Names Ending in U for Girls

  1. Lulu
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Louise or Lucy, or Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Lula has a firecracker personality, a singing and dancing extrovert. Interesting that Lulu was a Top 100 name when the Social Security list was born in 1880, but it's been sliding ever since and has not been in the Top 1000 for decades. Modern parents in love with Lulu might well reverse that trend.
  2. Lou
    • Origin:

      Short form of Louise
    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"
    • Description:

      Lou is usually a short form of Louise, Louisa, or Lucy in English-speaking countries, when Lou is used for girls at all. But in France and Germany, it's a fashionable choice all on its own, sure to gain even more widespread style credibility since Heidi Klum and Seal chose it for their daughter.
  3. Zuzu
    • Origin:

      Czech diminutive of Susan
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
    • Description:

      This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.

  4. Lilou
    • Origin:

      Occitan pet form of French Liliane
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
    • Description:

      Lilou is a charming, rarely heard import. Occitan is a language spoken in Provence, in the south of France, in which the suffix "ou" denotes a pet form — thus, Lilou as a short form of Liliane or its Occitan form Liliana or Liliano. Its popularity in France--where it's currently Number 12--can be traced to the 1997 film The Fifth Element.
  5. Bijou
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "jewel"
    • Description:

      Bijou is a name that lives up to its definition -- a real jewel. Warning: not unheard of on poodles' dog collars. Actress Bijou Phillips is its best known bearer. It can also be spelled Bijoux.
  6. Isabeau
    • Origin:

      French variation of Isabel
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist.
  7. Beau
    • Milou
      • Origin:

        Combination of Marie and Lou or Louise
      • Description:

        Milou and her near-identical twin Malou are adorable names popular throughout Europe; they're contractions of Marie or Mary and Lou or Louise. The Malou spelling will probably be easier for English speakers to pronounce; Milou may be conflated with Milo.
    • Yuyu
      • Origin:

        Japanese
      • Meaning:

        "gentle friend; dream friend"
      • Description:

        Cute and nicknamey girl name with a great meaning to boot.
    • Malou
      • Origin:

        Combination of Mary and Lou
      • Meaning:

        "bitter; renowned warrior"
      • Description:

        This charming name, popular in France and the Netherlands, has not traveled to the U.S. yet but would make a modern way to honor grandma Mary or Louise, or as a perfect short form of Mary Louise. Or, with the growing fashion for nickname names, it can stand perfect well on its own. One of several similar variations — Lou, Lilou, Louane — in vogue in Europe.
    • Tu
      • Origin:

        French, intimate form of "you"
      • Meaning:

        "you"
      • Description:

        The onetime star of "Northern Exposure" named his daughter Tu Morrow. Think about it.
    • Mirabeau
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "wonderful, miraculous"
      • Description:

        The grandiose name of a French revolutionary – in full: Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau. Mirabeau likely derives from Latin mirabilis, making it a masculine cousin of Mirabelle.
    • Bleu
      • Origin:

        French
      • Meaning:

        "blue"
      • Description:

        The middle name of the Travoltas' Ella, this French color alternative hasn't caught on with many other parents.
    • Fatou
      • Origin:

        West African variation of Fatima, Arabic
      • Meaning:

        "captivating, a woman who abstains"
      • Description:

        Fatou and its long form Fatoumata are variations of the popular Muslim name Fatima, who was one of four perfect women cited by the Quran.
    • Nanou
      • Juneau
        • Origin:

          Place-name
        • Description:

          Juneau, the name of the city in Alaska, has rightfully taken a back seat as a name to the classic Juno. Most famous reference: When the pregnant teenager is introduced in the movie "Juno," the prospective adoptive father says, "Oh, like the city in Alaska." Juno takes a deep breath and then says simply, "No."
      • Nilou
        • Origin:

          Variation of Niloufar, Persian
        • Meaning:

          "water lily, lotus"
        • Description:

          This delightful, lovable Persian name is typically reserved as a nickname for Niloufar. It rhymes with Lilou, the utterly charming French nickname.
      • Liu
        • Origin:

          Chinese
        • Meaning:

          "willow tree"
        • Description:

          Commonly associated with Chinese supermodel Liu Wen.
      • Philou
        • Origin:

          Dutch
        • Meaning:

          "love"
        • Description:

          This Dutch name stems from the Greek root word "philos" meaning "love". It is relatively common in the Netherlands.
      • Malu
        • Origin:

          Hawaiian
        • Meaning:

          "peace"
        • Description:

          Malu is a charming Hawaiian name chosen by ex-Talking Head David Byrne for his daughter. Malu might also be an abbreviated form of Malou, which is an abbreviated form of Mary Louise. Malu or Malou might be a retro-chic nickname for a child given the family names of Mary and/or Louise.