Lu
Primarily a girl's name of Latin origin with 4,040 recorded births. Also given to 35 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A diminutive of the female given name Lucy and related names.
Lu is a girl's and boy's baby name of Latin origin, a short form of Lucy, Louise, or Lucille, meaning 'light' — from the Latin lux.
Lu is the ultimate minimalist name — just two letters that carry enormous warmth. With over 4,000 recorded U.S. births, it has been used as both a given name and middle name for generations. In an era when shorter names are increasingly fashionable, Lu has an effortless cool that longer names can't replicate.
EtymologyShow more
Lu is built from 2 letters and one syllable — a compact structure that favors quick recognition and easy recall. Within the Latin naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Lu creates its characteristic open, approachable quality. One-syllable names stand out for their directness. Every sound carries weight, making pronunciation and first impressions immediate.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Lu has 98+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1886.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 35 | #11212 | — |
| 2010s | 36 | #16096 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 5 | #14774 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 25 | #10518 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 100 | #6073 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 748 | #1604 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 2,021 | #881 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 370 | #1411 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 323 | #1397 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 191 | #2157 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 97 | #2601 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 33 | #1840 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 30 | #1484 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 26 | #1111 | — |
The Story of Lu
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1954, Lu is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Lu are most likely born between 1944 and 1964.
How rare is Lu?
Only about 1 in every 450,000 babies born in 2024 was named Lu — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1886, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1950s with 2,021 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Lu by the numbers
- Would fill 84 school buses
- Meeting one Lu per day would take 11.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(98 years, 1886–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | #11688 |
| 2023 | 11 | #9354 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10881 |
| 2020 | 7 | #12926 |
| 2019 | 5 | #17026 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17139 |
| 2017 | 6 | #15199 |
| 2016 | 10 | #10546 |
| 2013 | 5 | #18194 |
| 2012 | 5 | #18469 |
| 1994 | 5 | #14774 |
| 1989 | 6 | #11718 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11711 |
| 1982 | 5 | #11508 |
| 1980 | 9 | #7134 |
| 1979 | 10 | #6481 |
| 1977 | 6 | #9140 |
| 1976 | 5 | #10177 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5356 |
| 1974 | 8 | #6588 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Lu as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Lu has also been given to 35 boys in the U.S. since 1918.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lu a boy's or girl's name?
When was Lu most popular?
How popular is the name Lu?
Can Lu be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1886–2024