Lou

“Variant of Louis — Famous in battle” — Frankish via French origin

Girl's name · #2674 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Lou was #125 in 1880, slipped to #19031 by 2009, and has climbed back to #2674 today. Roughly 34,000 girls have been named Lou since 1880. Lou is split almost evenly between girls and boys among recent newborns.

Around the world: #12 in France (2025) · #33 in Belgium (2025) · #91 in Switzerland (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 3 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Lous

Lou Andreas-Salomé — German-Russian essayist, philosopher, and psychoanalyst (1861–1937)
Lou Henry Hoover — First Lady of the United States from 1929 to 1933
Lou Jeanmonnot — French biathlete
Lou Doillon — French actress and singer
Lou Leon Guerrero — Guamanian politician

In stories & tradition

Lou and Andy — Little Britain
Lou Beale — EastEnders
Lou — Rage of Bahamut · Shingeki no Bahamut: Manaria Friends

What Lous become

Among 969 notable people named Lou:

Sports figures appear 2× more often than among typical names — e.g. Lou Jeanmonnot, French biathlete.

Similar names: Louella · Cornelia · Lottie · Emmylou · Junia · Louisa

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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