Loretta

Girl Names
1

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] all,

What do you think of the name [name_f]Loretta[/name_f]? Would you use it? Is it a classic? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you prefer [name_f]Lora[/name_f] or [name_f]Loretta[/name_f]?

Thanks in advance.

2

I work with a [name_f]Loretta[/name_f], who is in her 70s, and my 8th grade science teacher was named [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] (she was the same age, but this was years ago…she’d be in her 80s now). Those are my first and really my only associations with the name, so it does carry a huge “old lady” vibe. It’s a different “old lady” vibe than something like [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f]. It’s along the lines of [name_f]Agnes[/name_f] (not that it is a bad name…it’s just different than the older names that are making a strong comeback today). As far as it being a classic, I wouldn’t really classify it as such.

That being said, I’d like to meet a little [name_f]Loretta[/name_f]! It’s refreshing to hear names that were once in use, come back again. I myself could never use it, but I like it well enough. Out of [name_f]Lora[/name_f] and [name_f]Loretta[/name_f], I prefer [name_f]Loretta[/name_f]. If [name_f]Lora[/name_f] were [name_f]Laura[/name_f], then that would be my choice. I just think [name_f]Lora[/name_f] is doomed to be misspelled.

3

I really like it! Because it was fairly popular in the early-mid 20th century, it’s widely recognized and very easy to spell and pronounce. But it doesn’t crack the top 1000 anymore, so a little [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] would likely never share a classroom with another. And even though most Lorettas are grandma-age or older, I don’t think the name sounds dated. It’s very graceful and derived from the evergreen [name_f]Laura[/name_f], so I think it makes a wonderful, unexpected choice.

4

I had a friend growing up named [name_f]Rachelle[/name_f] [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] after her grandmother and she LOVED her middle name! I always felt kind of meh about it but she just adored it, which looking back is pretty sweet.

I personally still feel kind of meh about it and wouldn’t use it on my own kid. I think it’s nice if there’s someone named [name_f]Laura[/name_f] or [name_f]Lauren[/name_f] you’re looking to honor. I prefer [name_f]Lora[/name_f]/[name_f]Laura[/name_f] over [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] but [name_f]Loretta[/name_f] does provide more nicknames. Oh, and no, it’s not a classic. An old name, but not a classic.