Updated May 2023
Across 3 pages
of 3
Hebrew
"joined, attached"
Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. Now it's being…
Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
"man from Lucania"
The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world. That's an astonishing success…
Latin
"lion"
Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for fourteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US. Brave but sparky, Leo has ranked in the Top 20 in the US,…
Greek
Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker. Today, the Luke constellation of names is more popular than ever,…
English
"town by the pool"
Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now,…
French, German
"renowned warrior"
Kate and William shocked the world when they announced that they'd named their third child Louis, or Prince Louis Arthur Charles, to be more precise. But we've been predicting a comeback for this…
English variation of Louis
Lewis is the best spelling to choose if you want this pronounced with the S. It was a Top 100 name in the US from 1880 to 1930, reaching Number 30 in 1880 and while it has declined in use, it has…
"light"
Lucian is a sleeker, more sophisticated version of Lucius that is climbing in tandem with other Lu-starting names. Historically, the name was made famous by the ancient Greek satirist Lucian of…
Leonidas is an ancient name that has started rising again along with centuries-old names such as Augustus and Cato. The original Leonidas was the most famous of Sparta's warriors, sacrificing his…
Variation of Louis, German and French
"renowned warrier"
Celebrated in song—the rock 'n' roll classic "Louie, Louie"—this is a gregarious, friendly spelling of Louis which will hopefully get you the -ee pronunciation you want. A familiar choice in the late…
"young lion"
Lionel is one leonine name that hasn't taken off as cousins Leo and Leonardo have, though it did reenter the Top 1000 in 2010 after several years away; it was at its highest point in the 1920s and…
Irish
"lover"
A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and…
"faithful, loyal"
Loyal is one of the few virtue names suitable for boys, an honorable and principled Boy Scout-esque appellation with a surprisingly long and distinguished history. Loyal was a mid-list name at the…
Diminutive of Lawrence, English from Latin
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Your friendly next-door neighbor...not your baby. Although Larry was once one of the most popular boys' names starting with L , that title now belongs to Liam.
Latinized Greek variation of Hebrew Eleazar
"God is my helper"
Lazarus is a name that looks as if it could possibly be raised from the dead, just like its biblical bearer. Look for it in the next wave of Old Testament revivals that transcend their long-bearded…
Lux, one of the light-filled names that include Lucy and Lucian, broke onto the scene as a girls' name but now it's decidedly gender neutral. In fact, at the last count there were slightly more boys…
Portuguese, Albanian, Vietnamese, Irish, French
"moon; lion; ethics; warrior; light"
Luan is a handsome, unusual boy's name with surprisingly diverse origins. It's a rare Portuguese name meaning "moon", an Albanian name meaning "lion", a Vietnamese name meaning "justice; ethics", and…
Diminutive of Leonard, German
"brave lion"
A nickname of yesteryear that like alongside Reggie, Alby, Archie, and Bertie, is back in consideration. Already in the UK Top 200, a high-ranking choice in Switzerland and a familiar option in The…
"lion-man"
Leander was once an almost unknown name, however, with the popularity of Leo and the rise of Leandro, it now feels like a perfectly accessible alternative to Leon or Alexander. In Greek legend,…
German
"army people"
Once restricted to evangelical Protestants honoring the ecclesiastical reformer and theologian Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant revolution. In more recent times it has been favored by parents…