939, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1956: 15 births, good for #3,048 nationwide. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 33% of all recorded Lorels. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 288 Lorels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

🎶

## Names that sound like Lorel

Phonetically similar names — useful when Lorel is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Laurel](/laurel)
* [Loral](/loral)
* [Lauryl](/lauryl)
* [Lural](/lural)
* [Laura](/laura)
* [Floral](/floral)
* Laurels
* [Lora](/lora)
* [Loreal](/loreal)
* Chloral
* [Lorah](/lorah)
* [Loralee](/loralee)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Lorel

What does the name Lorel mean?

Laurel is part of the English common name of many trees and other plants with glossy evergreen leaves, most of which are not closely related to each other.

How popular is Lorel in 2026?

In 2026, Lorel ranks #15,178 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Lorel most popular?

Lorel reached its peak popularity in 1956, ranking #3,048 that year with 15 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Lorel most popular?

Lorel has historically been most popular in Illinois. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Lorel.

Is Lorel a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Lorel is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Lorel?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Lorel include Alvenia, Jannetta, Romonia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧AlveniaPeak #3048](/alvenia)[👧JannettaPeak #3048](/jannetta)[👧RomoniaPeak #3048](/romonia)[👧CeceiliaPeak #3048](/ceceilia)[👧SherilynnPeak #3048](/sherilynn)[👧RenayePeak #3048](/renaye)[👧LisethPeak #3048](/liseth)[👧JunniePeak #3047](/junnie)

## About the name Lorel 

Lorel is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1939 and has accumulated 288 births in the dataset. Lorel's peak popularity came in 1956 when it ranked #3,048\. Use the chart and map above to compare Lorel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 1956 → ](/year/1956)
* [ Names of the 1950s → ](/decade/1950s)
* [ Names starting with "L" → ](/letter/l)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
* Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.