Fun Facts About the Name Lowe
- 100 babies named Lowe: U.S. records list 100 babies given the name Lowe from 1880 through 2025. Even 48 girls received the name Lowe.
What Does the Name Lowe Mean?
Lowe is mainly an English surname that is also used as a given name. Its meaning depends on which origin applies. The most common English origin is topographic, from Middle English lowe, which comes from Old English hlāw, meaning "hill" or "mound," especially a burial mound or barrow. In that sense the literal meaning is "hill" or "mound-dweller."
A separate English origin is the nickname from Middle English lowe, "low" or "short," from Old Norse lágr. The surname can also come from the Middle English personal name Lowe, a short form of Lawrence, though this derivation is not certain for every family.
In German, Löwe - often spelled Lowe in English-speaking countries - means "lion," from Middle High German lewe. It was used as a nickname, a house sign, or an ornamental surname, including among Ashkenazic Jews. A less common and less certain derivation is from Old French lou or leu, "wolf," from Latin lupus. Because these origins belong to different languages and naming traditions, no single meaning covers every instance of Lowe.
Lowe Name History & Origins
The English surname Lowe developed from the Old English noun hlāw, "mound" or "hill." In medieval England, people were often identified by where they lived, and bynames such as John atte Lowe ("John at the hill") are found in records. Over time the preposition atte was dropped, and the byname became the inherited surname Lowe. The same word survives in some English place names and in the dialect word low for a hill.
The German surname Löwe comes from Middle High German lewe, "lion," ultimately from Latin leo. It could be a nickname for a bold person, a house name such as Zum Löwen, or, among Ashkenazic Jews, an ornamental surname sometimes used for the Hebrew name Aryeh, which also means "lion." When families moved to English-speaking countries, the umlaut was frequently dropped, producing the spelling Lowe.
As a first name, Lowe is a transferred use of the surname, typically given to preserve a family name. It is not a traditional given name in the way that names such as John or Mary are; it belongs to the broader category of surnames used as first names in English-speaking countries.
How Popular is the Name Lowe?
Lowe has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #3,087 in 1913.
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 | #9,229 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #7,418 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #14,449 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #16,729 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #14,535 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #19,031 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #10,473 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #13,556 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #4,307 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1929 | #4,325 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #4,626 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,547 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #4,333 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #4,265 | 5 | 0.0006% |
| 1914 | #3,551 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| 1913 | #3,087 | 5 | 0.0010% |
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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with L
Short Boy Names That Start with L
How the Name Lowe 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.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Lowe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lowe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.