US Popularity Rank: 944

Origin: German

Meaning: Murmuring rock; Lie in wait

Lorelai is quite the provocative gender-neutral name, stemming from the treacherous rocky headland on the banks of the river Rhine. Such context is necessary to appreciate Lorelai's distinctive meaning of "murmuring rock." Set on the narrowest point of the Rhine, Lorelei rock is known for its dangerous conditions and alluring murmur created by strong currents and desperate lapping waves. Combined with scores of boating accidents, Lorelei has become forever synonymous with a beautiful mythical siren whose song seduces navigators to their demise. It is here in the realms of poetry that Lorelai finds its most compelling origin in the German lauern, which means "to lie in wait."