Unique baby name surges in popularity thanks to cult noughties series
Parents looking for an uncommon baby girl name are finding inspiration in an unexpected place: a beloved 2000s TV drama.
Many parents look beyond traditional baby name lists, finding inspiration in the shows, films, books and people that have made an impact on their lives.
For many parents, choosing a name is about capturing a certain feeling, vibe, or personality trait they hope their little one will embody. And sometimes, it’s simply about falling in love with the way a name sounds. Increasingly, parents are also turning to nostalgia and pop culture for fresh inspiration, finding ideas in the shows, characters, and stories they’ve loved for years.
And now, millennial and Gen Z mums have fallen in love with the name Lorelai.
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Autumn (or fall) may still be a few weeks away but let’s turn our attention to one of the cosiest shows ever - Gilmore Girls.
The series follows single mum Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her smart teen Lorelai ‘Rory’ Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) as their navigate love and life in a small Connecticut town.
The mother-daughter bond is central to the show and Lorelai had Rory when she was only 16 years old. Sometimes they act more like best friends than a traditional mum and daughter, drinking endless cups of coffee, sharing pop culture references and chatting.
When Rory gets accepted into an expensive private school, Lorelai asks her wealthy, estranged parents for financial help. They agree, one one condition: Lorelai and Rory must come over every Friday night for dinner. This, as you can imagine, brings up lots of old family drama.
The drama, which ran for seven seasons between 2003-2007, stunned fans when it came back on Netflix for a spin off, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life in 2016.
Lorelai has become one of the most trendy names for baby girls, ranking 333 out of 1000 for babies born in 2025, 25 years after Gilmore Girls debuted in 2000.
Babylist’s data suggests “Lorelai” has leaped 69 places since 2024, showing a clear increase in interest among names for newborn girls. The name first reached a high peak in the 1970s - ironically, two years after Lorelai was born in the show.
The name is of German origin and comes from the name of the rock headland on the Rhine River. In folklore, the name is linked to the legendary Lorelei, a mystical siren said to have sat atop a the rock, enchanting sailors with her beautiful songs.
In a little bit of bittersweet news from Stars Hollow, Gilmore Girls fans in the US had to say goodbye to the original series on Netflix after seasons 1–7 left the platform on 30 june, 2026, following a 12-year streaming run.
The move came after Netflix’s licensing agreement with Warner Bros. expired but thankfully, fans can still get their dose of coffee-fuelled banter on Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney+. Over in the UK, the series is still available to stream on Netflix.
Greg Harris