$Unique_ID{PAR00379}
$Font{NP}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Names for Girls:  L}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Harder, Kelsey}
$Subject{Names Girls L}
$Log{}

The Ultimate Baby Name Book


Names for Girls:  L


La Verne (see Laverne)

Laetitia (see Letitia)

Lakeisha           Origin unknown.  This name is very popular with
                   Black-Americans.  It may be derived by adding La- to the
                   name Keisha.  Other popular La- names include Lashawn,
                   Latanya, Latasha, Latonya, Latisha, Latoya, and Latrice
                   that seem to have been formed by adding the prefix to a
                   popular name.

Lala               Slavic "tulip."

Lalia              Feminine form of Latin Laelius, "fair speech"; also,
                   variation of Hebrew Laila.
      Variations:  Laelia, Leha, Lelah, Lelia (Greek)

Lana               Variation of Alana, Alanna, or Helen.
    Famous names:  Lana Turner (actress)
                   Lana Wood (actress)
  Other spelling:  Lanna
       Variation:  Alana

Lanette (see Linette)

Lanna (see Alana, Alanna, Lana)

Lara               Latin "shining."  This has long been a popular name for
                   girls in Russia.  Actress Julie Christie played Lara in the
                   movie version of Boris Pasternak's Dr. Zhivago.  The
                   popular song from the movie "Lara's Theme" brought this
                   name to the attention of parents in the United States.
       Variation:  Clara

Laraine            Form of Lorraine.
     Famous name:  Laraine Day (actress)
      Variations:  Larina, Larine

Larina (see Laraine)

Larine (see Laraine)

Latoya             Origin unknown.  Like Lakeisha, this name seems to be a
                   new name that was made by adding La- to another name.
     Famous name:  LaToya Jackson (singer)

Laura              Feminine form of Lawrence, Latin "laurel."  The Romans
                   believed that a laurel wreath could protect them from
                   lightning.  They also used it as a symbol of victory.
                   Laura was a familiar name in England by the twelfth century
                   and inspired many variations, most of which are unused
                   today, including Laurinda and Lorinda.  In 1327, Petrarch
                   caught sight of Laure de Noves in a church in Avignon.  He
                   maintained that seeing her made him a poet, and the famous
                   sonnets Petrarch wrote for his beloved Laura immortalized
                   the name.  In the movie Laura, Dana Andrews is mesmerized
                   by the portrait of Gene Tierney.  Laura is also the name of
                   Amanda's daughter in Tennessee Williams' The Glass
                   Menagerie.
    Famous names:  Laura Branigan (singer)
                   Laura Dern (actress)
                   Laura Ingalls Wilder (writer)
       Nicknames:  Laurie, Lori, Lorie, Lorrie
      Variations:  Laure (French), Laurel, Laurella, Laureen, Laurelle,
                   Lauren, Laurena, Laurentia (Latin), Lauretta, Laurette
                   (French), Laurice, Laurinda, Lauvelle, Lawrena, Lora,
                   Loralie, Lorelle, Loreen, Loren, Lorena, Lorene, Lorenza
                   (Italian), Loretta, Lorette, Lorine, Lorita, Lorna, Lorry,
                   Loulou (French)

Laure (see Laura)

Laureen (see Laura)

Laurel             Feminine form of Lawrence, Latin "laurel."  The ancient
                   Greeks crowned the winners of certain games, as well as
                   some office holders, with laurel wreaths.
     Famous name:  Laurel Hurley (soprano)
       Variation:  Laura

Laurella (see Laura)

Laurelle (see Laura)

Lauren             Feminine form of Lawrence.
    Famous names:  Lauren Bacall (actress)
                   Lauren Hutton (actress)

Laurena (see Laura, Lorena)

Laurentia (see Laura)

Lauretta (see Laura)

Laurette           Variation of Laura.
     Famous name:  Laurette Taylor (actress)

Laurice (see Laura)

Laurie             Form of Laura.
     Famous name:  Laurie Anderson (performance artist)

Laurinda           Form of Laura.

Lauvelle (see Laura)

Laverine (see Laverne)

Laverne            French "person from Vernon"; also, French vernis,
                   "springlike."
      Variations:  Laverine, La Verne, Lavina, Vern, Vina, Vinya

Lavetta (see Lavinia)

Lavette (see Lavinia)

Lavina (see Laverne, Lavinia)

Lavine (see Lavinia)

Lavinia            Lavinia is the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas in Vergil's
                   Aeneid.  The town of Lavinium was said to be named in her
                   honor.  In literature, George Bernard Shaw made Lavinia his
                   heroine in Androcles and the Lion, and Lavinia Mannon is
                   the heroine of playwright Eugene O'Neill's tragedy Mourning
                   Becomes Electra.
     Famous name:  Lavinia Fontana (artist)
       Nicknames:  Vinnie, Vinny
      Variations:  Lavetta, Lavette, Lavina, Lavine

Lawrena (see Laura)

Layla (see Leila)

Lea                Old English "meadow"; also, a variation of Leah.
     Famous name:  Lea Thompson (actress)
 Other spellings:  Lia, Liah
      Variations:  Lee, Leigh, Lelia

Leah               Hebrew "weary."  In the Bible, Leah is the sister of Rachel
                   and the first wife of Jacob.
 Other spellings:  Lea, Lia, Liah
      Variations:  Lee, Leigh

Leana (see Liana)

Leandra            Latin "like a lioness."
      Variations:  Leoarrie, Leodora, Leoine, Leoline, Leona, Leonelle

Leanne             Combination of Leah and Anne

Leanor (see Eleanor)

Leda               Form of Letitia.  In Greek mythology, Leda is the mother of
                   four famous children:  Helen of Troy, Castor, Pollux, and
                   Clytemnestra.  Helen was the child of Leda and Zeus, who
                   seduced her by appearing to her as a swan.  The Irish poet
                   William Butler Yeats wrote the stunning poem "Leda and the
                   Swan" about this mythological event.

Lee                Variation of Lea and Leah.  Lee can be used as a nickname
                   for most names beginning with L-.
    Famous names:  Lee Grant (actress and director)
                   Lee Remick (actress)
                   Lee Radziwill Ross (celebrity)
      Variations:  Ashley, Aurlia, Beverley

Leesa (see Lisa)

Leetice (see Letitia)

Leia (see Leila)

Leigh              Variation of Lea or Leah.
     Famous name:  Leigh Taylor-Young (actress)

Leila              Persian Layla, "dark night."  This is a very popular name
                   in Middle Eastern countries, most likely because of its
                   roots in Arabian romance literature.  The English poet
                   George Gordon, Lord Byron, who had a propensity for using
                   unusual names, chose it for two of his works, Don Juan and
                   The Giaour.  Actress Carrie Fisher played Princess Leia in
                   the Star Wars trilogy.
     Famous name:  Leila Hyams (actress)
      Variations:  Layla, Leia, Leilah (Arabic), Lela, Lelah, Lelia, Lila

Leilah (see Leila)

Leilani            Hawaiian "heavenly sky."

Lela, Lelah (see Leila)

Lelia (see Lea, Leila)

Lena               Greek "light" or Hebrew "sleep"; also, a variation of
                   Adeline, Arlene, Helen, or Madeline.
    Famous names:  Lena Horne (singer)
                   Lena Olin (actress)
                   Lina Wertmuller (movie director)
  Other spelling:  Lina
      Variations:  Lenis, Magdelena

Lene (see Arlene)

Lenis (see Lena)

Lenka (see Helen)

Lenora (see Helen, Leonora)

Lenore             Variation of Eleanor, Helen, and Leonora.  Edgar Allan
                   Poe uses this name in his often-memorized poem "The Raven."
    Famous names:  Lenore Cox (writer)
                   Lenore Kandel (poet)

Leoarrie (see Leandra)

Leocadia (see Leona)

Leodora (see Leandra)

Leoine (see Leandra, Leona)

Leola (see Leona)

Leoline (see Leandra, Leona)

Leolyn (see Leona)

Leona              Feminine form of Leon, Latin "lion."
      Variations:  Leandra, Leocadia (Spanish), Leoine, Leola, Leoline,
                   Leolyn, Leone, Leonella, Leonelle, Leonie (French),
                   Leontine, Leontyne

Leone (see Leona)

Leonella (see Leona)

Leonelle (see Leandra, Leona)

Leonie (see Leona)

Leonora            Form of Eleanor and Helen.  In Beethoven's opera
                   Fidelio, Leonora assumes the name Fidelio.  Beethoven
                   wrote four different overtures for this opera, and three
                   are entitled Leonora.  The third Leonora Overture is the
                   best known.
     Famous name:  Leonora Carrington (writer)
      Variations:  Lenora, Lenore, Leonore

Leonore (see Helen, Leonora)

Leontine (see Leona, Leontyne)

Leontyne           Feminine form of Leo, Latin "lion."
     Famous name:  Leontyne Price (soprano)
      Variations:  Leona, Leontine

Leora (see Helen)

Lesley             Feminine form of Leslie, Old English "from Leichester."
                   Robert Burns wrote a poem about a bonny Scottish lass named
                   Lesley, but this name was not used for girls in England and
                   the United States until recently.
 Other spellings:  Lesli, Leslie, Lesly
       Variation:  Lezlie

Lesli (see Lesley)

Leslie             Variation of Lesley, formerly a masculine spelling.
     Famous name:  Leslie Caron (actress)

Lesly (see Lesley)

Leta (see Letitia)

Letice (see Letitia)

Leticia (see Letitia)

Letitia            Latin laetitia, "gladness."  While this version of Laetitia
                   is only a few centuries old, an earlier version, Lettice,
                   belonged to a woman who caused a scandal in Elizabethan
                   England.  Lord Robert Dudley, later the earl of Leicester,
                   had long been the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I.  When she
                   discovered that Robin, as she called him, had secretly
                   taken a second wife, Lettice Knollys, it nearly broke her
                   heart, and he nearly lost his head.
     Famous name:  Letitia Baldrige (hostess)
  Other spelling:  Leticia
       Nicknames:  Lettie, Letty, Tish, Tisha, Titia
      Variations:  Laetitia, Leda, Leetice (French), Leta, Letice, Letizia
                   (Italian), Lettice, Tisa

Letizia (see Letitia)

Lettice (see Letitia)

Lettie (see Letitia, Letty)

Letty              Variation of Letitia; also, a form of Alice.
     Famous name:  Letty Cottin Pogrebin (writer)
  Other spelling:  Lettie

Lexi, Lexie (see Alexandra)

Lexine (see Alexandra)

Lezlie (see Lesley)

Lia (see Aurelia, Leah)

Lia (see Lea)

Liah (see Lea, Leah)

Liana              From the French Liane, "climbing vine."  In the United
                   States, this is a very unusual name, although filmmaker
                   John Sayles used it for the title character of his movie
                   Lianna.
  Other spelling:  Lianna
      Variations:  Leana, Liane (French), Lianne

Liane (see Liana)

Lianna (see Liana)

Lianne (see Liana)

Libby              Variation of Elizabeth.
     Famous name:  Libby Holman (actress)

Licia (see Alicia)

Liddy (see Lydia)

Lidia (see Lydia)

Lidija (see Lydia)

Lil (see Lillian, Lilith, Lily)

Lila               Form of Delilah, Leila, or Lillian.
     Famous name:  Lila Kedrova (actress)
  Other spelling:  Lilah

Lilah (see Delilah, Lila)

Lilas (see Lillian)

Lili (see Lillian)

Lilia, Liliah (see Lillian)

Lilian (see Lillian)

Liliana (see Lillian)

Liliane (see Lillian)

Lilias (see Lillian)

Lilie, Lilli (see Lillian)

Lilies (see Lillian)

Liliola (see Lillian)

Lilith             Hebrew "spirit of the night" or "snake."  In Eastern
                   mythology, Lilith was the first woman.
        Nickname:  Lil

Lillian            Greek leirion, Latin lilium, and Old English lilie, "lily";
                   also, Old German variation of Elizabeth.  The origins of
                   this name are uncertain.  It seems to be older than Lily.
                   But this name has long been associated with the lily, which
                   is a symbol for purity in Christian art.  Lillian used to
                   be a very popular name, going back to at least
                   Shakespeare's time in the sixteenth century, but it isn't
                   chosen very often today.
    Famous names:  Lillian Gish (actress)
                   Lillian Hellman (playwright)
                   Lillian Vernon (entrepreneur)
  Other spelling:  Lilian
       Nicknames:  Lil, Lilie, Lillie, Lilly, Lily
      Variations:  Lila, Lilah, Lilas, Lili (German), Lilia, Liliana,
                   Liliane, Lilias (Scottish), Lilies (Scottish), Liliola
                   (Italian), Lilli (German), Lillis (Latin), Lilyan, Lis
                   (French)

Lillie, Lily       Variations of Lillian.
    Famous names:  Lillie Langtry (actress)
                   Lily Pons (opera star)
                   Lily Tomlin (actress and comedienne)

Lillis (see Lillian)

Lilyan (see Lillian)

Lin (see Linda)

Lina (see Arlene, Carol, Caroline, Erline, Helen, Lena, Linda, Madeline)

Lind (see Linnea)

Linda              Spanish "beautiful"; German "serpent"; also, a variation of
                   Belinda or Melinda.  This name may have been derived from
                   the Teutonic word Ethelind, "noble serpent."  In the
                   seventeenth century in England, it was very popular to
                   create names by adding -inda to common names, such as
                   Dorinda and Lucinda.  But if this name didn't originate
                   until the nineteenth century, which seems likely, then
                   Linda may have been borrowed from the Spanish adjective.
                   Whatever its roots, it has been a very popular name in the
                   twentieth century.  In the late-1940s and the 1950s, Linda
                   was the most-popular name for girls.
    Famous names:  Linda Evans (actress)
                   Linda Gray (actress)
                   Linda Hamilton (actress)
                   Linda Hunt (actress)
                   Linda Ronstadt (singer)
  Other spelling:  Lynda
      Variations:  Lin, Lindy, Lynd

Lindsay            Old English place name from lindon [lake] + eg [island].
                   This traditionally masculine name has little history as a
                   girls' name, but today it is one of the most-popular names
                   for girls in the United States.
    Famous names:  Lindsay Crouse (actress)
                   Lindsay Wagner (actress)
  Other spelling:  Lindsey
      Variations:  Lindsy, Linsey

Lindsey, Lindsy (see Lindsay)

Lindy (see Linda, Melinda)

Line (see Caroline)

Linet (see Linette)

Linetta (see Linette)

Linette            Old French, "linnet bird."  Linette is often thought of as
                   a modern variation of Linda or Lynn, but it's actually a
                   much older name.  Tennyson uses the spelling Lynette in his
                   poem "Gareth and Lynette."
 Other spellings:  Lynette, Lynnette
      Variations:  Lanette, Linet, Linetta

Linn (see Lynda)

Linnea             Teutonic "lime tree."
  Other spelling:  Lynnea
       Variation:  Lind

Linsey (see Lindsay)

Lis (see Lillian)

Lisa               Variation of Elizabeth or Melissa.  For the last twenty
                   years, this has been one of the most-popular names in the
                   United States.
    Famous names:  Lisa Bonet (actress)
                   Lisa Eichhorn (actress)
                   Lisa Hartman (actress)
 Other spellings:  Leesa, Lissa
      Variations:  Lise (French), Lisetta, Lisette (French)

Lisabeth (see Elizabeth)

Lisbet (see Elizabeth)

Lisbeth (see Elizabeth)

Lise (see Elizabeth, Lisa)

Lisenka (see Elizabeth)

Lisetta (see Elizabeth, Lisa)

Lisette (see Elizabeth, Lisa)

Lisha (see Alicia)

Lissa (see Alice, Alicia, Lisa, Melissa, Millicent)

Lissie, Lissy (see Alice, Alicia, Alison)

Lita (see Carmel)

Liusadh (see Lucy)

Liv                Variation of Olivia.
     Famous name:  Liv Ullmann (actress)

Livia              Variation of Olivia.  Livia was the first empress of Rome.

Livvie (see Olivia)

Livy (see Olivia)

Liz (see Elizabeth)

Liza               Variation of Elizabeth.
    Famous names:  Liza Cody (writer)
                   Liza Minnelli (actress)
      Variations:  Eliza, Lizette, Lizzie

Lizabeth (see Elizabeth)

Lizete (see Elizabeth)

Lizetta (see Elizabeth)

Lizette (see Elizabeth, Liza)

Lizzie, Lizzy (see Elizabeth, Liza)

Lois               Feminine form of Louis; Old German "the sound of battle";
                   also, possibly Greek "the better."  This name became
                   popular in the early part of this century.  It's the name
                   of Superman's would-be girlfriend, Lois Lane.
     Famous name:  Lois Chiles (actress)
       Variation:  Louise

Lola               Form of Carol, Caroline, Charlotte, Delores, or Louise.
                   Marlene Dietrich sings a bawdy cabaret tune called "Lola,
                   Lola" in the movie The Blue Angel.
    Famous names:  Lola Falana (singer)
                   Lola Montes (actress)

Lolanda (see Caroline)

Loleta (see Caroline, Charlotte)

Lolita             Form of Carol, Charlotte, Delores, or Louise.  This
                   unusual name is associated with Vladimir Nabakov's novel,
                   which was made into a controversial movie.

Lora (see Helen, Laura)

Lorain, Loraine (see Lorraine)

Loralie (see Laura)

Loreen (see Laura)

Lorelei            German "the alluring."  In German mythology, Lorelei
                   was a siren.  Heinrich Heine wrote about her.  In Anita
                   Loos' novel, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Lorelei is the
                   heroine who feels that "diamonds are a girl's best friend."
      Variations:  Lorlei, Lum, Lurah, Lurana, Lurel, Lurena, Luretta,
                   Lurette, Lurilla, Lurleen, Lurlene, Lurline, Lurlei

Lorelle (see Laura)

Loren (see Laura)

Lorena             Variation of Laura.
  Other spelling:  Laurena
       Variation:  Lorna

Lorene (see Helen, Laura)

Lorenza (see Laura)

Loretta            Variation of Laura.
    Famous names:  Loretta Lynn (singer)
                   Loretta Young (actress)

Lorette (see Laura)

Lori               Variation of Laura and Lorraine.
    Famous names:  Lori McNeil (tennis player)
                   Lori Singer (actress)

Lorie (see Laura)

Lorine (see Laura)

Lorita (see Laura)

Lorlei (see Lorelei)

Lorna              Variation of Laura or Lorena.  This name is probably most
                   closely associated with the very popular nineteenth-century
                   novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore.

Lorraine           French place name, derived from Louis, Old German "the
                   sound of battle."
     Famous name:  Lorraine Hansberry (playwright)
      Variations:  Laraine, Lorain, Loraine, Lori, Lorrayne

Lorrayne (see Lorraine)

Lorrie, Lorry (see Laura)

Lotta (see Carol, Charlotte, Lottie)

Lotte (see Caroline, Lottie)

Lottey (see Lottie)

Lotti, Lotty (see Carol, Caroline, Charlotte, Lottie)

Lottie             Form of Charlotte.  In the nineteenth century, this
                   nickname was so popular that it became an independent name,
                   but today few parents choose it for their baby daughters.
    Famous names:  Lotte Lehmann (opera singer)
                   Lotte Lenya (singer)
 Other spellings:  Lottey, Lotty
      Variations:  Lotte, Lotta

Lou (see Louise, Lucy)

Louella (see Louise)

Louisa (see Louise)

Louise             Feminine form of Louis, Old German "the sound of
                   battle."  This name has a lengthy history as a favorite
                   name of royal women in Europe but was seldom used in
                   England until the seventeenth century.  Louisa of Lorraine
                   was the wife of Henry III of France, and Louisa of
                   Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of Frederick William, was
                   the queen of Prussia in the eighteenth century.  Americans
                   are most familiar with the name of Louisa May Alcott, the
                   author of Little Women.
    Famous names:  Louise Erdrich (writer)
                   Louise Fletcher (actress)
                   Louise Nevelson (sculptor)
                   Louise Rainer (actress)
                   Louise Ritter (high jumper)
       Nicknames:  Lola, Lolita, Lulu
      Variations:  Alice, Alison (Scottish), Allie, Allison, Aloisa, Aloyse
                   (French), Aloysia, Eloisa, Eloise, Heloise (French), Lois,
                   (Swedish), Lou, Louella, Louisa, Louisette, Louisine,
                   Louisseta, Loula, Lovisa, Luana (Polish), Ludoisia
                   (Polish), Ludovika, Ludvica, (Polish), Luisa (Italian and
                   Spanish), Luise (German)

Louisette (see Louise)

Louisine (see Louise)

Louissetta (see Louise)

Loula (see Louise)

Loulou (see Laura)

Lovisa (see Louise)

Lu (see Lucretia, Lucy)

Luana (see Louise)

Lucasta (see Lucy)

Luce (see Lucretia, Lucy)

Lucetta (see Lucy)

Lucette (see Lucy)

Lucia (see Lucy)

Luciana (see Lucy)

Lucida (see Lucy)

Lucie (see Lucy)

Lucienne (see Lucy)

Lucile (see Lucy)

Lucilia (see Lucile, Lucy)

Lucille            Variation of Lucy.
     Famous name:  Lucille Ball (actress)
       Variation:  Lucilla

Lucina (see Lucy)

Lucinda (see Lucy)

Lucita (see Lucy)

Lucrece (see Lucretia)

Lucrecia (see Lucretia)

Lucretia           Latin "bringer of light"; also, a variation of Lucy.  In
                   the fifteenth century, Lucrezia di Borgia was a powerful
                   member of the Borgia family of Italy.  She was accused of
                   poisoning her enemies.
     Famous name:  Lucrezia Bori (opera singer)
       Nicknames:  Lu, Luce
      Variations:  Lucrece (French), Lucrecia (Spanish), Lucrezia (Italian),
                   Lucy

Lucrezia (see Lucretia, Lucy)

Lucy               Latin feminine form of Lucius, a Roman family name,
                   probably meaning "light."  While it seems that Lucy ought
                   to be a derivative of Lucille, it's actually the other way
                   around.  The name goes back to a Roman name, Lucia, the
                   name of three saints.
     Famous name:  Lucy Stone (suffragist)
      Variations:  Cinda, Cindie, Cindy, Cyndie, Cyndy, Liusadh (Scottish),
                   Lou, Lu, Lucasta, Luce, Lucetta, Lucette, Lucia (Greek,
                   Italian, Portuguese, and Swedish), Luciana, Lucida, Lucie
                   (Dutch, French, and German), Lucienne (French), Lucile,
                   Lucilia, Lucille (French), Lucina, Lucinda, Lucita
                   (Spanish), Lucretia, Lucrezia (Italian), Luighseach
                   (Irish), Lula, Lulita, Lulu, Luz (Spanish)

Ludmila (see Ludmilla)

Ludmilla           Slavic "beloved."
     Famous name:  Ludmilla Tcherina (ballerina)
       Variation:  Ludmila (German)

Ludoisia (see Louise)

Ludovika (see Louise)

Ludvica (see Louise)

Luighseach (see Lucy)

Luisa (see Louise)

Luise (see Louise)

Lula (see Lucy)

Lulita (see Lucy)

Lulu               Swahili "Pearl"; also, a form of Louise or Lucy.

Lura, Lurah (see Lorelei)

Lurana (see Lorelei)

Lurel (see Lorelei)

Lurena (see Lorelei)

Luretta (see Lorelei)

Lurette (see Lorelei)

Lurilla (see Lorelei)

Lurleen (see Lorelei)

Lurlei (see Lorelei)

Lurlene (see Lorelei)

Lurline (see Lorelei)

Luz (see Lucy)

Lyda (see Lydia)

Lydia              Greek place name Lydios, an ancient country in Asia
                   Minor, which was once ruled by Croesus, a king who was
                   noted for his great wealth.
  Other spelling:  Lidia
      Variations:  Liddy, Lidija (Russian), Lyda, Lydie (Dutch and French)

Lydie (see Lydia)

Lyn (see Lynda)

Lynd (see Linda)

Lynda              Form of Linda.

Lynelle (see Lynda)

Lynette (see Linette, Lynda)

Lynn, Lynne        Old English hlynn, "stream."  This name has little
                   history and was considered a masculine name in England
                   until the twentieth century.  In the United States, the
                   spelling Lynn usually was a feminine name.
    Famous names:  Lynne Cohen (photographer)
                   Lynn Redgrave (actress)
 Other spellings:  Lin, Linn, Lyn
      Variations:  Lynelle, Lynette

Lynnea (see Linnea)

Lynnette (see Linette)

Lynn, Lin (see Lynda)