Names Starting with L

gender
usage
Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.
Lyonesse f Arthurian Cycle
Means "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 Cycle
Probably 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).
Lyosha m Russian
Diminutive of Aleksey.
Lyra f Astronomy
The 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).
Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Lys f French (Rare)
Diminutive of Élisabeth. It is also the French word for "lily".
Lysander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.
Lysandra f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Lysandros (see Lysander).
Lysanne f Dutch
Variant of Lisanne.
Lysiane f French
Combination of Lys and Anne 1.
Lysimachus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυσίμαχος (Lysimachos), derived from λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". This was the name of one of the generals under Alexander the Great. After Alexander's death Lysimachus took control of Thrace.
Lysistrate f Ancient Greek
Derived 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 Mythology
Derived 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 1 f English
Short form of Alyssa.
Lyssa 2 f Greek Mythology
Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.
Lyuba f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Lyubov, and a Bulgarian form of Ljuba.
Lyuben m Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lyubomir m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Lubomír.
Lyubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lyudmil m Bulgarian
Bulgarian masculine form of Ludmila.
Lyudmila f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Ludmila. This was the name of a character in Aleksandr Pushkin's poem Ruslan and Lyudmila (1820).
Lyudmyla f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Ludmila.
Lyusi f Armenian
Probably an Armenian form of Lucie.
Lyydia f Finnish (Rare)
Finnish variant of Lydia.
Lyyti f Finnish (Rare)
Finnish diminutive of Lydia.