Girl · #660 in 2026

Loretta

Loretta is a female given name, the masculine version being Lauro. The name is a diminutive form of Lora, itself a form of Laura, which refers to the laurel tree, a symbol of victory. Loretta It is a name given by the Italians of Ancient Italy as a way to compliment beautiful girls, which, luckily, Loretta also means Beautiful, Pleasant or Kind Girl or Young Woman..

  • English
  • Italian
Current Rank
#660
Peak Rank
#62 (1938)
Total Babies
178K
5-Yr Trend
+57%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1938
Peak Year
#62
Peak Rank
178K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Loretta

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

Loretta is a female given name, the masculine version being Lauro. The name is a diminutive form of Lora, itself a form of Laura, which refers to the laurel tree, a symbol of victory. Loretta It is a name given by the Italians of Ancient Italy as a way to compliment beautiful girls, which, luckily, Loretta also means Beautiful, Pleasant or Kind Girl or Young Woman..

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Italian

The Story of Loretta

The earliest SSA record of Loretta as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 41 babies received it. 1938 was its biggest year on record, with 3,913 newborns named Loretta — #62 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Loretta ranks #660 for baby girls with 447 births, rising sharply (+57% over the past five years). All told, over 178K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to 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

Variants & Related Forms of Loretta

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Loretta. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Loretta

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

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Loretta

What does the name Loretta mean?
Loretta is a female given name, the masculine version being Lauro. The name is a diminutive form of Lora, itself a form of Laura, which refers to the laurel tree, a symbol of victory. Loretta It is a name given by the Italians of Ancient Italy as a way to compliment beautiful girls, which, luckily, Loretta also means Beautiful, Pleasant or Kind Girl or Young Woman..
What is the origin of the name Loretta?
Loretta has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Italian.
How popular is Loretta in 2026?
In 2026, Loretta ranks #660 among girls' names in the U.S., with 447 babies given the name that year.
When was Loretta most popular?
Loretta reached its peak popularity in 1938, ranking #62 that year with 3,913 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Loretta most popular?
Loretta has historically been most popular in Hawaii, New Mexico, West Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Loretta.
Is Loretta a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Loretta is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Loretta?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Loretta include Myrtle, Nettie, Lizzie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Loretta?
Common variants and related forms of Loretta include Eleonora, Enza, Laura, Laureen, Laurene, Lauretta. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Myrtle
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Lizzie
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Mariah
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About the name Loretta

Loretta is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 178K births in the dataset. Loretta's peak popularity came in 1938 when it ranked #62. Use the chart and map above to compare Loretta's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

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.