Comments for LORELEI:

Loreli (Lorely) are mythological nymphs (mermaids) of the Rhine river in Germany who sang sweetly to lure the sailors to their deaths. The sailors would end up crashing on the rocks while entraced in the Loreli's song.

-- Anonymous User  12/13/2004

Marilyn Monroe's character's name in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" was "Lorelei Lee" which explains the name's popularity in the Fifties. The name's popularity now can perhaps be accounted for by Lauren Graham's character "Lorelai" on "Gilmore Girls," and the popularity of names reflecting ethnicity and mythology, as well as mermaids like "Ariel" in Walt Disney's "The Little Mermaid."

-- Anonymous User  7/11/2005

Translation of the famous German poem written in the early 1800s.
"The Lorelei" by Heinrich Heine

I don't know what it may signify
That I am so sad;
There's a tale from ancient times
That I can't get out of my mind.
The air is cool and the twilight is falling
and the Rhine is flowing quietly by;
the top of the mountain is glittering
in the evening sun.
The loveliest maiden is sitting
Up there, wondrous to tell.
Her golden jewelry sparkles
as she combs her golden hair
She combs it with a golden comb
and sings a song as she does,
A song with a peculiar,
powerful melody.
It seizes upon the boatman in his small boat
With unrestrained woe;
He does not look below to the rocky shoals,
He only looks up at the heights.
If I'm not mistaken, the waters
Finally swallowed up fisher and boat;
And with her singing
The Lorelei did this.

-- Sedalyn  10/6/2005

Lorelei was a Siren, not a mythological nymph. Sirens were in fact described as very ugly, looking somewhat like a mutant seabird and nothing at all like a mermaid in the traditional sense. From a distance, their looks were appealing and their songs sweet, but up close their true appearances and voices were revealed, leaving the poor sailors nothing pleasant to drown to. [noted -ed]

-- Sera M.  10/7/2005

To me it sounds very exotic. But not in a Hawaiian-kind, mainly in a fairytale-kind. I wish there was a Disney Princess called Lorelei. Hey, nice idea!

-- frangg23  11/15/2005

This name is beautiful and sylphlike, and I LOVE the poem!

-- tmarie  12/16/2005

A lovely name, but I predict it becoming sickeningly popular because of Gilmore Girls.

-- websurfer  5/28/2006

I LOVE this name! And I hope it doesn't get too popular. I love it, it's so calming and pretty!

-- kelsey_m  6/8/2006

Sounds cool but strange. Anyway, I love this name!

-- pindaprincess  7/14/2006

In the original Pokemon games, the first of the Elite Four is a young woman named Lorelei who specializes in the Ice type.

-- Belldandy  8/24/2006

I think Lorelei is a beautiful name, but adding to the ugly sirens concepts, in tropical regions it is believed that sailors thought a sea mammal called manatees were sirens, check out a pic of these animals, they are really ugly!

-- Jeidy_mn  9/21/2006

Ugh! Too Gilmore Girls for me!

-- xKatiex  9/23/2006

I think of unicorns when I hear this name. Don't ask why. I think manatees are adorable!

-- Anonymous User  10/7/2006

EWW! It reminds of Gilmore Girls and I HATE that show with a passion!

-- xKatiex  10/24/2006

This is not used as, nor is it considered to be, a first name in Germany.

-- Camilla  10/30/2006

I don't really like this name, it is a mouthful.

-- Anonymous User  11/3/2006

I have also heard it pronounced Lor-a-LEE.

-- bellaboo  11/12/2006

I adore this name. It's very feminine and I absolutely love the way it sounds (I prefer the spelling Lorelai though). I do associate it with Gilmore girls but it's not a bad thing actually, this show is a guilty pleasure of mine.

-- Anonymous User  1/7/2007

A very very pretty name in my opinion, although I don't think I would ever name a child this because it just seems like no one can pronounce it properly. Even I had a hard time trying to sound it out at first. I've heard some people say lor-ELL-ee and laurel-EYE.

-- Lizdebiz  1/23/2007

The mother and daughter of Gilmore Girls are both named Lorelei Lee Gilmore, but the daughter is called "Rory" for short.

-- Babealou  5/16/2007

Actually, the characters' names on the show Gilmore Girls are spelt Lorelai, with an a, not Lorelei. Don't like this name - sounds too trashy.

-- nothingshortoftragic  6/25/2007

The name isn't hard to pronounce. In names like Elizabeth or Anastacia there are more letters than in Lorelei, but no one is saying that they are complex names. I personally think that Lorelei is one of the most frilly names ever; it is pretty in the old romantic story, but shouldn't be used in real life.

-- ToveTer  6/19/2007

This is another one of my favorite names. However, I prefer the spelling "Loralei".

-- Mystic  6/20/2007

Lorelai is the Czech and Slovak form.
Nicknames: Lori, Lora, Lorel(a), Lorelee.

-- Karcoolka  7/24/2007

The name can be shortened to Lori.

-- CharlieRob  7/28/2007

I think this name is really beautiful.
Yes, I do associate it with Gilmore Girls, (even though they spell it with an a instead of an e) but I think that's a good thing. I LOVE that show, and both Lorelais are very likeable. It's a happy association.

-- emc  8/2/2007

I'd never heard this name til Gilmore Girls, but I adore that show and the characters, so it's cool. I love this with the nickname Lore.

-- virginiadays  10/28/2007

The band "Blackmore's Night" does a beautiful song called Loreley about the sirens in the River Rhine. I adore that song, and hence, adore the name. Here's part of the song:

"Merrily we sailed along,
Though the waves were plenty strong,
Down the twisting River Rhine,
Following a song.

Legends faded storyline,
Tried to warn us all,
Oh they call her Lorely,
Careful, or you'll fall.

And the winds would cry,
And many men would die,
And all the waves would bow down,
To the Loreley."

-- quigonjecca  12/9/2007

I think it's a cute name!

-- 999666  2/17/2008

Trashy. Not considered a 'name' in Germany.

-- Anonymous User  6/6/2008

"Lorelei" is a great song by Styx.

-- Mel_13  6/13/2008

It's a sweet name. On polls I've seen people suggest Rory as a nickname, but Lori makes so much more sense.

-- Anonymous User  7/26/2008

There are three characters from Gilmore Girls named Lorelai, the mother is Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, her daughter is Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, called Rory, and her grandmother is Lorelai Gilmore, called Trix.

-- Corae  8/8/2008

It's a pretty name, and it sounds lovely. However, it's become associated with Gilmore Girls. On top of that, people are now spelling it Lorelai due to that show's influence. I could never use it.

-- bananarama  9/20/2008

As a holder of the name, I like it, and I've never met another Lorelei. My name is often mispronounced, mispelled, etc. I've introduced myself as Lorelei and people have called me Laura, either not hearing the last syllable or believing that "Lie" is my last name. Very strangely, people have returned phone calls to me calling me "Marlene". Growing up my family used the nickname Lori, as my Aunt Lorelei used. Noone has ever thought that Lorelei is trashy sounding-perhaps it is in Germany, but I am not German. I'm sure many common German names sound negative to native English speakers as well.

-- elbosqueterno  9/20/2008

What a beautiful name, I used it to name a character I drew today. I didn't associate it at all with Gilmore Girls because I never watch it, and I'm pretty sure future generations will think of that even less, so don't let that hold you back from using it!

-- not_another_Jessica  10/26/2008

I love this name. For some reason, I like it better than Lorelai. It's so pretty and elegant. This name is just so perfect.

-- -Julia-  8/17/2009

Key: Meaning/History Usage Pronunciation Famous Bearer Personal Impression Other

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