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At a Glance: Name: Lorelei – Meaning: murmuring/lurking rock – Origin: German – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: LOR-uh-ly
Lorelei is a girl's name with a romantic, storybook feel, pronounced LOR-uh-ly. You'll often see it described as meaning 'siren of the Rhine,' but that's the legend attached to the name, not its actual meaning — the German name Lorelei literally translates to 'murmuring/lurking rock,' referring to the treacherous rock formation itself.
Meaning & Origin of Lorelei
Meaning: Murmuring/lurking rock.
Origin: German.
A common claim: Lorelei means 'siren of the Rhine' Actually: Lorelei is popularly described as a 'siren,' but that's the attached legend, not the etymology — the name itself literally means 'murmuring/lurking rock,' referring to the treacherous rock formation.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Lorelei
Phonetic: LOR-uh-ly IPA: /ˈlɔːrəlaɪ/
Popularity of Lorelei
Lorelei peaked at #441 in 2022 with 715 babies given the name, and by 2024 it had eased slightly to #456 with 684, based on Social Security data spanning 1916-2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1916–2024.
Make Lorelei Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Lorelei, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Lorelei mean?
Murmuring/lurking rock. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lorelei)
How do you pronounce Lorelei?
Lorelei is pronounced LOR-uh-ly (IPA: /ˈlɔːrəlaɪ/).
Is Lorelei a popular name right now?
Lorelei is near its all-time peak (#441 in 2022), ranked #456 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1916–2024.)
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