Loretta

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ORIGIN AND HISTORY

Although Loretta clearly has roots in Laura and Lauretta, its spelling as Loretta has become a commonplace American name. First references to Lauretta were in 1203. Loretta even has a possible etymological trail from Loreto, the Italian shrine and site of a 13th Century miracle. From the Latin, Loretta is the feminine form of the name Laurus -- possibly translated from "laurel" (leaves) and indicating victory or one who was victorious.^{[1] [1]}

POPULARITY

According to the Social Security Administration, Loretta has not been among the 1000 most popular names in the United States since 1990. During that year it ranked 934th. Loretta was once one of the most popular names in the country. During the 1930s and 1940s, Loretta consistently ranked in the top 100 names given to children. Actually, Loretta never fell below 200 in popularity until 1969 – when it ranked 204th. The 1970s until today saw a steady and somewhat rapid decline most evident in the late 1980s when it went from 626th in 1986 to 906th in 1989. By 1991, it no longer made the list of the top 1000 most popular names in the country.

FACTS

• Loretta is Cleveland Brown's wife and sometimes ex-wife on the hit television program "Family Guy."

NAMESAKES

• Loretta is a city in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Loretta was named after the daughter of Edward Hines, the owner of a lumber company.

FAMOUS PERSONS

• Loretta Young (1913 - 2000)was a successful Academy Award winning American motion picture actress. Born as Gretchen Young, she was billed in her movies under that name until 1928. Her first movie role was at the age of three in the silent film The Primrose Ring. At the height of her career, she made up to eight movies a year. Some of her most famous include A Night to Remember and The Bishop's Wife. The latter was made into a remake with Whitney Houston.^[1]
• [www.lorettalynn.com Loretta Lynn] (b. 1935) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is perhaps best known for her song "Coal Miner's Daughter," something of a biographical musical creation based on her own life and later made into a movie with Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones. The oldest of eight children, Loretta Lynn has been consistently performing and remains popular. Her most famous sibling is country singer Crystal Gayle. She has written over 160 songs and released 70 albums. ^[1]

Author: Mike Szimanski

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