Girl Dog Names That Start With L

This Spanish nickname name — originally short for Dolores — has potential as a full form now that four letter names ending in I have taken off.

Unique and unusual as a nickname and a stand-alone name, Loie is a vintage choice worth reviving. It is traditionally used as a short form of Lois and Louise but would work as a nickname for any Lo- starting name, or even names such as Laura, Eloise, and Charlotte.

Leaf is a hippieish choice that, for girls, still retains an evergreen quality.

Lex is still used mostly for boys, but like Alex, may cross over with the rising popularity of all long forms of the name. Lexi is another, more feminine option.

Lovis is Lovisa's quirkier counterpart — if you're searching for a name that combines Scandinavian style with retro darlings Avis and Mavis, Lovis could be your girl.

In Welsh, Lunet is a form of Luned or Eluned, a saint's name that also appears in Arthurian legend as a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who rescues the knight Owain.

Lissy may be this generation's answer to Missy. It's rare to see Lissy on a birth certificate, but if you pay attention, you may notice it as a nickname for names such as the classic Elizabeth or hot traditional choice Felicity.

Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of meaning!

Lexington is rising as a place name used just about evenly for the genders. For Americans, it's got a patriotic ring, given the importance of Lexington, Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War. Lexington, Kentucky, in horse country, is another famous place with the name.

The feminine form of Loan — which is derived from the saintly name Elouan — gained attention in France thanks to Loana Petrucciani. She was a contestant on the reality TV show Loft Story, the French version of Big Brother.

A close relative of the very popular Leilani, with just a hint of Lulu.

Lovejoy's use as a surname follows that as a nickname. In Medieval times, when many people shared names, nicknames were relied upon to distinguish individuals. Many of these nicknames later became surnames. Lovejoy, from the Middle English love(n) and joie, referred to someone who was affectionate and joyful — although the Oxford Dictionary of American Family Names notes that Lovejoy may have been bestowed ironically, at times.

Everyone will misunderstand it as Lara, but if you're willing to put up with the confusion, this is a truly different yet simple option.

Spunky old vaudeville era nickname name suddenly sounds new again.

It sounds like a modern nature name, but Leafy was coined as a Puritan nickname for the girls' name Relief, which referred to the relief of Christ.

A sparkling and rare option among the names that mean light.

A bit of a tongue-twister.