Given name & surname
Lori
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
Lori is a variant of Lora. In Latin use, Lora carries the interpretation “crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree.”
Original ArmenianԼոռի
Meaning & origin
What it means
Lori is a variant of Lora. In Latin use, Lora carries the interpretation “crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree.”
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Lori is used as an affectionate form of Lorraine.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1924. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Lori through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 342,764
- 853 boys · 341,911 girls
- Most popular year
- 1963
- 23,947 babies
- 2025
- 118
- #1,726 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +7%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 118 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,726 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.1% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 23,899 in 1963. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (21). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 299,419 as a first name in 2020; 494 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lori’s family of names
In English usage, Lori is a diminutive of Lorraine. In English usage, Lori has a related form in Laura. In English usage, Lori has a related form in Laurie.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lori has relatives in 6 languages. Lines run from its Armenian roots to each of them.
Armenianwhere Lori comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Lauravariant · English
- Lorettafull form · English
- Lorrainefull form · English
- Laurievariant · English
- Loravariant
- Lorievariant · English
- Lorrievariant · English
- Lorrivariant · English
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 6
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Lori
- Lori LoughlinAmerican actress (born 1964)
- Lori PettyAmerican actressborn 1963
- Lori SingerAmerican actress and classical musicianborn 1957
- Lolo JonesAmerican athletics competitor and bobsledderborn 1982
- Lori LightfootMayor of Chicago from 2019 to 2023born 1962
- Lori SandriBrazilian association football player and manager (1949–2014)
- Lori AlanAmerican actressborn 1966
- Lori NelsonAmerican actress and model (1933–2020)
- Lori McNeilAmerican tennis playerborn 1963
Characters named Lori: Lori Grimes (The Walking Dead).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lori, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sliwa
“plum tree”
—
Zagir
“resembling a flower”
>99% girls
Zogović
“bird”
—
Seda
“voices of the forest”
>99% girls
Araxie
“from the river of inspiration”
2% boys · 98% girls
Luz
“refers to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Light” · “of the moon”
1% boys · 99% girls
Lorra
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls
Huayta
“flower”
—