Fun Facts About the Name Lula
- An established favorite: Lula held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 32 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1911.
- More than 85 thousand babies named Lula: U.S. records list 85,585 babies given the name Lula from 1880 through 2025. Even 339 boys received the name Lula - about 1 boy for every 251 girls.
What Does the Name Lula Mean?
Lula is an English feminine name, usually understood as a pet form of Louise or Luella. Louise is the French feminine form of Louis, which comes from the Old Frankish name Hlūdwig, made of hlūd "famous" and wīg "war"; through that line, Lula means "famous warrior." Luella is a comparatively modern English combination of Lou and Ella, so Lula can also be a short form of that name. A different explanation connects Lula to Lulu, a name used in English and other languages; Lulu is also an Arabic word for "pearl" (lu'lu'), and some references apply that meaning to Lula. The two derivations are independent: one is a Germanic-rooted diminutive, the other a Semitic word for a pearl. Because Lula grew mainly as an informal short form, its meaning depends on which longer name it is taken to represent.
Lula Name History & Origins
Lula emerged in English as a familiar form of Louise and other names beginning with Lu-, such as Luella. It is closely related to Lulu, another pet name from the same group. It belongs to the 19th-century fashion for pet names that turned longer formal names into short, affectionate given names. By that period, Lula was in use as an independent given name in the United States, not only as a nickname. In Portuguese, Lula is a nickname rather than a traditional given name: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, is known by a shortening of Luiz. That political usage is distinct from the English name and did not create it. The Arabic "pearl" explanation belongs to the word lu'lu' and to the name Lulu; its application to Lula specifically is less securely documented than the English diminutive use. Lula has no single saint or classical figure behind it; its history is tied to the broader family of Louise, Luella, and Lulu.
How Popular is the Name Lula?
Lula remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1911. Its highest annual birth count was in 1921, and people born that year turn 105 in 2026.
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 | #1,937 | 100 | 0.0062% |
| 2024 | #1,958 | 101 | 0.0063% |
| 2023 | #1,830 | 110 | 0.0069% |
| 2022 | #1,970 | 100 | 0.0061% |
| 2021 | #1,512 | 140 | 0.0085% |
| 2020 | #1,724 | 117 | 0.0072% |
| 2019 | #1,759 | 117 | 0.0070% |
| 2018 | #1,859 | 109 | 0.0064% |
| 2017 | #1,774 | 118 | 0.0068% |
| 2016 | #1,767 | 118 | 0.0067% |
| 2015 | #2,007 | 99 | 0.0055% |
| 2014 | #2,189 | 87 | 0.0049% |
| 2013 | #1,984 | 99 | 0.0056% |
| 2012 | #2,071 | 93 | 0.0053% |
| 2011 | #2,608 | 69 | 0.0039% |
| 2010 | #2,684 | 67 | 0.0038% |
| 2009 | #3,030 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 2008 | #3,298 | 51 | 0.0027% |
| 2007 | #3,635 | 45 | 0.0023% |
| 2006 | #4,901 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2005 | #4,084 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2004 | #6,397 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #6,782 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #7,281 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #10,636 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #7,842 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #7,509 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #11,880 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #9,485 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #12,797 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,218 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #5,374 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #6,469 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #6,514 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #5,832 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #8,258 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #4,603 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1988 | #5,212 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1987 | #5,475 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1986 | #4,458 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1985 | #3,678 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1984 | #4,636 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1983 | #3,757 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1982 | #3,308 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1981 | #3,300 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 1980 | #2,969 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 1979 | #3,120 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 1978 | #2,655 | 32 | 0.0021% |
| 1977 | #2,537 | 34 | 0.0022% |
| 1976 | #2,084 | 42 | 0.0029% |
| 1975 | #1,764 | 53 | 0.0036% |
| 1974 | #1,544 | 63 | 0.0043% |
| 1973 | #1,534 | 61 | 0.0042% |
| 1972 | #1,552 | 60 | 0.0039% |
| 1971 | #1,606 | 59 | 0.0035% |
| 1970 | #1,458 | 70 | 0.0040% |
| 1969 | #1,460 | 65 | 0.0039% |
| 1968 | #1,359 | 68 | 0.0041% |
| 1967 | #1,052 | 97 | 0.0059% |
| 1966 | #1,069 | 97 | 0.0057% |
| 1965 | #992 | 110 | 0.0062% |
| 1964 | #778 | 176 | 0.0093% |
| 1963 | #871 | 145 | 0.0075% |
| 1962 | #809 | 168 | 0.0085% |
| 1961 | #726 | 206 | 0.0102% |
| 1960 | #655 | 241 | 0.0119% |
| 1959 | #651 | 237 | 0.0117% |
| 1958 | #615 | 259 | 0.0129% |
| 1957 | #547 | 307 | 0.0150% |
| 1956 | #516 | 329 | 0.0164% |
| 1955 | #493 | 343 | 0.0175% |
| 1954 | #437 | 403 | 0.0208% |
| 1953 | #436 | 405 | 0.0215% |
| 1952 | #380 | 476 | 0.0257% |
| 1951 | #346 | 532 | 0.0295% |
| 1950 | #340 | 528 | 0.0308% |
| 1949 | #303 | 651 | 0.0381% |
| 1948 | #319 | 594 | 0.0350% |
| 1947 | #301 | 689 | 0.0389% |
| 1946 | #282 | 679 | 0.0432% |
| 1945 | #252 | 722 | 0.0552% |
| 1944 | #252 | 719 | 0.0542% |
| 1943 | #247 | 782 | 0.0560% |
| 1942 | #226 | 851 | 0.0630% |
| 1941 | #214 | 824 | 0.0682% |
| 1940 | #212 | 820 | 0.0717% |
| 1939 | #193 | 923 | 0.0842% |
| 1938 | #191 | 973 | 0.0882% |
| 1937 | #182 | 1,087 | 0.1022% |
| 1936 | #175 | 1,100 | 0.1057% |
| 1935 | #174 | 1,086 | 0.1036% |
| 1934 | #166 | 1,124 | 0.1076% |
| 1933 | #166 | 1,087 | 0.1078% |
| 1932 | #157 | 1,229 | 0.1152% |
| 1931 | #162 | 1,154 | 0.1084% |
| 1930 | #157 | 1,314 | 0.1167% |
| 1929 | #158 | 1,333 | 0.1194% |
| 1928 | #158 | 1,376 | 0.1193% |
| 1927 | #150 | 1,586 | 0.1330% |
| 1926 | #154 | 1,564 | 0.1319% |
| 1925 | #149 | 1,707 | 0.1402% |
| 1924 | #146 | 1,776 | 0.1422% |
| 1923 | #151 | 1,673 | 0.1387% |
| 1922 | #142 | 1,759 | 0.1465% |
| 1921 | #143 | 1,778 | 0.1442% |
| 1920 | #139 | 1,765 | 0.1473% |
| 1919 | #134 | 1,776 | 0.1572% |
| 1918 | #132 | 1,771 | 0.1530% |
| 1917 | #135 | 1,607 | 0.1486% |
| 1916 | #127 | 1,676 | 0.1605% |
| 1915 | #129 | 1,537 | 0.1562% |
| 1914 | #120 | 1,345 | 0.1766% |
| 1913 | #111 | 1,179 | 0.1888% |
| 1912 | #107 | 1,094 | 0.1960% |
| 1911 | #94 | 970 | 0.2319% |
| 1910 | #93 | 975 | 0.2459% |
| 1909 | #91 | 922 | 0.2655% |
| 1908 | #89 | 892 | 0.2668% |
| 1907 | #84 | 905 | 0.2841% |
| 1906 | #79 | 911 | 0.3085% |
| 1905 | #78 | 963 | 0.3302% |
| 1904 | #77 | 894 | 0.3247% |
| 1903 | #73 | 913 | 0.3485% |
| 1902 | #71 | 976 | 0.3696% |
| 1901 | #67 | 905 | 0.3781% |
| 1900 | #63 | 1,237 | 0.4126% |
| 1899 | #67 | 894 | 0.3837% |
| 1898 | #64 | 1,069 | 0.4131% |
| 1897 | #63 | 971 | 0.4146% |
| 1896 | #64 | 1,012 | 0.4254% |
| 1895 | #64 | 987 | 0.4225% |
| 1894 | #60 | 1,042 | 0.4674% |
| 1893 | #57 | 1,034 | 0.4857% |
| 1892 | #53 | 1,098 | 0.5171% |
| 1891 | #50 | 1,010 | 0.5445% |
| 1890 | #48 | 1,121 | 0.5888% |
| 1889 | #47 | 1,067 | 0.5982% |
| 1888 | #44 | 1,173 | 0.6567% |
| 1887 | #47 | 891 | 0.6104% |
| 1886 | #40 | 1,040 | 0.7196% |
| 1885 | #41 | 949 | 0.7132% |
| 1884 | #39 | 916 | 0.7100% |
| 1883 | #43 | 790 | 0.7033% |
| 1882 | #40 | 780 | 0.7232% |
| 1881 | #36 | 655 | 0.7123% |
| 1880 | #39 | 621 | 0.6825% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | #4,021 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,819 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #2,902 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #3,425 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #2,793 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #3,330 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1939 | #3,782 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #3,057 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #2,417 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1936 | #2,253 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1935 | #2,856 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #3,173 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #2,894 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #3,001 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1931 | #2,793 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1930 | #2,920 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1929 | #3,434 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #1,878 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1927 | #2,480 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1926 | #2,152 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1925 | #2,533 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1924 | #2,097 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1923 | #4,635 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #4,701 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #3,129 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1920 | #3,106 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #3,271 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1917 | #2,867 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1915 | #2,742 | 9 | 0.0011% |
| 1913 | #1,891 | 10 | 0.0020% |
| 1912 | #2,764 | 5 | 0.0012% |
| 1911 | #1,904 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1910 | #1,375 | 7 | 0.0036% |
| 1906 | #1,197 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1903 | #885 | 8 | 0.0067% |
| 1902 | #988 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1901 | #1,153 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1898 | #690 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1894 | #918 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1893 | #1,133 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1890 | #1,094 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1889 | #1,054 | 5 | 0.0045% |
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.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Lula
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Lula 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. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
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.
✦ Lula's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lula's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.