vintage girl names begging to be rediscovered

Lotus

Greek

"lotus flower"

A flower name containing both beauty and power, Lotus has significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism, symbolizing purity, grace and spiritual growth — not to mention a familiar yoga position. In…

Lou

Short form of Louise

"renowned warrior"

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…

Lovell

Lovell is a feminine name with Anglo-Norman origins, though it can also be used for boys. Derived from the Old French 'louvel', meaning 'little wolf', it was originally a diminutive form of the word…

Lovella

Feminine of Lovell

"wolf"

Lovella is most likely a feminine variation on Lovell, a surname. While it feels one of the invented-yet-antiquated girls' names , has the obvious attraction of containing the word "love" within it,…

Lovina

Lovina is a feminine name with several possible origins. It may be derived from Latin 'lovina' relating to love, or could be a variant of Lavinia, an ancient Roman name associated with Latin…

Loy

Loy as a feminine name is an uncommon short form that may derive from several sources. It could be a diminutive of Loyola, connected to St. Ignatius of Loyola, or a variant of Lois, which has Greek…

Loyola

Spanish surname

Loyola is a Spanish surname occasionally used as a first name for girls. This is most likely in honor of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. Loyola O'Connor was an American silent film…

Lucetta

English elaboration of Lucia or Lucy

"light"

Lace-hankie name with Shakespearean pedigree.

Lucette

French diminutive of Lucy

"little light"

Popular in the 1930s in France, this is a diminutive of Lucy (or Lucie).

Lucinda

English, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Lucia

"light"

Lucinda, an elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his 1605 novel Don Quixote , is a pleasingly pretty alternative to Lucy. It was subsequently used by Moliere in his play The Doctor in Spite…

Lucine

Armenian, English, French

"moon; light; grove, light"

Sweet and stylish, Lucine is a versatile choice that can be used as a spelling variation of the celestial Armenian name Lusine. It is equally considered an elaboration of the classic Lucy and as a…

Luetta

Luetta is a feminine name that emerged as a diminutive form of Louise or Lou. It combines elements of Lou with the feminine suffix -etta, creating a delicate and melodious sound. The name has…

Lula

Diminutive of any Lu name

Lula is one of the livelier nickname-names with the fashionable double-L sound: It joins Lulu, Lila, Lily, and Lou among the trendiest names today. Lula might be short for Talula and sisters or for…

Lunette

Lunette is a delicate feminine name with French origins, derived from 'lune,' meaning 'moon.' The '-ette' suffix adds a diminutive quality, essentially meaning 'little moon.' This celestial…

Lynell

Lynell is a feminine name with a modern sound but vintage origins, likely developing as a creative variation of names like Lynn, Lynette, or Linell. The first element may connect to the Welsh word…