Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Lou

Lou

♀ Girl

Pronounced LOO /ˈluː/Medium

Meaning: Famous in battleMedium

In 30 seconds: Lou is an English name meaning 'famous in battle,' originally a short form of names like Louise and Louisa.
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Origin MediumEnglish, French, Dutch
MeaningFamous in battle
U.S. rank (2024)#2541 β†— Rising
2024 U.S. births70 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1954
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 34,043

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 195418802024

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

History & Origin

On a girl, Lou carries the warlike sense of 'famous in battle' inherited from the Louis/Louise family it springs from. It has long worked as both a standalone name and a clipped pet form, which is why it sits alongside fuller spellings like Louella and Luella. Lou Hoover, the American First Lady and Girl Scout leader, was born Lou Henry and wore the short form as her actual given name.

The name has a brisk, friendly sound that reads as easygoing rather than formal. Its variations stretch from the dressed-up Louella to the playful, doubled Lulu, and even Lou Gehrig used it as a clip of his middle name Louis.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Lou is 'famous in battle', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Lou β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

LouellaLouieLuellaLulaLulu

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Lou Hoover (1874–1944)
    American First Lady and Girl Scout leader, born Lou Henry.
  • β˜…Lou Gehrig (1903–1941)
    Hall of Fame Yankees first baseman; Lou from middle name Louis.

If you like Lou…

Louellaβ€” A longer elaboration of Lou listed among its variations, keeping the same root.
Luellaβ€” A variation of Lou with the same sound, simply spelled without the extra o.
Lulaβ€” A short, rhyming pet form drawn from the same Lou family.
Louieβ€” A casual cousin spelling within Lou's own set of variations.

Frequently Asked

What does the name Lou mean?

Lou is usually explained as meaning 'famous in battle' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Lou?

It's commonly said LOO /ˈluː/.

Is Lou a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Lou is used as a girl name.

How popular is Lou?

In 2024, Lou ranked #2541 in the U.S. for girls, with 70 births recorded.