Lou

Meaning: Famous in battle
Origin: Germanic — Short form of Louisa or Louise

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

47% girls · 53% boys — Lou is split almost evenly between girls and boys among recent newborns. Lou →

Popularity over time

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.

Across the states

See where Lou is more common.

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

Around the world

See how Lou ranks in other countries and regions.

#12 in France (2025) · #32 in Belgium (2025) · #68 in Switzerland (2025) · #80 in Netherlands (2025) · #176 in Sweden (2025) · #377 in Canada (2025) · #815 in Austria (2025) · #3,973 in Italy (2024) · #5,927 in England & Wales (2025) · #9,796 in Ecuador (2022).

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 (1874–1944)
Lou Doillon — French actress and singer (born 1982)
Lou Llobell — Zimbabwean actress (born 1995)
Lou Sanders — English comedian, writer, actress (born 1978)

In stories & tradition

Lou Beale — Fictional character from EastEnders
Lou — Rage of Bahamut (video game)
Lou Foster — Lip Service (TV series)

What Lous become

Among 925 notable people named Lou:

Sports figures appear 2.07× more often than among typical names — e.g. Lou Jeanmonnot, French biathlete (born 1998).

Similar names: Louella · Henrietta · Lottie · Emmylou · Lula · Lennie

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

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