Girl Names Starting with L

A Selection of Girl Names Starting with L

Here you will find an overview of common and rarer girl names that start with L, along with their origins and meanings:

• Lara: Lara is a Russian short form of Larissa. Independently of this, Lara is recorded as the name of a nymph in Roman mythology. A single, verified word meaning cannot be given for these distinct name histories.
• Laura: Traces back to the Latin word "laurus", meaning "laurel". A first name given internationally for decades.
• Lea: Lea is a biblical name handed down in the Hebrew form Leʾa. A connection to a Hebrew word for "weary" and a derivation from Akkadian are debated. The original meaning is not definitively clarified.
• Lena: Documented as a short form of Helena or Magdalena. A single blanket meaning cannot be determined, as it depends on the respective root name.
• Leni: Leni is a short form of Helene or Magdalena. This does not yield a single inherent word meaning; in particular, the original meaning of Helene remains unclarified.
• Leonie: Traces back to the Latin word "leo", meaning "lion". The masculine equivalent is Leon.
• Letizia: Originates from Latin. The root word "laetitia" means "joy" or "gladness". Well-known spelling variants are Laetitia or Letitia.
• Levke: A Low German and Frisian form. It is based on the element "lief", meaning "dear".
• Lia: Arose as a short form of names ending in "-lia" (such as Julia or Cornelia) or as a variant of Lea. A blanket meaning would be too imprecise here, as the origin varies.
• Liana: A short form of Juliana or Eliana that is used in many European languages.
• Lilith: Traces back to Sumerian and Akkadian origins and is associated with the word for "night".
• Lilly: Documented as an English pet form of Elisabeth. The Hebrew name family roughly means "God is abundance" or "my God has sworn". Common variants are Lilli or Lillie.
• Lina: Lina can be a short form of various names ending in -lina. Independently, there is an Arabic name associated with "gentle" or a type of palm tree. The meaning depends on the respective name history.
• Linda: Two origins are documented for this name: the Old High German word "lind" (gentle, mild) and the Spanish word "linda" (beautiful). Both name histories should be explained separately.
• Lisa: One of the most common short forms of Elisabeth in the German-speaking area.
• Liv: An Old Norse name history (root word "hlíf", protection) and a modern Scandinavian one (root word "liv", life) are documented for this name.
• Livia: Livia is the feminine form of the Roman family name Livius. Its older meaning is not definitively clarified. Additionally, Livia is used as a short form of Olivia. This second name history is to be distinguished from the Roman family name.
• Lorena: Documented as an elaboration of Lore or as a derivation from the French region of Lorraine.
• Lotta: An established short form of Charlotte that is given especially frequently in Scandinavia and Germany.
• Lou: A short form of Luise or Louise. The name is gender-neutral and is given to both girls and boys.
• Luisa: The feminine form of Ludwig. The Old High German root is composed of "hlut" (loud, famous) and "wig" (battle).
• Lucia: Traces back to the Latin word "lux", meaning "light".
• Luna: The Latin word for "moon". The name is easily understood across many Romance languages.
• Luise: The traditional German variant of the French name Louise.
• Lydia: A name of Greek origin meaning "woman from Lydia" (an ancient region in Asia Minor).
• Lynn: A name with Welsh and Celtic roots, documented with the meaning "lake" or "waterfall".

Sound Harmony with the Last Name

The L is a liquid consonant. First names starting with this letter sound soft when spoken and have few hard edges. This is precisely what you should consider if your last name also begins with an L. In combinations like "Lina Lehmann" or "Louisa Lorenz", the first and last names can easily blur together when spoken quickly. It is best to say your favorite options out loud several times together with your last name to check whether the separation between the words remains distinct.

In addition, many L names are extremely short (such as Lou, Liv, Lia, or Lea). Such one- or two-syllable first names often create a balanced rhythm with long, multi-syllable last names. Conversely, if your last name is very short, a longer first name like Letizia, Lorena, or Leonie can provide greater phonetic balance.

Next Steps for Your Name Search

If you would like to focus on first names starting with this letter, simply use the filter function in the HeyName app. Set the filter to the letter L and browse through the suggestions. You can rate the names independently on your own devices as "Favorite", "Maybe", or "Not a match". As soon as you both mark the same name as a favorite, it will appear as a mutual match on your list. This way, you can see directly and without lengthy debates which L names make your shared shortlist.

Editorial update: September 22, 2026

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