Where does the name Loretta come from?

Loretta is a girl name of Italian origin.

Is Loretta a boy or a girl name?

Loretta is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 176,656 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Loretta in 2023?

Loretta ranks #757 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1938 with 3,913 babies.

How do you pronounce Loretta?

Loretta is pronounced lor-ET-a (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Loretta?

Loretta is also written as Lauretta, Loreta.

A name from Italian · Girl

Loretta

An Italian diminutive of Laura (Latin laurus, 'laurel') or a variant of Lauretta, also linked to the Marian shrine of Loreto in Italy. American singer Loretta Lynn made the name a country-music staple.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

176,656 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

371 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

LAn Italian diminutive of Laura (Latin laurus, 'laurel') or a variant of Lauretta, also linked to the Marian shrine of Loreto in Italy. American singer Loretta Lynn made the name a country-music staple.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Loretta".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Lauretta Most common Loreta

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Loretta.

L
Loretta Lynn (country singer)
L
Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H actress)
L
Loretta Devine (actress)

Quick answers

People often ask about Loretta.

What does the name Loretta mean?: Loretta means an Italian diminutive of Laura (Latin laurus, 'laurel') or a variant of Lauretta, also linked to the Marian shrine of Loreto in Italy. American singer Loretta Lynn made the name a country-music staple.
Where does the name Loretta come from?: Loretta is a girl name of Italian origin.
Is Loretta a boy or a girl name?: Loretta is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 176,656 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Loretta in 2023?: Loretta ranks #757 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1938 with 3,913 babies.
How do you pronounce Loretta?: Loretta is pronounced lor-ET-a (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Loretta?: Loretta is also written as Lauretta, Loreta.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.