Louis

Louis - A very unique male name

Louis appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #24. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Louis and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Louis? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Louis. The baby boy name Louis was given to 1,372 baby boys in 2025, ranking #249 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,069 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Louis peaked in popularity 114 years ago in 1912 on position 20.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Louis, 1-5?

Louis is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Louis is currently topping the baby name charts in Vermont at position #94 - and is the least popular in Oklahoma at position #599.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Louis is where you live.

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Louis origin and meaning

French form of the Germanic name Ludwig

"Famous warrior" — from hlud, "fame," and wig, "war"

Louis is the French royal name par excellence — eighteen French kings bore it — descended from the Frankish Chlodwig, the same root as Ludwig. In America it peaked in 1921 and has been rising again in the vintage-classic revival, reaching #249 in 2025.

Attested etymology

Louis is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Louis, pop culture references for the name Louis and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Louis

We've found the following names that sound similar to Louis, sorted by popularity.

Lucas / Luke / Luis / Lewis / Luca / Lukas / Luka / Lucca / Lucius / Lucio /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Louis

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Louis a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Louis?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LOO-iss · /ˈluːɪs/
The great split: American boys are usually LOO-iss, while the French name (and Britain's Prince Louis) is LOO-ee — families must choose, and both sides will assume theirs is obvious.

Around the world

• Louis (French) — The source form, pronounced LOO-ee in French
• Luis (Spanish) — The Spanish form
• Luigi (Italian) — The Italian form
• Ludwig (German) — The German form, closest to the name's root

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: LouLouie

Famous bearers

• Louis Armstrong — Jazz trumpeter and singer, one of the founders of jazz (1901–1971) Historical
• Louis Pasteur — Chemist and microbiologist who developed pasteurization and germ theory (1822–1895) Historical
• Prince Louis of Wales — Youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (b. 2018) Contemporary

Style

ClassicRoyalInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents pick Louis for its kingly history and gentle sound — a grand classic that feels softer than George or Henry, with Lou as an easy nickname.

Worth knowing

• The LOO-iss versus LOO-ee pronunciation split is the name's defining friction.
• Luis and Lewis spellings will both be guessed by strangers.