The Master List - L
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- Lark
Origin:
English bird nameDescription:
Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.
- Leilani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"heavenly flower"Description:
Lyrical, lively and bold, Leilani is a name that feels fresh, floral, and summery. Sharing sounds with the popular Lillian, Layla and Luna, Leilani is a fairly recent addition to the US Top 100.
- Leo
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lion"Description:
Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for thirteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.
- Leocadia
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"splendid brightness"Description:
Leocadia marries a mix of sounds: the strength of a lion, with a rhythmic Latin ending.
- Lettie
Origin:
English, diminutive of Letitia, LatinMeaning:
"joy, gladness"Description:
Lettie, also spelled Letty, is a nickname name not heard in over a century, giving it the patina of a treasured antique. Lettie's style currency is rising with the trend for old-fashioned, down-to-earth nicknames. Lettie is right in step with Lottie, Hettie, Hattie, Josie, and Maisie.
- Levi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"joined, attached"Description:
Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans.
- Liam
Origin:
Irish short form of WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
Liam is the top boys' name in the US, holding the Number 1 spot for the past seven years and also ranking as one of the most popular boys' names around the western world.
- Libra
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"scales, balance"Description:
Appropriate for a girl born between late September and late October, Libra suggests both balance and freedom.
- Liesl
Origin:
German diminutive of ElizabethMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
While we long dismissed Liesl as being stuck in the Alps with Heidi, the Nameberry community has forced us to reconsider. Yes, like Heidi, Liesl is an old German nickname-name that has never quite moved beyond its Alpine image. But the same thing might have been said of Elsa a few years ago, and many other names that once seemed inextricably tied to their countries of origin: think Enzo and Saoirse and Freya and Soren.
- Lilac
Origin:
English, from PersianMeaning:
"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.
- Lilianna
Origin:
Spelling variation of LilianaDescription:
Deriving from "Lilian", as an elaborate form of the flower name, "Lily", Lilianna is a clean and polished spelling for those wanting the pronunciation Lily-Ann-uh.
- Lilo
Origin:
German, diminutive of Liselotte; HawaiianMeaning:
"generous one"Description:
Lilo is the name of the spunky little Hawaiian girl character in the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch-- and is also Lindsay Lohan's nickname. Multi-cultural, it can be found in Hawaiian, German and Hebrew nomenclature.
- Liv
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"life"Description:
The fame of actress and Aerosmith daughter Liv Tyler helped to infuse life into this short but solid Scandinavian name that was chosen for her daughter by Julianne Moore.
- Lochlann
- Lock
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"a fastening (as for a door) operated by a key or a combination"Description:
Interestingly, Locke is a gender-neutral name used only for boys, while word name Lock is so rare it was given to fewer than five children of either gender in the US last year.
- Locke
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"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 nameMeaning:
"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:
IrishMeaning:
"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.
- Lore
- Lorelei
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"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.