Meaning: Its source is Laura, an English name meaning "The laurel shrub."

Languages: This girl's name is used in English, Italian and Spanish.

Alternative Spellings: Loreena

Popularity: The name Lorena ranked 522nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 466th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.

Narrative: Film director Howard Hawks popularized this form of the name by suggesting it as a stage name for the actress born Betty Jean Perske, thereafter known to the world as Lauren Bacall.