Total births
4,046
Girls' name · since 1886
Lu
Since 1886, U.S. Social Security records show 4,046 babies named Lu, peaking in 1954. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11146
- among girls today
- 4,046
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Lu is the #11146 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 4,046 recorded since 1886.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Lu has been recorded 4,046 times among girls since 1886, currently ranked #11146 nationally and more common than 37% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2025.
- #11146 among girls today
- 4,046 born since 1886
- 1950s peak decade
- 37% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lu is currently the #11146 girls' name in America, more common than 37% of girls - 4,046 born since 1886, peaking in the 1950s.
- #11146
- among girls today
- 4,046
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other girls
Lu vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#11146
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 37% of names given to girls today.
1950s
Peak decade
50% of everyone ever named Lu was born in this single decade.
1954
Single peak year
394 babies were named Lu in 1954 - its busiest year on record.
How Lu compares
4,046 Top 15% higher than 85% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Lu's all-time total is 11x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lu | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,046 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 394 | 48 | 19,840 |
Lu's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lu's SSA record in two at 1945 and the more recent half accounts for 79% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 21%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1888, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1954 peak of 394, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lu at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1954
Current rank
#11,146
Active since
1886
Lu popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (1954)
- 394
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Lu popularity over time - boys
35 total births recorded since 1918 (Lu as boys' name)
Lu by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Lu's strongest decade.
2,021 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Lu births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 26
1880s
26 births
- 1890s 30
1890s
30 births
- 1900s 33
1900s
33 births
- 1910s 97
1910s
97 births
- 1920s 191
1920s
191 births
- 1930s 323
1930s
323 births
- 1940s 370
1940s
370 births
- 1950s
1950s
2,021 births
- 1960s 747
1960s
747 births
- 1970s 100
1970s
100 births
- 1980s 25
1980s
25 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2010s 36
2010s
36 births
- 2020s 42
2020s
42 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 2,021 births (50% of all-time use).
How Lu compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Lu's total volume
Lu vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Lu by state
Where Lu concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 288 | 7.1% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 235 | 5.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 204 | 5.0% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 183 | 4.5% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 157 | 3.9% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 131 | 3.2% |
| #7 | New York | | 131 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Iowa | | 121 | 3.0% |
Ohio share of Lu's total US births 7.1%
Even split
288 of 4,046 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 32 reporting states.
Lu appears in 32 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lu? ▼
Lu has been given to 4,046 babies in the U.S. since 1886, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #11146 as of the latest data. 394 babies were born in 1954, its single highest year.
When was Lu most popular? ▼
Lu was most popular in the 1950s decade with 2,021 total births. The single peak year was 1954.
Where is Lu most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lu are Ohio (288 births), Pennsylvania (235 births), Texas (204 births).
How long has the name Lu been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Lu since 1886 -- 140 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Lu? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lucy, Lucille, Luna, Lula, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Lu's data
- Lu's decade-level peak was the 1950s (2,021 total births); usage has since declined to 42 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Lus (288 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Lu
Nearby Names Like Lu
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lu
Lucy Girl
#34 236,969 births
Lucille Girl
#274 232,571 births
Luna Girl
#13 87,715 births
Lula Girl
#1942 85,248 births
Lucia Girl
#98 59,335 births
Compare Lu side by side: Lu vs Lucy Lu vs Lucille Lu vs Luna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lu
Tera #11145
9,918 births · Peak 1984
Petronila #11147
69 births · Peak 2020
Isadore #11144
195 births · Peak 1917
Benita #11148
13,669 births · Peak 1961
Dulcie #11143
1,647 births · Peak 1968
Jack #11149
2,734 births · Peak 1928
Eulalie #11142
763 births · Peak 1926
Lolita #11150
8,664 births · Peak 1963
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lu: #11146 Girls' Name - 4,046 Births, Peak 1954." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lu. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Lu draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.