Baby names starting with L
126 names beginning with L, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Lacey transferred Norman surname de Lacy, from Lassy in Calvados, itself from the Gallo-Roman personal name Lascius
- Lachlan Scottish, from a Gaelic byname meaning from the land of the lochs, first applied to Norse settlers
- Laila from Arabic Layla = 'night', famous from the classical romance of Layla and Majnun; in Scandinavia also a form of the Sami name Laila
- Lailani modern respelling of Hawaiian Leilani, from 'lei' = flowers, garland + 'lani' = sky, heaven, royal; 'heavenly flowers'
- Lainey pet form of Elaine, an Old French form of Helen, from Greek Helene, of uncertain root, variously linked to 'helene' = torch or to 'selene' = moon
- Lakelyn modern American coinage, the English word 'lake' with the -lyn suffix
- Lakelynn modern American coinage, the English word 'lake' with the popular -lynn suffix
- Laken modern American coinage, apparently the word lake extended with the fashionable -en ending; no older documented root as a given name
- Lana either a short form of Alana or of the Slavic Svetlana, or from Hawaiian 'lana' = buoyant, calm; popularized by the actress Lana Turner
- Landen variant of Landon, an English place name and surname from Old English 'lang' = long + 'dun' = hill; 'long hill'
- Landon transferred surname from an English place name, from Old English 'lang' = long + 'dun' = hill; 'long hill'
- Landyn modern respelling of Landon, an English place-name surname = 'long hill', from Old English 'lang' + 'dun'
- Lane surname for someone who lived along a narrow track, from Old English 'lanu' = lane
- Laney diminutive of Elaine or Delaney; Elaine is an Old French form of Helen, a Greek name of debated meaning
- Lara Russian short form of Larisa, itself probably from a Greek city name; carried into English by Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago; a Roman nymph Lara is a separate figure
- Laramie from the American place name Laramie, Wyoming, itself named for the French-Canadian fur trapper Jacques La Ramee
- Larry diminutive of Lawrence, from Latin Laurentius = 'man from Laurentum', a town name linked to 'laurus' = laurel
- Laura from Latin 'laurus' = laurel, the wreath of victory and honor; made famous by the Laura of Petrarch's sonnets
- Laurel from the tree, Latin 'laurus', whose leaves crowned victors and poets
- Lauren feminine form of Laurence, ultimately from Latin 'laurus' = laurel; popularized in the 1940s by the actress Lauren Bacall
- Lavender English flower name, from Old French 'lavendre', from Medieval Latin 'lavendula'; commonly linked to Latin 'lavare' = to wash, from the plant's use in bathing
- Lawrence from Latin Laurentius = 'man of Laurentum', a town south of Rome whose name suggests 'laurus' = laurel
- Lawson surname meaning 'son of Law', Law being a medieval short form of Lawrence
- Layla from Arabic 'layla' = night; carried west by the Persian and Arabic romance of Layla and Majnun, and revived in English by Eric Clapton's song (1970)
- Laylah respelling of Layla, from Arabic 'layl' = night
- Laylani modern American blend of Layla (Arabic 'layla' = night) with the ending of the Hawaiian Leilani ('lani' = heaven, sky); no older documented root
- Layne variant spelling of Lane, an English surname from Old English 'lanu' = a narrow road or lane
- Layton transferred English surname from a place name, from Old English 'leac' = leek + 'tun' = settlement
- Leah from Hebrew Le'ah, of uncertain sense, variously linked to 'la'ah' = to be weary and to a word for wild cow
- Leandro Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Leander, from Greek 'leon' = lion + 'aner', genitive 'andros' = man
- Ledger from the English word for an account book, and behind it the old Germanic name Leodegar, 'leud' = people + 'ger' = spear
- Lee surname from Old English 'leah' = wood, clearing, meadow
- Leela variant of Lila, from Sanskrit 'lila' = play, the divine play of the gods
- Leena variant spelling of Lena, a short form of names such as Helena and Magdalena; also the Finnish form of Helena
- Legacy from the English word for what is handed down, from Latin 'legare' = to bequeath; a modern virtue name
- Legend English word name, from Old French 'legende', from Latin 'legenda' = things to be read, originally the written life of a saint, from 'legere' = to read
- Leia usually explained as a variant of Leah, from Hebrew 'le'ah', perhaps 'weary' or related to an Akkadian word for cow; popularized by Star Wars (1977)
- Leighton transferred English surname, from a place name: Old English 'leac' = leek, herb + 'tun' = enclosure; 'herb garden'
- Leila from Arabic 'layla' = night; brought into English by Byron's eastern poems
- Leilani Hawaiian, 'lei' = garland of flowers + 'lani' = sky, heaven, royal; 'heavenly garland'
- Leilany modern respelling of Leilani, from Hawaiian 'lei' = garland, child + 'lani' = heaven, sky; 'heavenly garland'
- Leland surname from an English place name, Old English 'laege' = fallow, untilled + 'land'
- Lena short form of names ending in -lena such as Helena and Magdalena; used independently across Europe
- Leni German diminutive of Helene or Magdalena
- Lennon from the Irish surname O Leannain, from 'leannan' = lover, sweetheart; used in America in tribute to John Lennon
- Lennox transferred Scottish surname, from the district of Lennox near Loch Lomond, from Gaelic 'leamhanach' = place of elms, from 'leamhan' = elm
- Lenora short form of Eleanora, itself from Eleanor, of uncertain root; kept alive by Burger's ballad Lenore and by Poe's poem of the same name
- Leo from Latin 'leo' = lion; borne by thirteen popes and several early saints
- Leon from Greek 'leon' = lion; also the Latin form Leo, borne by many popes
- Leona feminine of Leo, from Latin 'leo' = lion
- Leonard from the Germanic Leonhard, 'lewo' = lion, borrowed from Latin, + 'hard' = brave, hardy
- Leonardo Italian form of Leonard, from the Germanic 'lewo' = lion, borrowed from Latin, + 'hard' = brave, hardy
- Leonel Spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel, a French diminutive of 'lion'; 'little lion'
- Leonidas Greek Leonidas = 'son of the lion', from 'leon' = lion; the Spartan king who held the pass at Thermopylae
- Leslie Scottish surname from a place in Aberdeenshire, most often read as a garden of hollies; root debated
- Lettie pet form of Letitia, from Latin 'laetitia' = joy, gladness
- Levi from Hebrew Lewi, connected in Genesis with 'lawah' = to join, to attach; 'joined'
- Lewis English form of Louis, from Germanic 'hlud' = famous + 'wig' = war; also a Welsh surname from Llywelyn
- Lexi short form of Alexis or Alexandra, from Greek 'alexein' = to defend
- Leyla Turkish spelling of Layla, from Arabic 'layla' = night
- Leylani respelling of Hawaiian Leilani, from 'lei' = garland of flowers + 'lani' = sky, heaven, royal; 'heavenly flowers'
- Lia Italian and Portuguese form of Leah, from Hebrew Le'ah, of uncertain meaning, possibly 'weary'; also a short form of names ending in -lia
- Liam Irish short form of Uilliam, the Irish form of William, from Germanic 'wil' = will, determination + 'helm' = helmet, protection; the sense is roughly 'guarded by resolve'
- Lian several unrelated sources: Chinese 'lian' = lotus, or 'lian' = upright, incorruptible; also a short form of European names ending in -lian such as Julian and Kilian
- Liana either a short form of names ending in -liana such as Juliana and Emiliana, or from French 'liane' = a climbing tropical vine, from 'lier' = to bind
- Lianna variant of Liana, either a short form of names ending in -liana such as Juliana and Liliana, or from the word 'liana' = climbing vine
- Libby medieval English diminutive of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Liberty English word name, from Latin 'libertas' = freedom
- Lila either Arabic 'layla' = night, or Persian 'lilak' = lilac; a separate Sanskrit 'lila' = play, divine play also feeds the name
- Lilah variant spelling of Lila or Leila, from Arabic 'layla' = night; also used as a short form of Delilah
- Lilian variant of Lillian, an elaboration of Lily, from Latin 'lilium' = lily; sometimes also explained as a diminutive of Elizabeth
- Liliana Latinate elaboration of Lily, from Latin 'lilium' = lily
- Lilith from Hebrew 'lilit', a night creature named in the Book of Isaiah; probably from Akkadian 'lilitu' = night spirit, later associated with Hebrew 'layil' = night
- Lillian probably an elaboration of Lily, from Latin 'lilium', though it may have begun as a pet form of Elizabeth
- Lilliana variant spelling of Liliana, from Latin 'lilium' = lily; also read as an elaboration of Lily
- Lillie variant spelling of Lily, from the flower, Latin 'lilium'
- Lilly variant spelling of Lily, from the flower, Latin 'lilium'; long a Christian symbol of purity
- Lily from the flower, Latin 'lilium', long an emblem of purity; also used as a pet form of Elizabeth
- Lilyana modern elaboration of Lily, from Latin 'lilium' = lily; also used as a variant spelling of Liliana
- Lina short form of names ending in -lina such as Carolina and Angelina; also an Arabic Lina = tender, a young palm tree
- Lincoln surname from the English city, from Brittonic 'lindo' = pool + Latin 'colonia' = settlement; used in America in honour of Abraham Lincoln
- Lionel French diminutive of Leon, from Latin 'leo' = lion; 'little lion'
- Liyana from Arabic 'liyan' = softness, tenderness (root l-y-n = to be soft, gentle); also widely used in Malay and Indonesian
- Liz short form of Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva = 'my God is an oath'
- Lochlan variant of Lachlan, from a Gaelic byname for a Norseman, land of the lochs
- Logan Scottish surname from a place name, from Gaelic 'lagan' = little hollow
- Lola Spanish diminutive of Dolores, from the title Maria de los Dolores = 'Mary of the Sorrows', from Latin 'dolor' = sorrow, pain
- London place name, from the capital of Britain; the city's name is pre-English and probably Celtic, and its meaning is disputed
- Londyn modern respelling of the place name London; the city's name is pre-English and probably Celtic, and its meaning is disputed
- Lorelai variant spelling of Lorelei, the name of a rock on the river Rhine; from Middle High German 'luren' = to lurk, watch + 'ley' = rock, cliff; the siren legend was invented by Clemens Brentano in the early 19th century and made famous by Heinrich Heine
- Lorelei from the Rhine rock Loreley, from Middle High German 'lureln' = to murmur + 'ley' = rock; the siren of Heinrich Heine's 1824 poem
- Lorenzo Italian and Spanish form of Laurence, from Latin Laurentius = 'man of Laurentum', a town whose name suggests 'laurus' = laurel
- Loretta Italian elaboration of Lora and Laura, from Latin 'laurus' = laurel; also associated with the shrine at Loreto
- Lorraine from the region of Lorraine in eastern France, earlier Lotharingia = 'kingdom of Lothar', from Germanic 'hlud' = famous + 'heri' = army
- Lottie pet form of Charlotte, a French feminine diminutive of Charles, from Germanic 'karl' = free man
- Louie English spelling of Louis, from Germanic 'hlod' = fame + 'wig' = war, battle
- Louis French form of the Germanic Chlodovech, also seen as Ludwig, 'hlud' = famous + 'wig' = war; borne by eighteen kings of France
- Louisa Latinate feminine of Louis, from Germanic 'hlud' = famous + 'wig' = war
- Louise French feminine of Louis, from Germanic 'hlud' = famous + 'wig' = war
- Luan Albanian 'luan' = lion; also widely used in Brazil, where it is treated as a modern coinage
- Luca Italian form of Luke, from Greek Loukas = 'man from Lucania', a region of southern Italy
- Lucas Latin form of Luke, from Greek Loukas = 'man from Lucania', a region of southern Italy
- Lucca variant spelling of Luca, the Italian form of Luke, from Latin Lucas = 'man from Lucania'; also a city in Tuscany
- Lucia Latin feminine of Lucius, from 'lux' = light
- Lucian from the Latin Lucianus, a derivative of Lucius, from 'lux' = light
- Luciana Italian and Spanish feminine of Lucianus, from Lucius, from Latin 'lux' = light
- Luciano Italian form of Lucianus, from Lucius, from Latin 'lux' = light
- Lucie French form of Lucy, from Latin 'lux' = light
- Lucille French form of Lucilla, a Latin diminutive of Lucia, from 'lux, lucis' = light
- Lucius Roman praenomen, from Latin 'lux' = light; traditionally given to a child born at daybreak
- Lucy English form of Latin Lucia, feminine of Lucius, from 'lux' = light; traditionally given to a child born at daybreak
- Luella modern American name, a joining of Lou, from Louise, and the -ella ending
- Luis Spanish form of Louis, from Germanic Hludwig, from 'hlud' = famous, loud + 'wig' = war; 'famous in battle'
- Luka Slavic and Georgian form of Luke, from Greek Loukas = 'man from Lucania', a region of southern Italy; popularly, though probably wrongly, linked to Latin 'lux' = light
- Lukas German and Scandinavian form of Luke, from Greek Loukas = 'man from Lucania'
- Luke English form of Greek Loukas = 'man from Lucania', a region of southern Italy
- Luna Latin 'luna' = moon; the Roman goddess of the moon
- Lux Latin 'lux' = light
- Lyam modern respelling of Liam, the Irish short form of William, from Germanic 'wil' = will, desire + 'helm' = helmet, protection
- Lyanna modern literary coinage, from Lyanna Stark in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire; no older documented root
- Lydia Greek, 'woman of Lydia', a wealthy region of western Asia Minor
- Lyla modern respelling of Lila or Leila, from Arabic 'layla' = night; also used as a feminine form of Lyle
- Lylah modern respelling of Lila or Lyla; either from Arabic Layla = 'night' or from Sanskrit 'lila' = play, divine play
- Lyle transferred surname, from Norman French 'de l'isle' = of the island; a name for someone who lived on an island or by a stretch of water
- Lyra from the constellation Lyra, from Latin 'lyra' = lyre, the stringed instrument of Greek myth
- Lyric from the English word for song-like verse, Greek 'lyrikos' = of the lyre
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
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