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The short answer
Loretta is a feminine name used in English and Italian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto, or a diminutive of names beginning with Lor. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen." It ranked #606 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto, or a diminutive of names beginning with Lor. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen. The entry lists its usage as English, Italian.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Loretta ranked #606 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #606 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Loretta in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Loretta mean?
Behind the Name does not give Loretta a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto, or a diminutive of names beginning with Lor.
Is Loretta a popular name?
Loretta ranked #606 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Loretta a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Loretta appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Loretta — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
