Pronunciation: [ l-AWRN-uh ]
Born from a novel, beloved by generations
"from Lorn, from the district of Argyll, Scotland"
Lorna was invented by novelist R.D. Blackmore for his 1869 romantic adventure novel Lorna Doone, set in 17th-century Exmoor, England. Blackmore derived the name from Lorn or Lorne, a district in Argyll, Scotland, named after the legendary Irish prince Loarn. As a purely literary creation that became a real name, Lorna joins Miranda (Shakespeare's The Tempest) and Wendy (J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan) as names gifted to the world by fiction.
Lorna Doone was enormously popular in Victorian Britain, and the name Lorna entered the baby naming lexicon almost immediately after publication. It peaked in the UK and Ireland in the 1950s-70s before gradually declining. The Lorna Doone shortbread biscuit, introduced in 1912, kept the name in everyday consciousness.
In Scottish culture, the connection to the Lorn region gives Lorna a genuine geographic heritage. In Irish culture, the name was enthusiastically adopted in the 20th century. Lorna Doone remains one of the best-loved British novels of the Victorian era.
Entertainer
1952
American actress and singer, daughter of Judy Garland and half-sister of Liza Minnelli
Other
Heroine of R.D. Blackmore's 1869 novel Lorna Doone, a Devonshire noblewoman raised by the outlaw Doone clan
Other
Fan-favorite character from the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, played by Yael Stone
Lorna is also used as a boy name, ranked #30491.
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Lorna is a girl name with British, Scottish, Irish, and Australian origins . The name means "from Lorn, from the district of Argyll, Scotland" in Scottish place name .
Is Lorna a boy or girl name? Lorna is used as both a girl and boy name. As a girl name, it ranks #3,172 in popularity. As a boy name, it ranks #30,491. Lorna is more commonly used as a girl name.
Lorna is currently ranked #3,172 in popularity for girl names in the United States.
The name Lorna has 2 syllables and is pronounced l-AWRN-uh, making it easy to pronounce and remember.
Common nicknames for Lorna include Lorn and Lorni. These shorter forms provide casual alternatives while keeping the elegance of the full name.