Names Starting with L

gender
usage
Laarni f Filipino, Tagalog
Meaning unknown.
Laban m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew לָבָן (lavan) meaning "white". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rachel and Leah.
Labhrann m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Laurence 1.
Labhrás m Irish
Irish form of Laurence 1.
Laboni f Bengali
From Sanskrit लावण्य (lavanya) meaning "beauty, loveliness, charm".
Lacey f & m English
Variant of Lacy. This is currently the most popular spelling of this name.
Lachesis f Greek Mythology
Means "apportioner" in Greek. She was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. She was responsible for deciding how long each person had to live.
Lachie m Scottish
Diminutive of Lachlan.
LaChina f African American (Rare)
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name China.
Lachlan m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.
Lachlann m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Lochlainn.
Lachtna m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Lachtnae meaning "milk-coloured", from lacht "milk" (borrowed from Latin). This was the name of a great-grandfather of the Irish king Brian Boru.
Lachtnae m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Lachtna.
Laci 1 m Hungarian
Diminutive of László.
Laci 2 f English (Modern)
Variant of Lacy. This name jumped in popularity in 2003 after the media coverage of the murder of Laci Peterson (1975-2002).
Lăcrămioara f Romanian
Means "lily of the valley" in Romanian (species Convallaria majalis). It is derived from a diminutive form of lacrămă "tear".
Lacy f & m English
From a surname that was derived from Lassy, the name of a town in Normandy. The name of the town was Gaulish in origin, perhaps deriving from a personal name that was Latinized as Lascius. Formerly more common for boys in America, this name began to grow in popularity for girls in 1975.
Lada f Slavic Mythology, Czech, Russian, Croatian
Meaning uncertain. This was the name of a Slavic fertility goddess. It can also be a diminutive of Vladislava or Vladimira.
Ladi f Western African, Hausa
From Hausa Lahadi meaning "Sunday" (of Arabic origin).
Ladislao m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Vladislav.
Ladislas m History
Latinized form of Vladislav.
Ladislau m Romanian, Portuguese (Rare)
Romanian and Portuguese form of Vladislav.
Ladislaus m History
Latinized form of Vladislav.
Ladislav m Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian
Czech, Slovak, Slovene and Croatian form of Vladislav.
Ladislava f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak feminine form of Vladislav.
Lado m Georgian
Short form of Vladimer.
LaDonna f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Donna.
Lady f Spanish (Latin American)
From the English noble title Lady, derived from Old English hlæfdige, originally meaning "bread kneader". This name grew in popularity in Latin America after the marriage of Diana Spencer, known as Lady Di, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997.
Lael m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.
Laelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
Lærke f Danish
Means "lark" in Danish.
Laertes m Greek Mythology
Means "gatherer of the people" in Greek. This is the name of the father of Odysseus in Greek mythology. It was later utilized by Shakespeare for a character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), in which he is the son of Polonius. His ultimate duel with Hamlet leads to both of their deaths.
Laëtitia f French
French form of Laetitia.
Lætitia f French
French form of Laetitia.
Laetitia f Late Roman, French
Original Latin form of Letitia, as well as a French variant. This name began rising in popularity in France around the same time that Serge Gainsbourg released his 1963 song Elaeudanla Téïtéïa (this title is a phonetic rendering of the letters in the name Lætitia). It peaked in 1982 as the fourth most common name for girls.
Lage m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Lauge.
Lagina f African American (Rare)
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Gina.
Lagle f Estonian
Means "goose" in Estonian.
Lahja f Finnish
Means "gift" in Finnish.
Laia f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.
Láilá f Sami
Sami variant form of Helga.
Laïla f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic ليلى (see Layla) chiefly used in Northern Africa (using French-influenced orthography).
Laila 2 f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Láilá.
Lailoken m History
From medieval Latin Laloecen, possibly related to Welsh llallo meaning "brother, friend". This name appears in medieval tales about Saint Kentigern, borne by a prophetic madman at the court of Rhydderch Hael. He may form a basis for Myrddin, who is addressed as llallogan by his sister Gwenddydd in the Red Book of Hergest.
Laima f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic Mythology
From Latvian laime and Lithuanian laima, which mean "luck, fate". This was the name of the Latvian and Lithuanian goddess of fate, luck, pregnancy and childbirth. She was the sister of the goddesses Dēkla and Kārta, who were also associated with fate.
Laimutė f Lithuanian
Lithuanian diminutive of Laima.
Laine f Estonian
Means "wave" in Estonian.
Laios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laius.
Laird m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname meaning "landowner" in Scots.
Laius m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Λάϊος (Laios), which is of unknown meaning. This was the name of a king of Thebes in Greek mythology, the husband of Jocasta. Due to a prophecy that he would be killed by his son, Laius left his infant Oedipus for dead. The boy survived but was ignorant of his true parentage. Years later he unwittingly killed Laius in a quarrel on the road.
Lajos m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Louis. It was borne by two Hungarian kings, starting with the 14th-century Lajos I the Great, who was named after his French uncle.
Lake m & f English (Rare)
From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.
Lakeisha f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Keisha. It can be spelled LaKeisha or Lakeisha.
Lakendra f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Kendra. It can be spelled LaKendra or Lakendra.
Lakeshia f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Keshia. It can be spelled LaKeshia or Lakeshia.
Lakisha f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Kisha. It can be spelled LaKisha or Lakisha.
Lakshmana m Hinduism
Means "having lucky marks" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana he is the trusted companion of the hero Rama, accompanying him into exile.
Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Lal m Indian, Hindi, Nepali
Means "boy" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit लल (lala) meaning "playing, caressing".
Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).
Lalage f Literature
Derived from Greek λαλαγέω (lalageo) meaning "to babble, to prattle". The Roman poet Horace used this name in one of his odes.
Lalawethika m Indigenous American, Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Lale f Turkish
Means "tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Laleh f Persian
Means "tulip" in Persian.
Lali f Georgian
Means "ruby" in Georgian, of Sanskrit origin.
Lalia f English (Rare)
Short form of Eulalia.
Lalit m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Masculine form of Lalita.
Lalita f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Thai
Means "playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of one of the playmates of the young Krishna. It is also another name of the goddess Parvati.
Lalitha f Tamil, Indian, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lalita.
Lalka f Bulgarian
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip". It is derived via Turkish from Persian لاله (laleh).
Lalla f Literature
Derived from Persian لاله (laleh) meaning "tulip". This was the name of the heroine of Thomas Moore's poem Lalla Rookh (1817). In the poem, Lalla, the daughter of the emperor of Delhi, listens to a poet sing four tales.
Lallie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Lalage.
Lally f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Lalage.
Lalo m Spanish
Diminutive of Eduardo.
Lamar m English, African American
From a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components la and mar.
Lambaer m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Lambert. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Lambert.
Lambert m German, Dutch, French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements lant "land" and beraht "bright". Saint Lambert of Maastricht was a 7th-century bishop who was martyred after denouncing Pepin II for adultery. The name was also borne by a 9th-century king of Italy who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Lamberto m Italian
Italian form of Lambert.
Lamech m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "to make low" in Hebrew. This is the name of two characters in Genesis in the Old Testament, the first being a descendant of Cain, and the second being a descendant of Seth and the father of Noah.
Lamia 1 f Arabic
Means "shining, radiant" in Arabic.
Lamia 2 f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek λαιμός (laimos) meaning "throat". In Greek mythology this is the name of a queen of Libya who was a mistress of Zeus. Hera, being jealous, kills Lamia's children, causing her to go mad and transform into a monster that hunts the children of others.
Lamija f Bosnian
Bosnian form of Lamia 1.
Lamis f Arabic
Means "soft" in Arabic.
Lammert m Dutch
Dutch variant of Lambert.
Lamont m English, African American
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the medieval Gaelic given name Lagmann, itself from Old Norse lǫgmaðr meaning "law man". This name reached a peak in its American popularity in 1972, the same year that the sitcom Sanford and Son debuted, featuring the character Lamont Sanford (the titular son).
Lamya f Arabic
Means "having beautiful dark lips" in Arabic.
Lan 1 f & m Chinese, Vietnamese
From Chinese (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese meaning "orchid".
Lan 2 m Slovene
Slovene short form of Milan.
Lana f English, Russian, Croatian, Slovene, Georgian
Short form of Alana (English) or Svetlana (Russian). In the English-speaking world it was popularized by actress Lana Turner (1921-1995), who was born Julia Jean Turner.
Lance m English
From the Germanic name Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element land, Old High German lant meaning "land" (Proto-Germanic *landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).
Lancelot m Arthurian Romance
Possibly an Old French diminutive of Lanzo (see Lance). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of Arthur's wife Guinevere, ultimately causing the destruction of Arthur's kingdom. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes: briefly in Erec and Enide and then as a main character in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.
Landebert m Germanic
Old German form of Lambert.
Lando m Italian
Italian form of Lanzo (see Lance).
Landon m English
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "long hill" (effectively meaning "ridge"). Use of the name may have been inspired in part by the actor Michael Landon (1936-1991).
Landric m Germanic
Germanic name derived from the elements lant "land" and rih "ruler, king".
Landry m French
French form of Landric. This name was borne by a few French saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Sées and a 7th-century bishop of Paris.
Landulf m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements lant meaning "land" and wolf meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several Lombard nobles.
Lane m English
From an English surname, meaning "lane, path", which originally belonged to a person who lived near a lane.
Laney f English
Diminutive of Elaine.
Lanford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "long ford" in Old English.
Langdon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Landon.
Langston m English
From an English surname, itself from a place name, derived from Old English lang "long" and stan "stone". A famous bearer was the American author Langston Hughes (1901-1967).
Lành m & f Vietnamese
Means "good, favourable, gentle" in Vietnamese.
Lani f Hawaiian
Means "sky, heaven, royal, majesty" in Hawaiian.
Lanny m English
Diminutive of Lance, Landon and other names beginning with Lan.
Lanzo m Germanic
Old German form of Lance.
Laocoön m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Λαοκόων (Laokoon), derived from λαός (laos) meaning "people" and ἀκούω (akouo) meaning "to hear". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Trojan priest who warned against accepting the wooden horse left by the Greeks. He and his sons were strangled by sea serpents sent by the gods.
Laodice f Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Λαοδίκη (Laodike) meaning "justice of the people", derived from Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek mythology this was the name of several women, notably the daughter of King Priam of Troy. It was also common among the royal family of the Seleucid Empire, being borne by the mother of Seleucus himself (4th century BC).
Laodike f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Original Greek form of Laodice.
Laoghaire m Irish
Modern Irish form of Lóegaire.
Laoise f Irish
Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.
Lapo m Italian
Diminutive of Jacopo.
Laquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements la and quan. It can be spelled LaQuan or Laquan.
Lára f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laura.
Lara 1 f Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian
Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugual, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.
Laraine f English
Variant of Lorraine.
Lari m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Laurence 1 or Hilarius.
Larisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovene, Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as Larissa, with a double s. As a Ukrainian name, it is more commonly transcribed Larysa.
Larissa f English, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of Larisa. It has been commonly used as an English given name only since the 20th century, as a borrowing from Russian. In 1991 this name was given to one of the moons of Neptune, in honour of the mythological character.
Lark f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of songbird.
Larkin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.
Larrie m English
Diminutive of Laurence 1.
Larry m English
Diminutive of Laurence 1. A notable bearer is former basketball player Larry Bird (1956-).
Larunda f Roman Mythology
Possibly connected to Greek λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk, to chatter", or the Latin term Lares referring to minor guardian gods. In Roman mythology Larunda or Lara was a water nymph who was overly talkative. She revealed to Juno that her husband Jupiter was having an affair with Juturna, so Jupiter had Larunda's tongue removed. By the god Mercury she had two children, who were Lares.
Lárus m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laurence 1.
Larysa f Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish
Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish form of Larisa.
Lasha m Georgian
Possibly from a Northwest Caucasian word meaning "light". This was a name of Giorgi IV, a 13th-century king of Georgia.
LaShawn f & m African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Shawn.
Lashay f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements la and shay.
Lashonda f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Shonda. It can be spelled LaShonda or Lashonda.
Lāsma f Latvian
From Latvian lāsmot meaning "to sparkle".
Lassana m Western African
Form of Al-Hasan used in parts of western Africa (especially Mali).
Lasse m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Laurence 1.
Lassi m Finnish
Finnish form of Laurence 1.
Lassie f Literature
From a diminutive of the northern English word lass meaning "young girl", a word probably of Norse origin. This name was used by the author Eric Knight for a collie dog in his novel Lassie Come-Home (1940), later adapted into a popular film and television series.
László m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Vladislav. Saint László was an 11th-century king of Hungary, looked upon as the embodiment of Christian virtue and bravery.
Lata f Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "vine, creeping plant" in Sanskrit.
Latanya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Tanya. It can be spelled LaTanya or Latanya.
Latasha f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Tasha. It can be spelled LaTasha or Latasha.
Lateefah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic لطيفة (see Latifah).
Latheef m Dhivehi
Dhivehi form of Latif.
Lətif m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Latif.
Latif m Arabic, Urdu
Means "gentle, kind" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition اللطيف (al-Latif) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Latifa f Arabic
Feminine form of Latif.
Latifah f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Feminine form of Latif.
Latife f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Latif.
Latona f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Leto.
LaTonya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Tonya.
LaToya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Toya.
Lau m Dutch
Dutch short form of Laurens.
Laudine f Arthurian Romance
Possibly a derivative of Lot 2 (or derived from the same place name). It was used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for a character in his romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Also called the Lady of the Fountain, Laudine married Yvain after he killed her husband.
Lauge m Danish
From a medieval short form of the Old Norse byname Félagi.
Lauma f Latvian, Baltic Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Latvian mythology this is the name of a forest spirit sometimes associated with childbirth and weaving.
Launce m Literature
Short form of Launcelot, a variant of Lancelot. This was the name of a clownish character in Shakespeare's play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Launo m Finnish (Rare)
Possibly a Finnish diminutive of Klaus.
Laura f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, French, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.... [more]
Lauraine f English (Rare)
Variant of Lorraine influenced by the spelling of Laura.
Laure f French
French form of Laura.
Laureen f English
Diminutive of Laura.
Laurel f English
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.
Lauren f & m English
Variant or feminine form of Laurence 1. Originally a masculine name, it was first popularized as a feminine name by actress Betty Jean Perske (1924-2014), who used Lauren Bacall as her stage name.
Laurena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Lauren.
Laurence 1 m English
From the Roman cognomen Laurentius, which meant "from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).... [more]
Laurence 2 f French
French feminine form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Laurene f English
Diminutive of Laura.
Laurens m Dutch
Dutch form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Laurent m French
French form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Laurentia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Laurentine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Laurentinus.
Laurentino m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Laurentinus.
Laurentinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Laurentius (see Laurence 1). Saint Laurentinus was a 3rd-century martyr from Carthage.
Laurențiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Laurenz m German
German form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lauressa f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Laura.
Lauretta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Laura.
Laurette f French
French diminutive of Laura.
Lauri m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Laurids m Danish
Variant of Laurits.
Laurie f & m English, Dutch
Diminutive of Laura or Laurence 1.
Laurine f French
Diminutive of Laure.
Laurissa f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Laura.
Laurita f Spanish
Diminutive of Laura.
Laurits m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lauritz m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lauro m Italian
Italian form of Laurus (see Laura).
Laurus m Late Roman
Original masculine form of Laura.
Laurynas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lavanya f Indian, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil
Means "beauty, grace" in Sanskrit.
Lavender f English (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.
Lavern m & f English
Variant of Laverne.
Laverna f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Laverna was the Roman goddess of thieves and thievery.
Laverne f & m English
From a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess Laverna or the Latin word vernus "of spring".
Lavi m Hebrew
Means "lion" in Hebrew.
Lavina f English
Variant of Lavinia.
Lavinia f Roman Mythology, Romanian, Italian
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.
Lavonne f English
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Yvonne.
Lavr m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Laurus (see Laura).
Lavra f Slovene
Slovene form of Laura.
Lavrenti m Russian, Georgian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лаврентий (see Lavrentiy), as well as the Georgian form.
Lavrentios m Greek
Greek form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lavrentiy m Russian
Russian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lavrenty m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лаврентий (see Lavrentiy).
Law m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.
Lawahiz f Arabic (Rare)
Means "glances" in Arabic.
Lawal m Western African, Hausa
From Arabic أوّل (awwal) meaning "first". It is sometimes added to the name of the first of multiple siblings who share the same given name.
Lawan f Thai
Possibly means "beautiful" in Thai.
LaWanda f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la and the name Wanda. This name has been used in America since the 1910s. It peaked in popularity in 1977, the same year that actress LaWanda Page (1920-2002) finished portraying the character Aunt Esther on the television comedy Sanford and Son. It subsequently faded from the charts.
Lawrence m English
Variant of Laurence 1. This spelling of the name is now more common than Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".
Laxman m Indian, Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मण or Telugu లక్ష్మణ్ (see Lakshman).
Laxmi f & m Indian, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Telugu లక్ష్మి or Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मी (see Lakshmi), as well as the most common Nepali transcription.
Layla f Arabic, English
Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.
Layne m English
Variant of Lane.
Layton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of English towns meaning "town with a leek garden" in Old English. Like similar-sounding names such as Peyton and Dayton, this name began rising in popularity in the 1990s.
Laz m English
Diminutive of Larry.
Lázár m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lazarus.
Lazăr m Romanian
Romanian form of Lazarus.
Lazar m Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Lazarus.
Lazare m French
French form of Lazarus.
Lázaro m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lazarus.
Lazarus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of Λάζαρος (Lazaros), a Greek form of Eleazar used in the New Testament. Lazarus was a man from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha, who was restored to life by Jesus.
Lazer m Yiddish
Yiddish variant of Eliezer. This is the name of a character in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964).
Lazzaro m Italian
Italian form of Lazarus. In the past it was used as an Italian word meaning "leper".
Léa f French
French form of Leah.
Leah f English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Le'ah), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לְאָה (le'ah) meaning "weary". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.... [more]
Léan f Irish
Irish form of Helen.
Leander m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.
Léandre m French
French form of Leander.
Leandro m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Leander.
Léane f French (Modern)
Possibly a combination of Léa and Anne 1.
Leanid m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Leonidas.
Leann f English
Combination of Lee and Ann.
Leanna f English
Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna.
Leanne f English
Combination of Lee and Anne 1.
Leão m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Leo and Leon.
Lear m Literature
Form of Leir used by Shakespeare for the title character of his tragic play King Lear (1606).
Leary m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Laoghaire.
Leatrice f English
Possibly a combination of Leah and Beatrice. This name was first brought to public attention by the American actress Leatrice Joy (1893-1985).
Lebanah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "white" in Hebrew, a poetic name for the moon. This name appears briefly in the Old Testament.
Leberecht m German (Rare)
Means "live rightly" from German lebe "live" and recht "right". This name was created in the 17th century.
Lebogang m & f Southern African, Tswana
Means "be thankful" in Tswana.
Lebohang m & f Southern African, Sotho
Means "be thankful" in Sotho.
LeBron m African American (Modern)
Probably an invented name, though it does coincide with the Spanish surname Lebrón, derived from liebre meaning "hare". This is the name of basketball player LeBron James (1984-).
Lech m Polish, Slavic Mythology
From the name of the Slavic tribe the Lendians, called the Lędzianie in Polish. According to Slavic legend this was the name of the founder of the Polish people. A famous bearer was the Polish president Lech Wałęsa (1943-).
Lechosław m Polish
Derived from the Polish name Lech combined with the Slavic element slava meaning "glory".
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Lee m & f English
From a surname that was derived from Old English leah meaning "clearing". The surname belonged to Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), commander of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In his honour, it has been used as a given name in the American South.
Leeann f English
Combination of Lee and Ann.
Leeba f Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish ליבאַ (see Liba).
Leela f Indian, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Leelo f Estonian
Means "folk song" in Estonian.
Leena f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Helena or Matleena.
Leesa f English
Variant of Lisa.
Leevi m Finnish
Finnish form of Levi.
Lefteris m Greek
Short form of Eleftherios.
Lefty m English
From a nickname, in most cases given to a left-handed person.
Legacy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word, meaning "something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French legacie, itself from Latin legatum "bequest, legacy".
Legend m English (Modern)
From the English word, referring to a story about the past (or by extension, a heroic character in such a story), ultimately from Latin legere "to read".
Legolas m Literature
Means "green leaves" in the fictional language Sindarin, from laeg "green" combined with go-lass "collection of leaves". In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Legolas is the son of the elf lord Thranduil and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
Lehi m Mormon
From an Old Testament place name meaning "jawbone" in Hebrew, so called because it was the site where the hero Samson defeated 1,000 warriors using only the jawbone of a donkey as a weapon. It is also used in the Book of Mormon as the name of a prophet who travels out of Jerusalem and settles in the Americas.
Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.
Lei 1 m & f Hawaiian
Means "flowers, lei, child" in Hawaiian.
Lei 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese (lěi) meaning "pile of stones" (which is typically masculine) or (lěi) meaning "bud" (typically feminine). Other characters can also form this name.