Lempi

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Lempi

Pronounced LEM-pee /ˈlɛm.pi/Medium

Meaning: Lempi is a Finnish girl's name meaning 'love,' 'darling,' or 'favorite.' It comes straight from the Finnish common word lempi, and in older folklore Lempi was also linked to a spirit of love, giving it a warm, affectionate sense.Medium

In 30 seconds: Lempi is a Finnish name meaning 'love' or 'darling.' Carried to America by Finnish families, it was always rare (said LEM-pee).

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Origin MediumFinnish

MeaningLempi is a Finnish girl's name meaning 'love,' 'darling,' or 'favorite.' It comes straight from the Finnish common word lempi, and in older folklore Lempi was also linked to a spirit of love, giving it a warm, affectionate sense.

U.S. rank (1927)#4090 ↗ Rising

1927 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1915

Total births (all-time)≈ 367

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Lempi is a Finnish girl's name meaning 'love' or 'darling,' from the everyday Finnish word lempi. It reached United States records in the 1890s and early 1900s with Finnish immigrant families settling in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. It peaked in the mid-1910s and faded quickly, always rare and given to only a couple dozen girls a year at most.

A woman named Lempi from that time would be a great-grandmother today, and the name marks a specific Finnish-American immigrant generation. It never entered wider American use and has not revived, though it remains a recognizable heritage name among Finnish families.

Did you know? Lempi means 'love' outright in Finnish, and in old Finnish lore the word was tied to a spirit of love and longing, so the name is affection distilled into two syllables.

Overall data confidence 60%

References - Lempi — Finnish 'love, darling'; Finnish-American immigrant name

Variations

LemppiLempa

Nicknames

LemEmpi

Famous Bearers

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Lempi mean?

It is Finnish for 'love,' 'darling,' or 'favorite,' from the Finnish word lempi.

How do you pronounce Lempi?

It's said LEM-pee /ˈlɛm.pi/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Lempi a boy or girl name?

Lempi is used as a girl's name in Finnish tradition.

How popular is Lempi?

It was always rare in the United States, a Finnish heritage name given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak.