Is Lua a boy's or girl's name?

Lua is primarily a girl's name.

When was Lua most popular?

Lua reached its peak popularity in 2023 with 114 births that year. It is currently ranked #1998 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Lua?

Lua is currently ranked #1998 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 998 babies since 1910.

Lua

An uncommon Portuguese pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's namePortugueseDeclining Also a pet name

#1998▼ 212in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A lightweight programming language with dynamic typing.

Lua is a girl's baby name of Portuguese origin, from the Portuguese word for 'moon.' It is also the name of a lightweight programming language created in Brazil in 1993, though as a given name the lunar meaning is primary. In Irish mythology, Lua is connected to the divine.

Lua is a name of breathtaking simplicity — just three letters, one syllable, and the whole moon packed inside. Its growing use reflects the trend for short, nature-inspired names with genuine poetic resonance.

Compare Lua with another name

Popularity Over Time

Lua climbed 13292 spots in the last 20 years — from #15290 to #1998.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Lua
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	520	#1909	▲
2010s	384	#4877	▲
2000s	66	#12882	▲
1980s	12	#9862	▲
1970s	11	#9403	▲
1910s	5	#2625	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(28 years, 1910–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Lua
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	98	#1998	-16 (-14.0%)
2023	114	#1786	+5 (4.6%)
2022	109	#1862	+7 (6.9%)
2021	102	#1935	+5 (5.2%)
2020	97	#1964	+12 (14.1%)
2019	85	#2185	-8 (-8.6%)
2018	93	#2073	+51 (121.4%)
2017	42	#3670	+21 (100.0%)
2016	21	#6097	-3 (-12.5%)
2015	24	#5589	-10 (-29.4%)
2014	34	#4323	+13 (61.9%)
2013	21	#6158	-2 (-8.7%)
2012	23	#5816	+1 (4.5%)
2011	22	#6058	+3 (15.8%)
2010	19	#6796	+8 (72.7%)
2009	11	#10382	-2 (-15.4%)
2008	13	#9305	+4 (44.4%)
2007	9	#12251	+1 (12.5%)
2006	8	#13107	+1 (14.3%)
2005	7	#13878	+1 (16.7%)