Lucianus m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen
Lucius. Lucianus (or
Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Beauvais and a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.
Lucifer m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendMeans
"bringing light", derived from Latin
lux "light" and
ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see
Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the
Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and
Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.
Lucilius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was a derivative of the given name
Lucius. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.
Lucina f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning
"grove", but later associated with
lux meaning
"light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Lucinda f English, Portuguese, LiteratureAn elaboration of
Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel
Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play
The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, EnglishRoman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin
lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Lucky m & f English, HindiFrom a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Lucretia f Ancient Roman, Roman MythologyFeminine form of the Roman family name
Lucretius, possibly from Latin
lucrum meaning
"profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.
Ludger m GermanFrom the Old German name
Leutgar, which was derived from the elements
liut "people" and
ger "spear". Saint Ludger was an 8th-century Frisian Benedictine bishop who founded a monastery at Munster.
Ludivine f FrenchPossibly from a feminine form of
Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries
Les Gens de Mogador.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, RussianMeans
"favour of the people" from the Slavic elements
ľudŭ "people" and
milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.
... [more] Ludolf m German (Rare), GermanicFrom the Old German name
Hludolf, which was composed of the elements
hlut meaning "famous, loud" and
wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.
Ludovic m FrenchFrench form of
Ludovicus, the Latinized form of
Ludwig. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
Ludoviko m EsperantoEsperanto form of
Ludwig. This is the Esperanto name of the philologist Ludwig Zamenhof (1859-1917), the creator of the Esperanto language.
Ludwig m GermanFrom the Germanic name
Hludwig meaning
"famous in battle", composed of the elements
hlut "famous, loud" and
wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as
Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form
Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
Luena f PortugueseMeaning unknown, possibly from the name of a city in Angola. It was popularized in Portugal by a character on the telenovela
A Única Mulher (2015-2017).
Lugh m Irish MythologyProbably an Irish form of
Lugus. In Irish mythology Lugh Lámfada was a divine hero who led the Tuatha Dé Danann against his grandfather
Balor and the Fomorians. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.
Lughaidh m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Lugaid, a combination of the name of the mythological figure
Lugh and Old Irish
dech "honour, better". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lugaid mac Con.
Lugus m Gaulish Mythology (Hypothetical)Possibly from one of the Indo-European roots *
lewk- "light, brightness", *
lewg- "dark" or *
lewgh- "oath". This was the name of a Celtic (Gaulish) god of commerce and craftsmanship, who was equated by the Romans with
Mercury. He probably forms the basis for the characters and names of
Lugh (Irish) and
Lleu (Welsh).
Luigi m ItalianItalian form of
Louis. It has been borne by five prime ministers of Italy since the 19th century. This is also the name of
Mario's brother in Nintendo video games (debuting 1983), called
ルイージ (Ruīji) in Japanese.
Luigsech f Old IrishProbably derived from the name of the mythological figure
Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght and Gorman.
Luitgard f GermanFrom the Old German name
Leutgard, which was derived from the elements
liut "people" and
gart "enclosure, yard". It was borne by
Charlemagne's fifth and last wife. This was also the name of a 13th-century Flemish nun, the patron saint of easy deliveries.
Luján f Spanish (Latin American)From a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Luján, meaning "Our Lady of Luján". This is the name of a city in Argentina near Buenos Aires. Our Lady of Luján is a 17th-century statue of Mary. Supposedly the horses transporting the statue further into Argentina refused to pull the cart past Luján, so a shrine was built at the spot. She is regarded as a patron saint of Argentina.
Luke m English, BiblicalEnglish form of Latin
Lucas, from the Greek name
Λουκᾶς (Loukas), probably a shortened form of
Λουκανός (Loukanos) meaning
"from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy. Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle
Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.
... [more] Luljeta f AlbanianMeans
"flower of life" in Albanian, from
lule "flower" and
jetë "life".
Lulzim m AlbanianFrom Albanian
lulëzim meaning
"blooming, flowering, prosperity".
Luminița f RomanianMeans
"little light", derived from Romanian
lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Lumír m CzechMeaning unknown, though possibly related to the Slavic element
mirŭ meaning "peace, world". In Czech legend this is the name of a bard.
Lunete f Arthurian CycleForm of
Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight
Yvain.
Lur f & m BasqueMeans
"earth, ground" in Basque.
Luther m EnglishFrom a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name
Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Lux f & m VariousDerived from Latin
lux meaning
"light".
Luz f SpanishMeans
"light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".
Luzviminda f FilipinoBlend of
Luzon,
Visayas and
Mindanao, the names of the three main island groups of the Philippines.
Lyall m English (Rare)From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Liulfr (which was derived in part from
úlfr "wolf").
Lyanna f LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series
A Song of Ice and Fire, published beginning 1996, and the television adaptation
Game of Thrones (2011-2019). In the story Lyanna was the sister of Ned Stark. Her abduction and subsequent death was the cause of the civil war that toppled the Targaryens.
Lydia f English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekMeans
"from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king
Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint
Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.
Lydos m Ancient GreekMeaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of
Lydia in Asia Minor.
Lykke f DanishMeans
"good fortune, happiness" in Danish.
Lyle m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
l'isle meaning
"island".
Lyndon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
Lynet f Arthurian CycleForm of
Lunete used in Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale
Le Morte d'Arthur, where it is borne by a woman who enlists the help of Sir
Gareth to rescue her sister
Lyonesse. She eventually marries his brother
Gaheris.
Lynette f English, Arthurian CycleForm of
Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem
Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of
Lynn.
Lynn f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Welsh
llyn meaning
"lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of
Linda or names that end in
lyn or
line.
Lyonesse f Arthurian CycleMeans
"lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale
Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister
Lynet gains the help of the knight
Gareth in order to save her.
Lyonors f Arthurian CycleProbably from Middle English
lyon meaning
"lion". It appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends
Le Morte d'Arthur, belonging to a woman who had a child with Arthur. Alfred Tennyson used the name in his poem
Gareth and Lynette (1872) for the sister of
Lynette (this character is called
Lyonesse in Malory's version of the story).
Lyra f AstronomyThe name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the
His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).
Lysistrate f Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and
στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This is the name of a comedy by the Greek playwright Aristophanes, also called by its Latinized form
Lysistrata. In the play Lysistrate attempts to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women from both sides to withhold sex from men.
Lysithea f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and
θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". This was the name of a lover of
Zeus in Greek mythology. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.
Lyssa 2 f Greek MythologyMeans
"rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.
Lyudmila f Russian, BulgarianRussian and Bulgarian form of
Ludmila. This was the name of a character in Aleksandr Pushkin's poem
Ruslan and Lyudmila (1820).
Maacah f & m BiblicalDerived from Hebrew
מָעַך (maʿaḵ) meaning
"to press, to crush". This name is borne by both male and female characters in the Old Testament.
Maalik m ArabicMeans
"owner, possessor, master" in Arabic, a derivative of
ملك (malaka) meaning "to acquire, to possess".
Maat f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
mꜣꜥt meaning
"truth, virtue, justice". Maat (or Ma'at) was the Egyptian goddess who personified truth and balance. She was the consort of
Thoth.
Mab f LiteratureUsed by William Shakespeare for the queen of the fairies in his play
Romeo and Juliet (1596). Of uncertain origin, it is possibly derived from
Mabel or the Irish name
Medb. After being used by Shakespeare, the name subsequently appeared in other literary works such as Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem
Queen Mab (1813).
Mabel f EnglishMedieval feminine form of
Amabilis. This spelling and
Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel
The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Mabelle f EnglishVariant of
Mabel. It also coincides with the French phrase
ma belle meaning "my beautiful".
Mabon m Welsh MythologyLater Welsh form of
Maponos. In the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen he is a prisoner freed by
Arthur's warriors in order to help hunt the great boar Trwyth. His mother is
Modron.
Mabyn f CornishPossibly from Old Cornish
mab meaning
"son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of
Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.
Macarena f SpanishFrom the name of a barrio (district) in Seville, which got its name from a temple that may have been named for a person named
Macarius (see
Macario). The Virgin of Macarena, that is
Mary, is widely venerated in Seville.
Macario m SpanishSpanish form of the Latin name
Macarius, derived from the Greek name
Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek
μάκαρ (makar) meaning
"blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.
Macaulay m English (British)From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from
Amhalghadh, a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.
Macbeth m HistoryAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name
Mac Beatha meaning
"son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King
Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son
Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play
Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in
Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).
Macdara m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.
Mack 1 m EnglishFrom a surname, originally a shortened form of various Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with
Mac or
Mc (from Irish
mac meaning "son"). It is also used as a generic slang term for a man.
Mackenzie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name
Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy
One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Macsen m Welsh MythologyWelsh form of
Maximus. Magnus Maximus (known as Macsen Wledig in Welsh) was a 4th-century co-ruler of the Western Roman Empire. In Wales he was regarded as the founder of several royal lineages. He appears in the medieval Welsh tale
The Dream of Macsen.
Macy f EnglishFrom an English surname that was from various towns called
Massy in France. The towns themselves were originally derived from a Gallo-Roman personal name that was Latinized as
Maccius. The name was brought to public attention in 1989 when the character Macy Alexander was introduced to the soap opera
The Bold and the Beautiful. It is also notable as the name of a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858.
Madai m BiblicalMeans
"Medes" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Japheth said to be the ancestor of the Medes, an ancient people related to the Persians.
Madara f LatvianFrom the Latvian name for a type of flowering plant, known as cleavers or bedstraw in English.
Maddox m English (Modern)From a Welsh surname meaning
"son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.
Made m & f BalineseFrom Sanskrit
मध्य (madhya) meaning
"middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.