LILITHfNear Eastern Mythology, Judeo-Christian LegendDerived from Akkadian
lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was
Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by
Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or
Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.
LILLIANfEnglishProbably originally a diminutive of
ELIZABETH. It may also be considered an elaborated form of
LILY, from the Latin word for "lily"
lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
LILOUfFrenchEither a diminutive of French names containing the sound
lee or a combination of
LILI and
LOUISE.
LILYfEnglishFrom the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin
lilium.
LINm & fChineseFrom Chinese
林 (lín) meaning "forest" or
琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.
LINASmLithuanianLithuanian form of
LINUS. This is also the Lithuanian word for "flax" (a cognate of the name's root).
LINCOLNmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally from the name of a city in England, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
LINDAfEnglish, Dutch, German, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Ancient GermanicOriginally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element
lind meaning "flexible, soft, mild". It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word
linda meaning "beautiful".
LINDENmEnglishFrom a German surname which was derived from Old High German
linta meaning "linden tree".
LINDITAfAlbanianMeans "the day is born" in Albanian, from
lind "to give birth" and
ditë "day".
LINDSAYf & mEnglish, ScottishFrom an English and Scottish surname which was originally derived from the name of the region
Lindsey, which means "
LINCOLN island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 1970s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to
Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-).
LINDYm & fEnglishOriginally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of
LINDA.
LINFORDmEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
LINGf & mChineseFrom Chinese
灵 (líng) meaning "spirit, soul",
铃 (líng) meaning "bell, chime", or other Chinese characters which are pronounced similarly.
LINNÉAfSwedishFrom the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.
LINTONmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
LINWOODmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
LIRONm & fHebrewMeans "song for me" or "joy for me" in Hebrew.
LISAfEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, ItalianShort form of
ELIZABETH,
ELISABETH,
ELISABET or
ELISABETTA. This is the name of the subject of one of the world's most famous paintings, the 'Mona Lisa', the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo by Leonardo da Vinci.
LITAfEnglishShort form of names ending in
lita. This name was brought to the public eye in the 1920s due to Lita Grey (1908-1995), who was the second wife of Charlie Chaplin. Her birth name was Lillita Louise MacMurray.
LIV (1)fSwedish, Norwegian, DanishDerived from the Old Norse name
Hlíf meaning "protection". Its use has been influenced by the modern Scandinavian word
liv meaning "life".
LIVIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which may be related to either Latin
liveo "to envy" or
lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.
LIZfEnglishShort form of
ELIZABETH. This is the familiar name of actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-).
LLEUmWelsh MythologyProbably a Welsh form of
LUGUS. In the Mabinogion, Lleu Llaw Gyffes is the son of
Arianrhod. He was raised by his uncle
Gwydion, who helped him overcome the curses that his mother placed upon him.
LLINOSfWelshMeans "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.
LLOYDmEnglishFrom a surname which was derived from Welsh
llwyd meaning "grey". The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) is a famous bearer of this name.
LLYRmWelsh MythologyMeans "the sea" in Welsh. This was the name of the Welsh god of the sea. He possibly forms the basis for the legendary King Lear of the Britons.
LLYWELYNmWelshPossibly a Welsh form of the old Celtic name
Lugubelenus, a combination of the names of the gods
LUGUS and
BELENUS. Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh
llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against England.
LÓEGAIREmIrish Mythology, Ancient IrishMeans "calf herder", derived from Irish
loagh "calf". In Irish mythology Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet
Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
LOGANm & fScottish, EnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from a Scottish place name meaning "little hollow" in Scottish Gaelic.
LOIS (1)fEnglish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly derived from Greek
λωιων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of
Eunice and the grandmother of
Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
LOKImNorse MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly derived from the Indo-European root *
leug meaning "to break". In Norse legend Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and fire. Over time he became more and more evil, and he was eventually chained to a rock by the other gods.
LOMMÁNmIrishMeans "little bare one", derived from Irish Gaelic
lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint
Patrick.
LONmEnglishShort form of
ALONZO and other names containing the same sound. Famous bearers were American actors Lon Chaney Sr. (1883-1930) and Lon Chaney Jr. (1906-1973). The elder's birth name was Leonidas.
LONÁNmIrishMeans "little blackbird", derived from Irish Gaelic
lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix.
LONDONf & mEnglish (Modern)From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).
LONGINUSmAncient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
longus "long". According to Christian legend Saint Longinus was the name of the Roman soldier who pierced
Jesus' side with a spear, then converted to Christianity and was martyred. The name was also borne by the 3rd-century Greek philosopher Cassius Longinus.
LORCÁNmIrishMeans "little fierce one", derived from Irish Gaelic
lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
LOREDANAfItalian, RomanianUsed by the French author George Sand for a character in her novel 'Mattea' (1833) and later by the Italian author Luciano Zuccoli in his novel 'L'amore de Loredana' (1908). It was possibly based on the Venetian surname
Loredan, which was derived from the place name
Loreo.
LORELEIfGermanic MythologyFrom a Germanic name meaning "luring rock". This is the name of a rock headland on the Rhine River. Legends say that a maiden named the Lorelei lives on the rock and lures fishermen to their death with her song.
LORENA (2)fEnglishLatinized form of
LAUREN. This name was first brought to public attention in America by the song 'Lorena' (1856), written by Joseph Webster, who was said to have created the name as an anagram of
LENORE (from the character in Poe's poem 'The Raven').
LORENZOmItalian, SpanishItalian and Spanish form of
Laurentius (see
LAURENCE (1)). Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-1492), known as the Magnificent, was a ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was also a great patron of the arts who employed Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and other famous artists.
LORETOf & mItalian, SpanishFrom the name of a town in Italy, originally called
Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin
Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town.
LORNAfEnglishCreated by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel 'Lorna Doone' (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name
Lorne or on the title 'Marquis of Lorne' (see
LORNE).
LORNEmEnglishFrom the title 'Marquis of Lorne', which was based on the Scottish place name
Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).
LORRAINEfEnglishFrom the name of a region in France, originally meaning "kingdom of
LOTHAR". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of
Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called
Lorraine, or in German
Lothringen (from Latin
Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with
Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
LOT (1)mBiblical, Biblical HebrewMeans "covering, veil" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a nephew of
Abraham. Before Sodom was destroyed by God, he was directed to flee the city without looking back. However, his wife looked back on the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt.
LOT (2)mArthurian RomanceFrom the name of the region of Lothian in southern Scotland, of unknown meaning. A king of Lothian by this name appears in early Latin and Welsh texts (as
Leudonus and
Lewdwn respectively). He was inserted into Arthurian legend by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, who makes him the father of
Gawain.
LOTHARmGerman, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Chlodochar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements
hlud "famous" and
hari "army". This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish king, the son of Louis I, who ruled the region called
Lorraine. It was also borne by medieval kings of France, Italy and the Holy Roman Empire.
LOTUSfEnglish (Rare)From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek
λωτος (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
LOUf & mEnglish, FrenchShort form of
LOUISE or
LOUIS. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).
LOUHIfFinnish MythologyVariant of
LOVIATAR. In Finnish mythology Louhi was another name of the death goddess Loviatar. She appears in the Finnish epic the 'Kalevala' as a witch ruling the northern area known as Pohjola. She is the primary antagonist to the hero
Väinämöinen.
LOUISmFrench, English, DutchFrench form of
Ludovicus, the Latinized form of
LUDWIG. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of
Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as
Ludwig), Hungary (as
Lajos), and other places.
... [more] LOUISAfEnglish, German, DutchLatinate feminine form of
LOUIS. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of 'Little Women'.
LOUPmFrenchFrench form of the Late Latin name
Lupus which meant "wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced
Attila to spare the city.
LOURDESfSpanishFrom the name of a French town. It became a popular center of pilgrimage after a young girl from the town had visions of the Virgin
Mary in a nearby grotto.
LOVE (2)fEnglishSimply from the English word
love, derived from Old English
lufu.
LOWELLmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from a Norman French nickname, from
lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
LUANAfEnglish, Italian, PortugueseFrom the movie 'Bird of Paradise' (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.
LUANNfEnglishEither a combination of
LOU and
ANN or a variant of
LUANA. It was popularized in the 1950s by the singer Lu Ann Simms (1933-2003).
LUBNAfArabicMeans "storax tree" in Arabic. According to a 7th-century legend Lubna and Qays were a couple forced to divorce by Qays's father.
LUCANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
LUCASTAfLiteratureThis name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called 'Lucasta' (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, who he called
lux casta "pure light".
LUCETTAfItalianDiminutive of
LUCE. Shakespeare used this name for a character in his play 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' (1594).
LUCIAfItalian, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
LUCIUS. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings
Lucy or
Luce.