Canadians - is Lorne still commonly given as a boy's name?

Factual Questions
21

[QUOTE=Cunctator]
I read in an article the other day that **Lorne ** is a popular boy’s name in Canada, deriving from the title of a 19th century Governor-General, the Marquess of Lorne (afterwards the Duke of Argyll). This popularity is supposedly unique to Canada. The article mentioned the actor Lorne Green as an example.

One example didn’t seem all that convincing to me. Is Lorne still a popular boy’s name in Canada?
[/QUOTE]

I have never known anyone named “Lorne.”

I can think of a few famous people named Lorne, but they’re all old; the aforemention Lorne Greene, Lorne Michaels, Lorne Calvert, and there’s a writer called Lorne Gunter.

I found a number of online lists purporting to cite the most popular baby names in Canada; none listed Lorne. They had all the same (often horrible) names you usually find on American lists.

22

[QUOTE=Spoons]
I know one Lorne nowadays. He’s about my age (mid-40s). Back in high school, I also knew a Lorna–the feminine equivalent of the name.
[/QUOTE]

I never thought about Lorna, as the OP asked for Lorne. My elder sister is named Lorna.

23

[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth]
I never thought about Lorna, as the OP asked for Lorne. My elder sister is named Lorna.
[/QUOTE]

Lorna, I’d guess, derives not from Lord Lorne but from the wildly popular mid-19th century romantic adventure novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore. It was a bestseller for decades. I think there’s even a cookie or biscuit named for Lorna Doone.

24

It’s not in the top one hundred boy’s names in Canada for 2005 babies.

25

[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore]
Lorna, I’d guess, derives not from Lord Lorne but from the wildly popular mid-19th century romantic adventure novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore. It was a bestseller for decades. I think there’s even a cookie or biscuit named for Lorna Doone.
[/QUOTE]
Well, here’s what [Behind the Name](http://www.behind the name.com/) says about the two of them:

So both “Lorna” and “Lorne” might have the same root (Lorne, Scotland), even though “Lorna” was created by Blackmore.

Lorna Doone cookies are good!

26

[QUOTE=Sonia Montdore]
Lorna, I’d guess, derives not from Lord Lorne but from the wildly popular mid-19th century romantic adventure novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore.
[/QUOTE]
I’d agree. Lorna as a woman’s name isn’t unknown here. I’ve never heard of Lorne for a man here though. I don’t think we have any Australian GG-inspired names.

27

In the OLD days of the NHL, there were a lot of guys named Lorne (including legendary goalie Lorne “Gump” Worsley), but you don’t see it often now.

It must’ve been a generational thing. Ask a young Canadian if he knows any Lornes, and he’s liable to say, “Well… my grandfather” or “One of my great uncles,” but no one he hangs out with.

28

Checking in and agreeing that Lorne was a popular name maybe 30 years ago. Now, not so much.

I know a LOT of Michaels, Seans, and Christophers, though.

Unfortunately the trend these days is to name kids something bizarre, like Jondaphar or Tristoran or who-knows-what.

29

[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers]
Related, the name of a Canadian kid on one episode of The Simpsons, Gordie, never fails to crack me up for some reason.
[/QUOTE]
My brother-is-law is called Gordie. It’s never struck me as an unusual name. :confused:

30

I’m putting Lorne on my list of names for the next kid. :wink:

31

[QUOTE=Northern Piper]
My brother-is-law is called Gordie. It’s never struck me as an unusual name. :confused:
[/QUOTE]

You’ve no doubt heard of Saskatchewan native Gordie Howe. A lot of people haven’t.