Lou
How to say it: LOO · /ˈlu/
Short form of Louis/Louise from Germanic meaning 'famous warrior' via French; long used as unisex name.
Lou was the 1,561st most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 146 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are up 2.1-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,157 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,561 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 146 |
| Share of births | 1 in 22,707 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.1 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,157 |
| In France, 2025 | #240 among boys’ names, 2,040 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long established, Lou reached its height back in the 1880s and now stands far below that peak. Still well used, it is expected to turn upward again.
What goes with it
Spare and soft in a single syllable, Lou feels gentle. Mae shares its spare charm.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Lou is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German.
In France: #240 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Lou
- Lou Andreas-Salomem (1861–1937)German-Russian essayist, philosopher, and psychoanalyst
- Lou Ferrigno (born 1951)American actor and bodybuilder
- Lou Diamond Phillips (born 1962)American actor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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