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Just Lou sounds like either an old man or a girl.

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The only male Lou I've met are older guys, and I think it would be weird on a young kid.

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I have seen Lou as a full name on girls, especially as half of a double name like Lou-Ann and Emmy-Lou but also by itself.

lieu

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Lou sounds the same as lieu, so I think of "payment in lieu of notice." It just sounds very much like it is "in the place of" something or someone else.

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With Lewis/Louis he would at least have other options if Lou didn't fit him.

My uncle, born in 1927, is named Lew Alvis. He is named after his grandmother, Lou Anna, who is named after her grandfather Lewis Lucas. I'm not sure if Lou Anna is named after her grandfather's first or last name! Haha! Lou is fine as a stand-alone name although Lou will have to explain his/her name often. I don't think nicknames are necessary, but Louie and Lulu are options.

I love Lou for a boy. It's so retro. In my area, everyone would assume it was short for Louis, but I think just-Lou is fine.

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What an interesting idea, naming a person after a character you wrote! I like that.

I like it, Lou is one of my favorite one syllable names (for either gender). I know several children, all under the age of 8, named Lou as a full name, both boys and girls. So it works perfectly well as a full name.

Don't like it at all, Lewis as a full name

I don't think giving a real person a nickname as their full name is a good idea. It would lead to a lifetime of explanations and would also reduce the possible nns or other variations, forcing the person into an identity that might not suit them. A Catherine could be Cathy, Kitty or Kate as well as Catherine; Kate would be stuck with Kate.

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As a nn for Louis, and for Louise, Lou is pretty unavoidable and uninteresting but harmless.

This message was edited 10/16/2023, 6:48 AM