Fun Facts About the Name Lou
- More than 38 thousand babies named Lou: U.S. records list 38,195 babies given the name Lou from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 4,087 boys received the name Lou - about 1 boy for every 8 girls.
What Does the Name Lou Mean?
Lou is most often a short form of Louis or Louise and carries their meaning: "famous warrior" or "renowned in battle." Those names descend from the Frankish personal name Hlūdwig, Latinized as Ludovicus and Chlodovechus. It is built from the Germanic elements hlūd, meaning "famous, renowned" (literally "loud" in the sense of widely heard), and wīg, meaning "battle, warrior." The literal sense is "famous in battle"; the familiar rendering "famous warrior" is a customary translation rather than a word-for-word one.
Lou also stands in for other given names that begin with the same sound, such as Louella and Louanne, but those are modern combinations formed from Lou itself, not the source of its meaning. No separate root is needed to explain Lou: it is a clipping of the longer Louis/Louise family of names.
Lou Name History & Origins
Lou began as a pet form of Louis and Louise in English-speaking countries. Louis came to England with the Normans, where the name took the form Lewis; the spelling Louis was later reintroduced from French. The clipped form Lou appears alongside Louie and Lew as a spoken nickname, and French has the affectionate doubled form Loulou for both the masculine and feminine names.
Because the same short form served both Louis and Louise, Lou was given to boys and girls. Lou Henry Hoover (1874 - 1944), later the wife of President Herbert Hoover, was named Lou, which shows the name in independent use as a full given name by the late 19th century. In the 20th century the nickname became familiar through Louis "Lou" Gehrig, the New York Yankees first baseman born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, and through the singer Lou Reed, born Lewis Allan Reed. In both cases Lou stands for a longer name with the same Germanic root.
How Popular is the Name Lou?
Lou recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1954. Its best rank was #125 in 1880.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,674 | 65 | 0.0040% |
| 2024 | #2,541 | 70 | 0.0043% |
| 2023 | #2,570 | 69 | 0.0043% |
| 2022 | #2,772 | 62 | 0.0038% |
| 2021 | #3,052 | 54 | 0.0033% |
| 2020 | #3,527 | 43 | 0.0027% |
| 2019 | #3,757 | 40 | 0.0024% |
| 2018 | #3,822 | 39 | 0.0023% |
| 2017 | #4,649 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2016 | #4,207 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2015 | #4,807 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2014 | #5,909 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #8,014 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2012 | #7,043 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2011 | #7,654 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #10,201 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #19,029 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #16,658 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #16,741 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #12,017 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #8,157 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #10,379 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #10,121 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #11,742 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #11,606 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #10,390 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #13,684 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #10,713 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #11,548 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #11,264 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #8,434 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #9,190 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #12,432 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #7,138 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #6,378 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #6,919 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #5,795 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #5,625 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #5,886 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1984 | #4,095 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #4,206 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #3,061 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1981 | #2,954 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 1980 | #4,080 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1979 | #2,366 | 40 | 0.0025% |
| 1978 | #2,373 | 38 | 0.0025% |
| 1977 | #2,177 | 43 | 0.0028% |
| 1976 | #1,896 | 48 | 0.0033% |
| 1975 | #1,864 | 49 | 0.0034% |
| 1974 | #1,527 | 64 | 0.0044% |
| 1973 | #1,189 | 91 | 0.0062% |
| 1972 | #1,108 | 101 | 0.0066% |
| 1971 | #955 | 134 | 0.0081% |
| 1970 | #849 | 159 | 0.0091% |
| 1969 | #803 | 165 | 0.0098% |
| 1968 | #770 | 169 | 0.0103% |
| 1967 | #754 | 171 | 0.0104% |
| 1966 | #725 | 186 | 0.0110% |
| 1965 | #656 | 225 | 0.0127% |
| 1964 | #599 | 277 | 0.0146% |
| 1963 | #496 | 382 | 0.0198% |
| 1962 | #487 | 396 | 0.0201% |
| 1961 | #447 | 473 | 0.0234% |
| 1960 | #388 | 593 | 0.0293% |
| 1959 | #358 | 706 | 0.0349% |
| 1958 | #314 | 851 | 0.0423% |
| 1957 | #309 | 884 | 0.0432% |
| 1956 | #259 | 1,066 | 0.0531% |
| 1955 | #232 | 1,225 | 0.0627% |
| 1954 | #204 | 1,495 | 0.0770% |
| 1953 | #208 | 1,434 | 0.0762% |
| 1952 | #345 | 569 | 0.0307% |
| 1951 | #391 | 440 | 0.0244% |
| 1950 | #395 | 414 | 0.0242% |
| 1949 | #374 | 441 | 0.0258% |
| 1948 | #379 | 439 | 0.0259% |
| 1947 | #355 | 510 | 0.0288% |
| 1946 | #343 | 478 | 0.0304% |
| 1945 | #341 | 399 | 0.0305% |
| 1944 | #314 | 463 | 0.0349% |
| 1943 | #330 | 456 | 0.0327% |
| 1942 | #293 | 536 | 0.0397% |
| 1941 | #286 | 506 | 0.0419% |
| 1940 | #281 | 494 | 0.0432% |
| 1939 | #277 | 502 | 0.0458% |
| 1938 | #274 | 532 | 0.0482% |
| 1937 | #269 | 539 | 0.0507% |
| 1936 | #271 | 506 | 0.0486% |
| 1935 | #269 | 522 | 0.0498% |
| 1934 | #263 | 559 | 0.0535% |
| 1933 | #265 | 534 | 0.0530% |
| 1932 | #270 | 540 | 0.0506% |
| 1931 | #290 | 463 | 0.0435% |
| 1930 | #306 | 468 | 0.0416% |
| 1929 | #309 | 474 | 0.0425% |
| 1928 | #320 | 425 | 0.0369% |
| 1927 | #304 | 489 | 0.0410% |
| 1926 | #323 | 417 | 0.0352% |
| 1925 | #338 | 395 | 0.0324% |
| 1924 | #349 | 381 | 0.0305% |
| 1923 | #358 | 343 | 0.0284% |
| 1922 | #349 | 350 | 0.0291% |
| 1921 | #377 | 320 | 0.0260% |
| 1920 | #357 | 336 | 0.0280% |
| 1919 | #361 | 313 | 0.0277% |
| 1918 | #335 | 371 | 0.0320% |
| 1917 | #338 | 338 | 0.0313% |
| 1916 | #351 | 308 | 0.0295% |
| 1915 | #354 | 285 | 0.0290% |
| 1914 | #348 | 227 | 0.0298% |
| 1913 | #342 | 199 | 0.0319% |
| 1912 | #315 | 212 | 0.0380% |
| 1911 | #317 | 153 | 0.0366% |
| 1910 | #318 | 144 | 0.0363% |
| 1909 | #307 | 140 | 0.0403% |
| 1908 | #293 | 147 | 0.0440% |
| 1907 | #313 | 124 | 0.0389% |
| 1906 | #334 | 100 | 0.0339% |
| 1905 | #276 | 143 | 0.0490% |
| 1904 | #297 | 117 | 0.0425% |
| 1903 | #266 | 133 | 0.0508% |
| 1902 | #286 | 121 | 0.0458% |
| 1901 | #304 | 96 | 0.0401% |
| 1900 | #275 | 140 | 0.0467% |
| 1899 | #253 | 125 | 0.0536% |
| 1898 | #236 | 156 | 0.0603% |
| 1897 | #267 | 114 | 0.0487% |
| 1896 | #247 | 130 | 0.0546% |
| 1895 | #253 | 125 | 0.0535% |
| 1894 | #253 | 118 | 0.0529% |
| 1893 | #223 | 137 | 0.0643% |
| 1892 | #222 | 137 | 0.0645% |
| 1891 | #231 | 109 | 0.0588% |
| 1890 | #210 | 132 | 0.0693% |
| 1889 | #210 | 120 | 0.0673% |
| 1888 | #173 | 169 | 0.0946% |
| 1887 | #167 | 147 | 0.1007% |
| 1886 | #178 | 129 | 0.0893% |
| 1885 | #158 | 135 | 0.1015% |
| 1884 | #145 | 146 | 0.1132% |
| 1883 | #136 | 142 | 0.1264% |
| 1882 | #137 | 131 | 0.1215% |
| 1881 | #138 | 114 | 0.1240% |
| 1880 | #125 | 131 | 0.1440% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,929 | 81 | 0.0047% |
| 2024 | #2,118 | 70 | 0.0041% |
| 2023 | #2,037 | 74 | 0.0043% |
| 2022 | #2,049 | 74 | 0.0042% |
| 2021 | #2,288 | 61 | 0.0035% |
| 2020 | #2,339 | 58 | 0.0034% |
| 2019 | #2,833 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 2018 | #3,487 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2017 | #3,166 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 2016 | #2,709 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2015 | #3,060 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2014 | #3,854 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2013 | #4,136 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2012 | #5,169 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #3,855 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2010 | #5,633 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #4,526 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #6,631 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #6,482 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #4,617 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2005 | #4,281 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2004 | #5,155 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #7,043 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #5,602 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #4,056 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #6,169 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #7,584 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #5,693 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #4,596 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #4,529 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #4,695 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #3,415 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #4,371 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #3,412 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1991 | #2,793 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1990 | #2,746 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1989 | #3,281 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,639 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #3,144 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #4,027 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #2,661 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #2,587 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #3,345 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1982 | #2,312 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1981 | #2,846 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1980 | #2,258 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1979 | #2,079 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1978 | #1,998 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1977 | #2,614 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #2,300 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1975 | #2,176 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1974 | #2,245 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1973 | #1,636 | 29 | 0.0019% |
| 1972 | #1,803 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1971 | #1,392 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1970 | #1,326 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 1969 | #1,514 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1968 | #1,378 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1967 | #1,431 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1966 | #1,212 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1965 | #1,350 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1964 | #1,105 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 1963 | #1,267 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1962 | #1,131 | 47 | 0.0023% |
| 1961 | #1,064 | 54 | 0.0025% |
| 1960 | #950 | 64 | 0.0030% |
| 1959 | #1,024 | 57 | 0.0027% |
| 1958 | #932 | 67 | 0.0032% |
| 1957 | #896 | 72 | 0.0033% |
| 1956 | #1,025 | 54 | 0.0026% |
| 1955 | #1,081 | 49 | 0.0024% |
| 1954 | #1,042 | 52 | 0.0026% |
| 1953 | #1,255 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1952 | #1,178 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1951 | #946 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 1950 | #1,306 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1949 | #1,222 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1948 | #1,154 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1947 | #950 | 56 | 0.0031% |
| 1946 | #995 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 1945 | #934 | 48 | 0.0036% |
| 1944 | #1,080 | 38 | 0.0028% |
| 1943 | #1,097 | 39 | 0.0027% |
| 1942 | #981 | 47 | 0.0034% |
| 1941 | #1,043 | 39 | 0.0032% |
| 1940 | #1,043 | 39 | 0.0034% |
| 1939 | #911 | 47 | 0.0042% |
| 1938 | #1,211 | 30 | 0.0027% |
| 1937 | #1,332 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1936 | #1,309 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1935 | #1,265 | 29 | 0.0028% |
| 1934 | #1,414 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1933 | #1,066 | 38 | 0.0038% |
| 1932 | #987 | 45 | 0.0043% |
| 1931 | #1,074 | 40 | 0.0038% |
| 1930 | #1,383 | 28 | 0.0026% |
| 1929 | #1,363 | 28 | 0.0026% |
| 1928 | #1,051 | 44 | 0.0040% |
| 1927 | #1,190 | 37 | 0.0033% |
| 1926 | #1,370 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1925 | #1,101 | 41 | 0.0037% |
| 1924 | #1,199 | 37 | 0.0033% |
| 1923 | #1,229 | 35 | 0.0032% |
| 1922 | #1,130 | 40 | 0.0037% |
| 1921 | #1,435 | 28 | 0.0025% |
| 1920 | #1,267 | 33 | 0.0031% |
| 1919 | #1,674 | 21 | 0.0021% |
| 1918 | #1,278 | 31 | 0.0031% |
| 1917 | #975 | 45 | 0.0049% |
| 1916 | #1,036 | 39 | 0.0044% |
| 1915 | #1,175 | 31 | 0.0037% |
| 1914 | #894 | 38 | 0.0058% |
| 1913 | #1,293 | 17 | 0.0033% |
| 1912 | #981 | 22 | 0.0051% |
| 1911 | #1,249 | 9 | 0.0040% |
| 1910 | #723 | 18 | 0.0093% |
| 1908 | #701 | 15 | 0.0097% |
| 1907 | #798 | 12 | 0.0082% |
| 1905 | #688 | 13 | 0.0098% |
| 1904 | #1,028 | 7 | 0.0055% |
| 1903 | #722 | 11 | 0.0092% |
| 1902 | #1,094 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1901 | #906 | 7 | 0.0066% |
| 1900 | #718 | 13 | 0.0086% |
| 1899 | #569 | 13 | 0.0122% |
| 1898 | #726 | 10 | 0.0082% |
| 1897 | #601 | 13 | 0.0115% |
| 1896 | #759 | 10 | 0.0084% |
| 1895 | #774 | 9 | 0.0077% |
| 1894 | #615 | 12 | 0.0104% |
| 1893 | #683 | 10 | 0.0089% |
| 1892 | #778 | 9 | 0.0074% |
| 1891 | #741 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1890 | #710 | 9 | 0.0081% |
| 1889 | #453 | 17 | 0.0154% |
| 1888 | #679 | 10 | 0.0083% |
| 1887 | #615 | 10 | 0.0099% |
| 1886 | #674 | 9 | 0.0081% |
| 1885 | #537 | 13 | 0.0121% |
| 1884 | #644 | 10 | 0.0087% |
| 1883 | #577 | 11 | 0.0105% |
| 1882 | #627 | 10 | 0.0088% |
| 1881 | #452 | 15 | 0.0149% |
| 1880 | #492 | 14 | 0.0127% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Lou Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Lou's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lou's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.