Lorelai is an American spelling of Lorelei, the name of a rock on the Rhine and of the legendary siren who, in German folklore, lured sailors to their doom; the name is usually explained as "murmuring rock" or "luring rock". This spelling was popularized by the mother and daughter on the TV series Gilmore Girls, which began in 2000. In the United States Lorelai entered the top 1000 in 2006 and has climbed steadily to number 333 in 2025, its best rank so far.