Ornella

Origin and meaning of Ornella

Ornella is a distinctly Italian name, coined by Gabriele D'Annunzio in his tragedy 'La figlia di Iorio' from orno, the flowering manna ash with its delicate white blossoms: it thus means 'little ash tree in bloom.' It evokes nature, grace and lightness. Spreading in the twentieth century, it remains an almost exclusively Italian choice, with no real foreign equivalents. Its soft sound and literary origin give it an elegant, unusual charm.

Famous people

• Ornella Muti— actress
• Ornella Vanoni— singer