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Yea or Nay: Lorna

December 15, 2009 By appellationmountain Leave a Comment

She’s a literary invention and a shortbread cookie. Her most popular year was 1941, when names like Barbara and Judith, Shirley and Geraldine were all the rage.

She reminds me of names like Norma and Edna, but somehow I find her lighter. Maybe it’s RD Blackmore’s 1869 romance, complete with mistaken identities, a lost heiress, the bad getting their comeuppance and true love conquering all.

Or maybe it is the cookie.

In any case, I thought our Week of Boys could benefit from at least some discussion of a girl’s name.

So I ask you, readers: Lorna, Yea or Nay?

More names you might like:

  • Barbara: Baby Name of the DayBarbara: Baby Name of the Day
  • Lorna: Baby Name of the DayLorna: Baby Name of the Day
  • Baby Name of the Day: AntoinetteBaby Name of the Day: Antoinette
  • Baby Name of the Day: LilithBaby Name of the Day: Lilith
  • Baby Name of the Day: HedyBaby Name of the Day: Hedy

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Comments

  1. Emmy Jo says

    January 4, 2010 at 6:05 PM

    The name decision has not been finalized. I really want to wait until we meet him, but my husband insisted we narrow our list of nine to at most a top three. I kind of liked having the whole list of nine to pick from. Anyway, the top three (of the moment — I’m sure they could change) are Julius, Elliot, and Wesley. Frederick and Gideon are also top contenders in my mind. And I do love Henry… it’s not very common where I live in California, but I know it seems like a very predictable choice elsewhere, and that bugs me.

    I actually should thank you for adding Wesley back on to my list. It was an old high school favorite that I had sort of forgotten about, but your Name of the Day article reminded me of it again and convinced me it was worth considering. (It’s a good consolation for not being able to call my first son Ashley.)

    Naming a person is a huge decision, isn’t it?

    Reply
    • photoquilty says

      January 4, 2010 at 6:42 PM

      Um, you should also thank me. I was the one who suggested it. 😉

      You’re so close! How exciting! I wish I was there, too – but I still have three months to go.

      Reply
      • Emmy Jo says

        January 4, 2010 at 6:49 PM

        In that case, thanks Photoquilty! I had forgotten you were the one who suggested it as NotD. Wesley really IS such a good name.

        Reply
  2. Emmy Jo says

    December 23, 2009 at 6:00 AM

    My due date is January 4 — less than two weeks away! Eek!

    I suppose I’m really getting to the point where he could come any time. That’s scary.

    Reply
    • appellationmountain says

      December 23, 2009 at 8:18 AM

      Oh, that it close! How exciting. I know you’ll have a few other priorities in those early days, but we all want to hear from you, too. 🙂

      And you know I’m dying to know – is the name decision final or will you be debating it right through the non-alcoholic champagne toast on New Year’s?

      Reply
  3. Emmy Jo says

    December 22, 2009 at 4:55 PM

    Hello! It has been FOREVER since I’ve posted here, Abby! Now that school’s out, I thought I’d stop by again and say hello.

    I know a Scottish girl named Lorna who would be about my age (late 20’s). The name does sound a bit dated, but I can appreciate its Scottish literary charm.

    It’s amazing to me how two syllable A enders with a single intervening consonant between the vowel sounds (a la Nora, Laura, or Lana) sound very current, but stick TWO consonants in between the vowels (a la Norma, Edna, Myrna) and you have an old-lady name. Strange, huh?

    Reply
    • appellationmountain says

      December 22, 2009 at 6:05 PM

      Good to hear from you, Emmy Jo! I was trying to think of your due date the other day – is it February? Hope you’re doing well and enjoying the holiday. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Juliet says

    December 22, 2009 at 8:20 AM

    Personally, I don’t find any attraction in the name. I’m not against vintage names, but this names sounds very old and heavy. It just doesn’t sound youthful and full of vitality

    It does sound like a British name to me, for some reason. I suppose names like Edith also sound British to me

    Hmm, I don’t consider in unusual. To me it’s like a name like Edith,Gertrude etc
    I suppose it can be unusual because of its popularity

    Reply
  5. Sebastiane says

    December 19, 2009 at 7:30 PM

    Lorna is not for me, but I can definitely see the appeal, especially for one of Scottish decent.

    Reply
  6. Panya says

    December 18, 2009 at 5:03 AM

    I’ve always loved Lorna. I also like Lorne for a boy.

    Reply
  7. Charlotte Vera says

    December 17, 2009 at 3:00 AM

    Incidentally, the Lornas I’ve met have all been Danish/Austrian/German. Sometimes their names have been spelt Lorne, but always pronounced Lorna.

    Reply
  8. photoquilty says

    December 17, 2009 at 12:38 AM

    God, no! That name is so Barbara, so Nancy, so Donna, so Norma, so Doreen. Not for me! Now, Laura, however (one consonant off), is a different story. Nice! 😉

    Reply
  9. British American says

    December 16, 2009 at 10:06 PM

    My Auntie’s name is Lorna. She must be in her 50s. I like the name – probably because of the positive association with my Auntie and that she’s the only person I’ve ever met with the name. (Which is always a bonus for me.)

    Reply
  10. caroline says

    December 16, 2009 at 7:03 PM

    I LOVE the name Lorna! For some reason I have noticed it in several chick-lit books by British authors. I was actually surprised a couple of years ago when I went to look it up in Baby Name Wizard and there was no entry. It also gets pretty dismissive descriptions on most name sites. I think its a great name!

    Reply
  11. Bewildertrix says

    December 16, 2009 at 4:35 PM

    Meh. It beats Lauren and Laura I guess. I like Laura in theory but Lauren has been (and continues to be) done to death and I find it hard to separate the two.

    My only personal association is a lovely Maori woman in her late 20’s. I’ve never heard it on anyone else.

    Reply
  12. Kayt says

    December 16, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    Maybe. I think she sounds fresher than some of the older names you mentioned because of her similarity to Laura and Lauren. Lorna makes me think of a hip but retro cross between Lauren and Daphne.

    Reply
  13. jillian says

    December 16, 2009 at 10:40 AM

    so old Hollywood, should be dating a member of the Rat Pack, wears black cigarette pants and stays in bed until noon. Love it.

    Reply
  14. Bek says

    December 16, 2009 at 8:53 AM

    There was a time I had a big L obsession. Lorna was a name I really liked alongside Leona and Lorelei. But I actually like Lorne more.

    Reply
  15. Charlotte Vera says

    December 15, 2009 at 11:14 PM

    Hmmm, I disagree with Joy, I think Lorna’s a lovely name! But then, I’m a fan of Lorne too.

    For that matter, I’m quite fond of Geraldine.

    Reply
  16. Joy says

    December 15, 2009 at 10:55 PM

    It’s too forlorn. Very close to Lora. Worn by Lorna Luft, daughter of Judy Garland. Feminine form of Lorne, which brings to mind Lorne Michaels and Lorne Greene. Nothing lovely about this name unless it’s your beloved grandmother’s name, and your other grandma’s name is…Bertha.

    Reply
    • photoquilty says

      December 17, 2009 at 12:39 AM

      Excellent point! That definitely made me laugh. I would probably choose it over Bertha.

      Reply
  17. Corinne says

    December 15, 2009 at 10:35 PM

    I know a Lorna! Because it’s such an unusual name I’ve got a very clear image in my mind as to what a Lorna should look like, so I doubt I’ll ever use it. It’s a lovely name though. I think the “r” and “n” juxtaposition is a little dated-sounding, but maybe in a few years it’ll be ready for a comeback.

    Reply

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