Lou
#2,645 for girls in 2025, 65 births · #1,919 for boys in 2025, 81 births
Given to girls 89.3% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1880 · 131 births
- Debut · girls
- 131 births
- In top 100 · girls
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 34,109since 1880
Lou over time
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #2,645 | 65 | #1,919 | 81 |
| 2024 | #2,508 | 71 | #2,120 | 70 |
| 2023 | #2,555 | 69 | #2,032 | 74 |
| 2022 | #2,756 | 62 | #2,000 | 76 |
| 2021 | #3,037 | 54 | #2,277 | 61 |
| 2020 | #3,498 | 43 | #2,323 | 58 |
| 2019 | #3,718 | 40 | #2,808 | 44 |
| 2018 | #3,789 | 39 | #3,446 | 32 |
| 2017 | #4,576 | 30 | #3,123 | 37 |
| 2016 | #4,157 | 35 | #2,689 | 45 |
| 2015 | #4,725 | 29 | #3,022 | 38 |
| 2014 | #5,797 | 22 | #3,787 | 27 |
| 2013 | #7,748 | 15 | #4,064 | 24 |
| 2012 | #6,872 | 18 | #5,035 | 18 |
| 2011 | #7,436 | 16 | #3,792 | 27 |
| 2010 | #9,790 | 11 | #5,478 | 16 |
| 2009 | #17,294 | 5 | #4,429 | 22 |
| 2008 | #15,405 | 6 | #6,393 | 13 |
| 2007 | #15,491 | 6 | #6,262 | 13 |
| 2006 | #11,417 | 9 | #4,520 | 20 |
| 2005 | #7,891 | 14 | #4,198 | 21 |
| 2004 | #9,892 | 10 | #5,007 | 16 |
| 2003 | #9,671 | 10 | #6,715 | 10 |
| 2002 | #11,108 | 8 | #5,395 | 13 |
| 2001 | #11,020 | 8 | #3,974 | 20 |
| 2000 | #9,874 | 9 | #5,920 | 11 |
| 1999 | #12,688 | 6 | #7,139 | 8 |
| 1998 | #10,122 | 8 | #5,466 | 11 |
| 1997 | #10,836 | 7 | #4,451 | 14 |
| 1996 | — | #4,396 | 14 | |
| 1995 | — | #4,508 | 13 | |
| 1994 | #10,569 | 7 | #3,326 | 20 |
| 1993 | #8,052 | 10 | #4,227 | 14 |
| 1992 | #8,734 | 9 | #3,338 | 19 |
| 1991 | #11,509 | 6 | #2,753 | 24 |
| 1990 | #6,867 | 12 | #2,695 | 24 |
| 1989 | #6,160 | 13 | #3,205 | 18 |
| 1988 | #6,666 | 11 | #4,450 | 10 |
| 1987 | #5,613 | 13 | #3,072 | 16 |
| 1986 | #5,459 | 13 | #3,882 | 11 |
| 1985 | #5,678 | 12 | #2,598 | 19 |
| 1984 | #3,990 | 19 | #2,529 | 19 |
| 1983 | #4,109 | 18 | #3,230 | 13 |
| 1982 | #3,017 | 29 | #2,269 | 22 |
| 1981 | #2,928 | 30 | #2,779 | 16 |
| 1980 | #3,992 | 19 | #2,213 | 23 |
| 1979 | #2,343 | 40 | #2,048 | 25 |
| 1978 | #2,350 | 38 | #1,965 | 25 |
| 1977 | #2,162 | 43 | #2,556 | 17 |
| 1976 | #1,883 | 48 | #2,245 | 20 |
| 1975 | #1,854 | 49 | #2,134 | 21 |
| 1974 | #1,532 | 63 | #2,199 | 19 |
| 1973 | #1,175 | 92 | #1,612 | 29 |
| 1972 | #1,105 | 101 | #1,771 | 25 |
| 1971 | #951 | 134 | #1,378 | 38 |
| 1970 | #848 | 159 | #1,314 | 40 |
| 1969 | #801 | 165 | #1,492 | 29 |
| 1968 | #767 | 169 | #1,366 | 32 |
| 1967 | #753 | 171 | #1,411 | 29 |
| 1966 | #724 | 186 | #1,194 | 39 |
| 1965 | #657 | 225 | #1,335 | 33 |
| 1964 | #598 | 277 | #1,096 | 48 |
| 1963 | #496 | 382 | #1,255 | 38 |
| 1962 | #487 | 396 | #1,121 | 47 |
| 1961 | #447 | 473 | #1,059 | 54 |
| 1960 | #388 | 593 | #944 | 64 |
| 1959 | #358 | 706 | #1,019 | 57 |
| 1958 | #314 | 851 | #928 | 67 |
| 1957 | #309 | 884 | #889 | 72 |
| 1956 | #258 | 1,066 | #1,019 | 54 |
| 1955 | #232 | 1,225 | #1,075 | 49 |
| 1954 | #204 | 1,495 | #1,039 | 52 |
| 1953 | #208 | 1,434 | #1,245 | 36 |
| 1952 | #345 | 569 | #1,166 | 40 |
| 1951 | #391 | 440 | #943 | 55 |
| 1950 | #395 | 414 | #1,289 | 31 |
| 1949 | #374 | 441 | #1,205 | 35 |
| 1948 | #379 | 439 | #1,145 | 39 |
| 1947 | #355 | 510 | #938 | 56 |
| 1946 | #343 | 478 | #980 | 47 |
| 1945 | #341 | 399 | #927 | 48 |
| 1944 | #314 | 463 | #1,070 | 38 |
| 1943 | #330 | 456 | #1,088 | 39 |
| 1942 | #293 | 536 | #970 | 47 |
| 1941 | #286 | 506 | #1,040 | 39 |
| 1940 | #281 | 494 | #1,031 | 39 |
| 1939 | #277 | 502 | #904 | 47 |
| 1938 | #274 | 532 | #1,199 | 30 |
| 1937 | #269 | 539 | #1,313 | 26 |
| 1936 | #271 | 506 | #1,296 | 26 |
| 1935 | #269 | 522 | #1,247 | 29 |
| 1934 | #263 | 559 | #1,386 | 24 |
| 1933 | #265 | 534 | #1,051 | 38 |
| 1932 | #270 | 540 | #980 | 45 |
| 1931 | #290 | 463 | #1,065 | 40 |
| 1930 | #306 | 468 | #1,368 | 28 |
| 1929 | #308 | 474 | #1,339 | 28 |
| 1928 | #320 | 425 | #1,041 | 44 |
| 1927 | #303 | 489 | #1,178 | 37 |
| 1926 | #323 | 417 | #1,353 | 29 |
| 1925 | #337 | 395 | #1,091 | 41 |
| 1924 | #348 | 381 | #1,187 | 37 |
| 1923 | #356 | 343 | #1,213 | 35 |
| 1922 | #347 | 350 | #1,120 | 40 |
| 1921 | #377 | 320 | #1,412 | 28 |
| 1920 | #356 | 336 | #1,252 | 33 |
| 1919 | #361 | 313 | #1,624 | 21 |
| 1918 | #335 | 371 | #1,256 | 31 |
| 1917 | #338 | 338 | #964 | 45 |
| 1916 | #351 | 308 | #1,028 | 39 |
| 1915 | #353 | 285 | #1,159 | 31 |
| 1914 | #348 | 227 | #884 | 38 |
| 1913 | #342 | 199 | #1,256 | 17 |
| 1912 | #315 | 212 | #970 | 22 |
| 1911 | #316 | 153 | #1,190 | 9 |
| 1910 | #317 | 144 | #707 | 18 |
| 1909 | #307 | 140 | — | |
| 1908 | #292 | 147 | #685 | 15 |
| 1907 | #312 | 124 | #778 | 12 |
| 1906 | #334 | 100 | — | |
| 1905 | #276 | 143 | #666 | 13 |
| 1904 | #297 | 117 | #966 | 7 |
| 1903 | #266 | 133 | #696 | 11 |
| 1902 | #285 | 121 | #1,013 | 6 |
| 1901 | #304 | 96 | #858 | 7 |
| 1900 | #274 | 140 | #699 | 13 |
| 1899 | #251 | 125 | #548 | 13 |
| 1898 | #236 | 156 | #701 | 10 |
| 1897 | #267 | 114 | #584 | 13 |
| 1896 | #245 | 130 | #722 | 10 |
| 1895 | #252 | 125 | #738 | 9 |
| 1894 | #249 | 118 | #594 | 12 |
| 1893 | #222 | 137 | #650 | 10 |
| 1892 | #222 | 137 | #748 | 9 |
| 1891 | #231 | 109 | #700 | 8 |
| 1890 | #210 | 132 | #667 | 9 |
| 1889 | #210 | 120 | #446 | 17 |
| 1888 | #172 | 169 | #648 | 10 |
| 1887 | #167 | 147 | #583 | 10 |
| 1886 | #178 | 129 | #647 | 9 |
| 1885 | #158 | 135 | #521 | 13 |
| 1884 | #145 | 146 | #613 | 10 |
| 1883 | #136 | 142 | #556 | 11 |
| 1882 | #137 | 131 | #611 | 10 |
| 1881 | #137 | 114 | #442 | 15 |
| 1880 | #122 | 131 | #482 | 14 |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Lou was already there! It came in at #122, and was given to 131 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1995–1996, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.
Where Lou is popular in 1961
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- West Virginia#221 · 1 in 1,294
- Oklahoma#233 · 1 in 1,303
- South Carolina#245 · 1 in 1,365
- Arkansas#276 · 1 in 1,590
- North Carolina#280 · 1 in 1,806
Best ever in a state: #91 in Utah, 1929.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | #221 | 13 | 1 in 1,294 |
| Oklahoma | #233 | 16 | 1 in 1,303 |
| South Carolina | #245 | 19 | 1 in 1,365 |
| Arkansas | #276 | 11 | 1 in 1,590 |
| North Carolina | #280 | 27 | 1 in 1,806 |
| Kentucky | #283 | 16 | 1 in 1,993 |
| Indiana | #294 | 22 | 1 in 2,269 |
| Colorado | #303 | 11 | 1 in 1,807 |
| Tennessee | #324 | 14 | 1 in 2,587 |
| New Mexico | #328 | 7 | 1 in 1,708 |
| Nebraska | #352 | 5 | 1 in 2,957 |
| Alabama | #358 | 13 | 1 in 2,643 |
| Kansas | #365 | 7 | 1 in 2,904 |
| Minnesota | #365 | 10 | 1 in 3,864 |
| Pennsylvania | #374 | 31 | 1 in 3,582 |
| Ohio | #376 | 30 | 1 in 3,475 |
| Texas | #377 | 43 | 1 in 2,599 |
| Virginia | #385 | 12 | 1 in 3,347 |
| Mississippi | #395 | 9 | 1 in 2,758 |
| Michigan | #413 | 20 | 1 in 4,344 |
| Wisconsin | #413 | 8 | 1 in 5,524 |
| Washington | #441 | 7 | 1 in 3,972 |
| Georgia | #449 | 11 | 1 in 4,050 |
| Louisiana | #452 | 11 | 1 in 3,458 |
| Florida | #455 | 12 | 1 in 4,172 |
| Maryland | #474 | 6 | 1 in 5,054 |
| Massachusetts | #483 | 7 | 1 in 7,717 |
| Illinois | #560 | 16 | 1 in 6,664 |
| New York | #691 | 17 | 1 in 9,881 |
| California | #1,069 | 10 | 1 in 17,513 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Lou
- 137 spots since 2024 (#2,508 → #2,645)
- 853 spots since 2020 (#3,498 → #2,645)
- 2,080 spots since 2015 (#4,725 → #2,645)
- Biggest jump: 137 spots in 1953 (#345 → #208)
- Biggest drop: 154 spots in 1972 (#951 → #1,105)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1880 at #122 (131 births)
- Births halved by 1974, 94 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 92 yrs · run 1880–1971
- Highest: 1 in 695 girls born in 1880 were named Lou (0.14%)
- Latest: 1 in 24,727 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
- 26.6% of all girls named Lou (9,084) were born in this decade
- Mostly girls until 2024, mostly boys since
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,364 | #122 (1880) | #156 |
| 1890s | 1,283 | #210 (1890) | #239 |
| 1900s | 1,261 | #266 (1903) | #295 |
| 1910s | 2,550 | #315 (1912) | #338 |
| 1920s | 3,930 | #303 (1927) | #338 |
| 1930s | 5,165 | #263 (1934) | #275 |
| 1940s | 4,722 | #281 (1940) | #330 |
| 1950s | 9,084 | #204 (1954) | #301 |
| 1960s | 3,037 | #388 (1960) | #612 |
| 1970s | 767 | #848 (1970) | #1,620 |
| 1980s | 177 | #2,928 (1981) | #4,761 |
| 1990s | 65 | #6,867 (1990) | #9,922 |
| 2000s | 85 | #7,891 (2005) | #11,906 |
| 2010s | 255 | #3,718 (2019) | #5,861 |
| 2020s | 364 | #2,508 (2024) | #2,833 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Lou in 1961
Top girls' names in 1961
Top boys' names in 1961
More about 1961
girls
2,018,495 girls got a published name in 1961; 1 in 4,267 of them was named Lou, which outranked 94.1% of the 7,527 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
2,124,195 boys got a published name in 1961; 1 in 39,337 of them was named Lou, which outranked 77.3% of the 4,657 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #1,052Robb55
- #1,052Rollin55
- #1,052Stevan55
- #1,059Lou54
- #1,059Brant54
- #1,059Cleve54
- #1,059Davey54
- #1,068Aldo53
- #1,068Aurelio53
- #1,068Collin53
Tied with 8 names at #1,059; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.