Lorie

Derived as an alternative spelling of Lori and Laurie, both pet forms of Laura—from the Latin for laurel—and occasionally Lorraine. American parents began writing it onto birth certificates in the early twentieth century as standalone short forms gained acceptance. It peaked during the broader post-war habit of replacing traditional Latinate suffixes with an informal -ie ending.

A Lorie belongs firmly to the middle of the American twentieth century, specifically the bracket that remembers when station wagons had rear-facing bench seats. The spelling signals a parent in 1963 who wanted something lighter than Laura and less formal than Lorraine. Over ninety percent of living bearers fall neatly between late Baby Boomers and core Generation X. The name is most commonly encountered on a laminated name tag or taped to the underside of a casserole dish.