When it comes to treating anxiety, insomnia, or even symptoms related to seizures, doctors prefer Ativan as it is the brand name for the drug Lorazepam. So, yes they are technically the same medication. Lorazepam serves as the generic name of ativan. The brand name that the company sold was Ativan. Even though many people started using Ativan as a name, the generic version Lorazepam is now widely used.