Lou

The name Lou is a unisex name and serves as a short form of the French names Louis and Louise, which mean 'the famous warrior' and 'the famous warrior woman'.

What does the name Lou mean?

Lou is a short form of Louis and Louise, both of which are French variants of the ancient German name Ludwig. This name has its roots in the Old High German elements 'luot', meaning 'loud, known, famous', and 'wig', which stands for 'battle' or 'war'. Lou is commonly used in both French and English contexts, but is often employed as a nickname for Louis, Lewis, Louise, or Louisa rather than as an independent name. Notable bearers of this name include French actress and singer Lou Doillon and German artist Lou Bega. Variants and diminutives of Lou include Lu, Loulou, and Lulu.

Where does the name Lou come from?

The etymology of the name Lou is Old High German and includes both feminine and masculine forms meaning 'the famous warrior'. The Old High German elements are 'luot' for loud, known, famous and 'wig' for battle, war. This name is prevalent in American English and French.

How do you pronounce Lou?

The pronunciation of Lou is simple and concise. In German, the name is typically pronounced with a long U sound as 'Lou' [luː]. Its monosyllabic nature gives the name a clear and modern aura, lending it a calm presence.

When is the name day of Lou?

The name day for Lou is celebrated on March 15, June 21, July 24, October 17, and December 18.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Lou enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 169th among the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2022 at rank 132. Over the past ten years, Lou has been given as a first name approximately 3,800 times, placing it 177th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 198th.

Nicknames & pet names

Lo / Lolo / Lolu / Loo / Loui / Louie / Louis / Loule / Louleinchen / Louli / Loulou / Loupi / Louy / Lu / Lula / Lulu / Lunes

Similar first names

Lo, Lu

Famous people

• Ann-Lou Jorgensen (Danish badminton player)
• Betty Lou Gerson (American actress)
• Carol Lou Trio (American musician)
• Clara Lou Sheridan (American actress)
• Emma Lou Diemer (British composer)
• Emma Lou Thayne (American writer)
• Jean-Lou Treboux (Swiss jazz musician)
• Lou Anders (American writer)
• Lou Andreas-Salomé (first female psychoanalyst and writer)
• Lou Ann Walker (American writer)
• Lou Barlow (American musician)
• Lou Bega (singer)
• Lou Bennett (Australian actress)
• Lou Berberet (American baseball player)
• Lou Bevil (American baseball player)
• Lou Blackburn (American jazz musician)
• Lou Brock (American film producer)
• Lou Carter (American jazz musician)
• Lou Charmelle (French actress)
• Lou Diamond Phillips (American actor)