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.
- #2,962 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #11,969 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 4,046
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
Yes -- Lu is the #11969 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 #11969 nationally and more common than 31% 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.
- #2,962 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- #11,969 of 17,297 2025 SSA year
- 4,046 born since 1886
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Lu ranks #2,962 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #11,969 of 17,297 among girls' names in 2025. 4,046 born since 1886, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2,962 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #11,969 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 4,046
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
Lu's 4,046 recorded births place it above 95.9% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
32 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Ohio.
How Lu compares
4,046 Top 15% higher than 85% of 17,297 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 (Kyann) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,046 | 376 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 394 | 21 | 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 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
1950s is the heaviest window (2,021 births, 50% of the file).
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 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% |
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? ▼
Where does Lu sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Lu most popular? ▼
Where is Lu most popular? ▼
How long has the name Lu been used? ▼
What names are similar to Lu? ▼
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
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
Compare Lu side by side: Lu vs Lucy Lu vs Lucille Lu vs Luna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lu
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Lu: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1954)
Similar record span (~139 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.