Boy names that start with L
L is the lion's letter. Leo says it outright, and Leon, Leonard, Leonardo, Levon and Layth all say it in other languages — while Liam, which means nothing of the kind, sits at number one in the United States. Thirty L names follow, each linking to a full entry with origin, pronunciation and pairings.
Most popular L names right now
Ranks are current U.S. Social Security positions. Four L names sit inside the top fifteen — more than any other letter manages.
- #1LiamLEE-umIrish
Resolute protector. A clipped form of Uilliam, the Irish William, and the current U.S. number one.
- #10LucasLOO-kusLatin
Man from Lucania, a region of southern Italy; popularly tied to Latin lux, light.
- #12LeviLEE-vyeHebrew
Joined, attached. Jacob's third son, and the ancestor of Israel's priestly tribe.
- #14LucaLOO-kahItalian
The Italian Luke. Same Lucanian root as Lucas, with a softer landing.
- #19LeoLEE-ohLatin
Lion — the Latin noun, unaltered. Worn by more than a dozen popes and one constellation.
- #33LukeLOOKGreek
Most likely man from Lucania. The evangelist who was also a physician, and one Skywalker.
- #53LoganLOH-gunScottish
Little hollow. A Scottish place name and surname that took to the front on both sides of the Atlantic.
- #69LincolnLINK-unEnglish
Settlement by the pool, from the Roman colony at Lindum. The sixteenth president did the rest.
- #85LukaLOO-kahSlavic
The Slavic Luke. Croatian and Serbian speakers give the k a harder edge than the Italian Luca.
- #91Leonardolay-oh-NAR-dohItalian
Brave as a lion. Da Vinci and DiCaprio, with Leo already folded inside it.
Classic L names
The L classics divide neatly in two: the Laurentum names — Lawrence, Lorenzo, Lars — and the lion names that keep reappearing across Europe.
- LawrenceLAWR-entsLatin
Man from Laurentum, read through the laurel wreath by later tradition. Shortens to Larry or Laurie.
- LeonardLEN-erdGermanic
Lion-strong; brave as a lion. Leonard Bernstein and Leonard Cohen keep it in good company.
- LouisLOO-iss / loo-EEFrench
Renowned warrior. More kings of France answered to it than to any other name; Louis Armstrong answered to it too.
- Lorenzolo-REN-zoItalian
The Italian Lawrence. Lorenzo de' Medici ran Renaissance Florence and paid for a good deal of it.
- LeonLEE-onGreek
Lion — the Greek word itself, worn without translation.
- LeopoldLEE-uh-poldGermanic
Bold of the people. Leopold Bloom walks it through a single Dublin day in Ulysses.
- LanceLANSSGermanic
From Lanzo, a pet form of names containing land. Not from the weapon, whatever Lancelot suggests.
- LuisLWEESSpanish
Famous in battle — the Spanish Louis. Luis Buñuel made the surreal look ordinary.
- LyleLYLScottish
Of the island, from Norman French de l'isle. Brief, soft and quietly uncommon.
- LarsLARSSScandinavian
Man from Laurentum; the Nordic Lawrence, and about as everyday as a Nordic name gets.
Unique L names
Celtic, Nordic and Armenian, mostly — L is a good letter for a name that is old somewhere else.
- LachlanLOCK-lunScottish
From Lochlann, the land of the lochs — the Gaelic name for Scandinavia, and for the Vikings who came from it.
- LennoxLEN-uksScottish
Place of elms; the district north of Loch Lomond. Lennox Lewis gives it heft.
- LorcanLOR-kanIrish
Little fierce one. Lorcán Ua Tuathail was archbishop of Dublin when the Normans arrived.
- Lysanderly-SAN-derGreek
Liberator; literally the releasing of a man. A Spartan admiral, and a lover in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
- LeifLAYFNorse
Heir, descendant; one who carries the line on. Leif Erikson reached North America centuries before Columbus.
- Llewelynhlew-EL-inWelsh
Usually read through llyw, leader, though the etymology is genuinely open. Wales's last native prince bore it.
- LászlóLAHS-lohHungarian
The Slavic Vladislav, Magyarised — and the name of Hungary's knight-king saint.
- Levonleh-VONArmenian
Lion. Borne by the Armenian kings of Cilicia, and by an Elton John song.
- LaythLAYTHArabic
Lion; a bold, strong man. Arabic has several words for the animal, and this is the fierce one.
- Leandrolay-AHN-drooBrazilian
Lion-man, from Greek Leander — the youth who swam the Hellespont nightly, retold in Portuguese.