Lou
Lou is given to both girls and boys: 65 girls and 81 boys were given it in 2025 (#2,674 among girls’ names and #1,929 among boys’, #2,754 among all names counting both); 38,198 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026). Boys have outnumbered girls among babies named Lou every year since 2025.
An estimated 17,600 Americans named Lou and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (46% of everyone recorded); the median is 70 years old and half are between 63 and 76.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Lou by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Lou mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Lou is “a diminutive of the female given names Louisa and Louise; often also used as a middle name.”
Also “a diminutive of the male given name Louis.”
/luː/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Lou?
#2,674 among girls’ names, 2025
Lou rose from #4,807 in 2015 to #2,674 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born rose from 16.2 to 40.4 per million.
1,547 babies in 1954, the peak
Lou peaked in 1954, when 1,547 babies were given it (1,495 girls, #204 among girls’ names). The 146 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 9% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2,674 | 81 | #1,929 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2,521 | 70 | #2,125 |
| 2023 | 69 | #2,575 | 74 | #2,039 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2,772 | 76 | #2,012 |
| 2021 | 54 | #3,053 | 61 | #2,289 |
| 2020 | 43 | #3,527 | 58 | #2,339 |
| 2019 | 40 | #3,759 | 44 | #2,835 |
| 2018 | 39 | #3,822 | 32 | #3,484 |
| 2017 | 30 | #4,650 | 37 | #3,166 |
| 2016 | 35 | #4,207 | 45 | #2,709 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 29 | #4,807 | 38 | #3,059 |
| 2014 | 22 | #5,907 | 27 | #3,851 |
| 2013 | 15 | #8,010 | 24 | #4,134 |
| 2012 | 18 | #7,041 | 18 | #5,163 |
| 2011 | 16 | #7,651 | 27 | #3,853 |
| 2010 | 11 | #10,199 | 16 | #5,629 |
| 2009 | 5 | #19,025 | 22 | #4,524 |
| 2008 | 6 | #16,653 | 13 | #6,627 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,735 | 13 | #6,480 |
| 2006 | 9 | #12,013 | 20 | #4,615 |
| 2005 | 14 | #8,152 | 21 | #4,276 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,374 | 16 | #5,153 |
| 2003 | 10 | #10,117 | 10 | #7,037 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11,736 | 13 | #5,597 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,599 | 20 | #4,050 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,383 | 11 | #6,161 |
| 1999 | 6 | #13,677 | 8 | #7,578 |
| 1998 | 8 | #10,706 | 11 | #5,686 |
| 1997 | 7 | #11,543 | 14 | #4,591 |
| 1996 | under 5 | 14 | #4,524 | |
| 1995 | under 5 | 13 | #4,689 | |
| 1994 | 7 | #11,258 | 20 | #3,409 |
| 1993 | 10 | #8,427 | 14 | #4,365 |
| 1992 | 9 | #9,183 | 19 | #3,407 |
| 1991 | 6 | #12,425 | 24 | #2,787 |
| 1990 | 12 | #7,132 | 24 | #2,741 |
| 1989 | 13 | #6,371 | 18 | #3,275 |
| 1988 | 11 | #6,914 | 10 | #4,634 |
| 1987 | 13 | #5,790 | 16 | #3,140 |
| 1986 | 13 | #5,622 | 11 | #4,023 |
| 1985 | 12 | #5,884 | 19 | #2,659 |
| 1984 | 19 | #4,094 | 19 | #2,585 |
| 1983 | 18 | #4,205 | 13 | #3,344 |
| 1982 | 29 | #3,060 | 22 | #2,312 |
| 1981 | 30 | #2,954 | 16 | #2,844 |
| 1980 | 19 | #4,078 | 23 | #2,257 |
| 1979 | 40 | #2,366 | 25 | #2,080 |
| 1978 | 38 | #2,372 | 25 | #1,998 |
| 1977 | 43 | #2,177 | 17 | #2,613 |
| 1976 | 48 | #1,896 | 20 | #2,298 |
| 1975 | 49 | #1,864 | 21 | #2,175 |
| 1974 | 63 | #1,543 | 19 | #2,243 |
| 1973 | 92 | #1,181 | 29 | #1,636 |
| 1972 | 101 | #1,108 | 25 | #1,803 |
| 1971 | 134 | #955 | 38 | #1,392 |
| 1970 | 159 | #849 | 40 | #1,325 |
| 1969 | 165 | #803 | 29 | #1,514 |
| 1968 | 169 | #770 | 32 | #1,379 |
| 1967 | 171 | #754 | 29 | #1,430 |
| 1966 | 186 | #725 | 39 | #1,211 |
| 1965 | 225 | #657 | 33 | #1,349 |
| 1964 | 277 | #599 | 48 | #1,105 |
| 1963 | 382 | #496 | 38 | #1,266 |
| 1962 | 396 | #487 | 47 | #1,129 |
| 1961 | 473 | #447 | 54 | #1,062 |
| 1960 | 593 | #389 | 64 | #948 |
| 1959 | 706 | #358 | 57 | #1,023 |
| 1958 | 851 | #314 | 67 | #931 |
| 1957 | 884 | #309 | 72 | #894 |
| 1956 | 1,066 | #259 | 54 | #1,024 |
| 1955 | 1,225 | #232 | 49 | #1,080 |
| 1954 | 1,495 | #204 | 52 | #1,041 |
| 1953 | 1,434 | #208 | 36 | #1,254 |
| 1952 | 569 | #344 | 40 | #1,177 |
| 1951 | 440 | #390 | 55 | #945 |
| 1950 | 414 | #394 | 31 | #1,305 |
| 1949 | 441 | #373 | 35 | #1,221 |
| 1948 | 439 | #379 | 39 | #1,153 |
| 1947 | 510 | #355 | 56 | #949 |
| 1946 | 478 | #343 | 47 | #995 |
| 1945 | 399 | #341 | 48 | #934 |
| 1944 | 463 | #314 | 38 | #1,080 |
| 1943 | 456 | #330 | 39 | #1,097 |
| 1942 | 536 | #293 | 47 | #981 |
| 1941 | 506 | #286 | 39 | #1,043 |
| 1940 | 494 | #281 | 39 | #1,043 |
| 1939 | 502 | #278 | 47 | #911 |
| 1938 | 532 | #274 | 30 | #1,211 |
| 1937 | 539 | #269 | 26 | #1,332 |
| 1936 | 506 | #271 | 26 | #1,309 |
| 1935 | 522 | #269 | 29 | #1,266 |
| 1934 | 559 | #263 | 24 | #1,414 |
| 1933 | 534 | #265 | 38 | #1,066 |
| 1932 | 540 | #270 | 45 | #987 |
| 1931 | 463 | #290 | 40 | #1,074 |
| 1930 | 468 | #306 | 28 | #1,383 |
| 1929 | 474 | #309 | 28 | #1,363 |
| 1928 | 425 | #320 | 44 | #1,051 |
| 1927 | 489 | #304 | 37 | #1,190 |
| 1926 | 417 | #323 | 29 | #1,370 |
| 1925 | 395 | #338 | 41 | #1,101 |
| 1924 | 381 | #349 | 37 | #1,199 |
| 1923 | 343 | #358 | 35 | #1,229 |
| 1922 | 350 | #349 | 40 | #1,130 |
| 1921 | 320 | #377 | 28 | #1,435 |
| 1920 | 336 | #357 | 33 | #1,267 |
| 1919 | 313 | #361 | 21 | #1,673 |
| 1918 | 371 | #335 | 31 | #1,278 |
| 1917 | 338 | #338 | 45 | #975 |
| 1916 | 308 | #351 | 39 | #1,036 |
| 1915 | 285 | #354 | 31 | #1,175 |
| 1914 | 227 | #348 | 38 | #894 |
| 1913 | 199 | #342 | 17 | #1,293 |
| 1912 | 212 | #315 | 22 | #981 |
| 1911 | 153 | #317 | 9 | #1,248 |
| 1910 | 144 | #318 | 18 | #723 |
| 1909 | 140 | #307 | under 5 | |
| 1908 | 147 | #293 | 15 | #701 |
| 1907 | 124 | #313 | 12 | #798 |
| 1906 | 100 | #334 | under 5 | |
| 1905 | 143 | #276 | 13 | #688 |
| 1904 | 117 | #297 | 7 | #1,028 |
| 1903 | 133 | #266 | 11 | #722 |
| 1902 | 121 | #286 | 6 | #1,093 |
| 1901 | 96 | #304 | 7 | #905 |
| 1900 | 140 | #275 | 13 | #717 |
| 1899 | 125 | #253 | 13 | #569 |
| 1898 | 156 | #236 | 10 | #725 |
| 1897 | 114 | #267 | 13 | #601 |
| 1896 | 130 | #247 | 10 | #759 |
| 1895 | 125 | #253 | 9 | #774 |
| 1894 | 118 | #253 | 12 | #615 |
| 1893 | 137 | #223 | 10 | #683 |
| 1892 | 137 | #222 | 9 | #777 |
| 1891 | 109 | #231 | 8 | #740 |
| 1890 | 132 | #210 | 9 | #710 |
| 1889 | 120 | #210 | 17 | #453 |
| 1888 | 169 | #173 | 10 | #679 |
| 1887 | 147 | #167 | 10 | #615 |
| 1886 | 129 | #178 | 9 | #674 |
| 1885 | 135 | #158 | 13 | #537 |
| 1884 | 146 | #145 | 10 | #644 |
| 1883 | 142 | #136 | 11 | #577 |
| 1882 | 131 | #137 | 10 | #627 |
| 1881 | 114 | #138 | 15 | #452 |
| 1880 | 131 | #125 | 14 | #492 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Lou a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 38,198 Americans recorded as Lou, 89% are girls and 11% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Lou: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Lou, and how old are they?
17,600 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 46% of the 38,198 Americans ever recorded as Lou. The median Lou alive today is 70 years old; half are between 63 and 76.
The 2020 Census counted 16,909 people named Lou (10,947 women and girls, 5,962 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 19,879 born in the U.S. The Census count is 15% below that prediction. Possible reasons: people who give a short form or another name to the Census, and a survival estimate that can run high.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 2,750 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 10,800 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 1,950 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 454 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 399 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 1,230 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Lou born?
The states with the most babies named Lou are Texas, North Carolina and Kentucky, with 23% of its births recorded by state since 1910; Kentucky is not among the ten states with the most births.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,078 | #3,604 | 1.5× |
| North Carolina | 1,678 | not ranked | 1.5× |
| Kentucky | 1,462 | not ranked | 1.9× |
| Louisiana | 1,338 | not ranked | 1.9× |
| Mississippi | 1,257 | not ranked | 2.0× |
| Tennessee | 1,254 | not ranked | 1.5× |
| Ohio | 1,170 | not ranked | 0.7× |
| Oklahoma | 1,164 | not ranked | 2.0× |
| Pennsylvania | 1,102 | not ranked | 0.5× |
| California | 1,073 | not ranked | 0.5× |
Where Lou is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Lou is most over-represented in Oklahoma: since 1910 it was given 2.0 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Lou with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 7 names spelled alike, given to 137,310 babies since 1880, Lou is the second most given (28% of them). In 2025 it was given to 146 of their 1,315 babies (11%), again the second most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
More about Lou and names like it
- Compare Lou and LolaBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1950sLou peaked in 1954.
- Texas’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Lou since 1910.
- The top names of 1954The year the most babies were named Lou.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Lou alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with LMost given first.