Ornella
About Ornella
Like many a popular name, Ornella is a theatrical creation. Italian playwright Gabriele d'Annunzio created this name for his dramatic heroine in the 1904 play La Figlia di Iorio. Ornella is a feminization of the orno or ornello, which is the Italian word for the Fraxinus Ornus, a type of tree which produces such sweet sap that it was compared to biblical manna.
Pronounced or-NEL-ah.
As of October 2026, Ornella ranked #14487 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #7846 in 1968.
Editor's take: The name Ornella is a girl's name of Italian origin meaning "flowering ash tree".
Popularity & trends
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Ornella on lists
Famous Ornellas
- Ornella Muti (born Francesca Romana Rivelli)
Italian actress
- Ornella Barra
Monegasque business executive
- Ornella Fiorentini
Italian poet
- Ornella Vanoni
Italian pop singer
- Ornella Ongaro
French motorcycle racer
- Ornella Ferrara
Italian marathon runner