US Popularity Rank: 19760

Origin: German

Meaning: Flowering ash tree

Ornella is a lovely girl's name of Italian origin. Created by Italian writer Gabriele d'Annuzio, who was inspired by the Tuscan-Italian term ornello, this beautiful name means "flowering ash tree.” Like most petals and plants, ash trees have a myriad of mythological connections. To the Vikings and Gaels, they symbolized protection, while the Celts sought their leaves and trunks for legendary strength. With so much meaning behind Ornella, it's no wonder d'Annuzio chose it for one of the main characters of his 20th-century opera La figlia di Iorio.