littlesharks's list of names

  1. Lavinia
    • Origin:

      Latin, from ancient place name Lavinium
    • Description:

      Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the mother of the Roman people.
  2. Layla
    • Origin:

      Variation of Leila, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "night"
    • Description:

      A lovely musical name (remember the old Eric Clapton-Derek & the Dominos song?), Layla's seen a significant surge in popularity, partly partly all names with a double L are stylish, and partly because all the forms of the name push it into the Top 15 for girls.
  3. Lazarus
    • Origin:

      Latinized Greek variation of Hebrew Eleazar
    • Meaning:

      "God is my helper"
    • Description:

      Lazarus is a name that looks as if it could possibly be raised from the dead, just like its biblical bearer. Look for it in the next wave of Old Testament revivals that transcend their long-bearded images, the way Noah, Moses, and Abraham have for this generation.
  4. Lenore
    • Origin:

      German variation of Leonora, Italian derivative of Eleonora, meaning unknown
    • Description:

      A "modernization" of Leonora that has suddenly come back on the radar along with the many other Leo names--both male and female. With literary cred via a famous eponymous poem by Edgar Allan Poe (and also in his even more famous The Raven,) Lenore was steadily in the top half of the popularity list until the mid-fifties, falling off in 1973. Cameron Diaz played a Lenore in The Green Hornet.
  5. Lethe
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "oblivion"
    • Description:

      In Greek mythology, Lethe was the name of one of the five rivers in Hades, the underworld. Lethe was also the name of the Greek spirit of forgetfulness and oblivion, with whom the river was often identified.
  6. Lethia
    • Leticia
      • Ligeia
        • Origin:

          Greek
        • Meaning:

          "clear-voiced, whistling"
        • Description:

          One of the Sirens in Greek mythology, Ligeia was also the title character in an Edgar Allan Poe story. The mythological Ligeia was half-bird, half-woman. Spelling may also be Lygeia or Ligia.
      • Lilac
        • Origin:

          English, from Persian
        • Meaning:

          "bluish or lilac"
        • Description:

          Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well, providing a ready made nursery theme. In addition, the lilac is symbolic of first love.
      • Liliana
        • Origin:

          Italian and Spanish variations of Lilian
        • Meaning:

          "lily, a flower"
        • Description:

          Frilly and fit for a princess, but with plenty of spark and flair, Liliana holds international appeal and a modern glamor. Joining Lily and Lillian in the US Top 100 for the first time in 2022, Liliana is a fast-rising choice for girls.
      • Lilibet
        • Origin:

          Nickname of Elizabeth, Hebrew
        • Meaning:

          "pledged to God"
        • Description:

          Lilibet is the fanciful short form of Elizabeth first noted as the childhood nickname of Britain's queen and now made contemporary as the name of the newborn daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — aka Harry and Meghan. The nickname Lilibet originally derived from Elizabeth II's first pronunciation of her own name.
      • Lilita
        • Origin:

          Latvian
        • Meaning:

          "of the night"
        • Description:

          Latvian variant of Lilith
      • Lilith
        • Origin:

          Assyrian, Sumerian
        • Meaning:

          "ghost, night monster"
        • Description:

          Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning "of the night." In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him. Lilith is unrelated to most other Lil- names, with the exception of Lilita, which is the Latvian variation.
      • Lillian
        • Origin:

          English from Latin
        • Meaning:

          "lily; pledged to God"
        • Description:

          Lillian has ranked among the US Top 50 for the past 20 years, making it Lily's less popular but more grownup cousin.
      • Lily
        • Origin:

          English flower name
        • Meaning:

          "lily"
        • Description:

          Lily is the most popular of the popular delicate century-old flower names now making a return, thanks to its many irresistible attributes: a cool elegance and a lovely sound, a symbol of purity and innocence, and a role in Christian imagery.
      • Litha
        • Locke
          • Origin:

            English
          • Meaning:

            "enclosure or fortified place"
          • Description:

            Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong one-syllable name is theoretically gender-neutral.
        • Loki
          • Origin:

            Norse mythological name
          • Meaning:

            "lock"
          • Description:

            Loki is the shape-shifting, gender-bending god of mischief in Norse mythology. Taking several animal forms, from a salmon to a seal to a fly, Loki is alternately friend and foe of the gods.
        • Lorcan
          • Origin:

            Irish
          • Meaning:

            "little, fierce"
          • Description:

            Lorcan is a name rich in Irish history as belonging to several kings, including the grandfather of the most famous high king of Ireland, Brian Boru. Lorcan O'Toole, known in English as Laurence O'Toole, is the patron saint of Dublin, so it's not too surprising that Irish-born actor Peter O'Toole named his son Lorcan.
        • Lorelei
          • Origin:

            German
          • Meaning:

            "alluring, temptress"
          • Description:

            The lovely Lorelei, a name from old German legend, was a beautiful Rhine River seductress whose haunting voice led sailors to hazardous rocks that would cause them to be shipwrecked. And this siren image clung to the name for ages.