French names that start with ‘L’ include popular choices like Louis, Laurent, and Lucien (for boys) alongside options like Léa, Louise, and Liliane (for girls). The letter 'L' brings a touch of elegance and classic charm to many French names.
Below, we explore a selection of French first names and surnames beginning with 'L'.
🎧 Click on a name to hear its pronunciation
🎧 Click on a name to hear its pronunciation
From classic beauties to modern favorites, French girl names starting with 'L' offer a lovely range of sounds and meanings. Many have deep roots in Latin or ancient traditions.
Many French girl names that begin with ‘L’ find their origin in three key Latin roots: “lux” 🌟, “laurus” 🌿, and “leo” 🦁.
“Lux” 🌟, meaning “light,” gives rise to luminous names like Lucie, Lucile, Lucienne, and Lucette (the latter being a diminutive form of Lucie created by adding the suffix "-ette").
“Laurus” 🌿, the Latin word for the bay laurel, a symbol of victory and honor in antiquity, is the root for names such as Laure, Laurine, and Lauriane.
“Leo” 🦁, the Latin word for “lion,” is the source of strong names including Léonie, Léontine, and Léone.
Other names have different origins:
Laurence is the feminine form of the French male name Laurent, while Liliane comes from the Latin word “Lilium” (lily).
Léa is a popular short name, with Léo as its male counterpart. Laëtitia is the French equivalent of Letitia, both originating from Latin for “joy.”
Louise, a feminine form of Louis, offers charming nicknames like Lou and Loulou. Lilou is a more recent name choice.
Lou, originally a diminutive of Louise (and Louis), is now used as a standalone name. Louane can be a fusion of Lou and Anne or from a Breton name.
Ludivine derives from the Germanic name Lidwina, despite containing the word "divine". Léane is sometimes seen as a blend of Léa and Anne. Lise is a concise name derived from Élisabeth or Louise.
Loane, in France, is often of Breton origin, meaning "the light".
French boy names starting with 'L' include many classic and enduring choices, rich with history and noble associations.
Many 'L' names for boys share origins with the girl names derived from Latin "lux", "laurus", and "leo". Lucien and Luc both relate to light, Laurent relates to laurel, and Léon relates to lion.
Ludovic is a French form of Ludwig, a Germanic name meaning "famous warrior." Lucas and Luc are related to the Greek name Loukas, meaning "from Lucania."
Louis is one of the most significant traditional French male names, borne by eighteen kings of France. Notably, Louis IX was canonized as a saint, and a famous island in the heart of Paris, the Île Saint-Louis, is named in his honor.
Sometimes a famous namesake can give additional appeal to a name, by providing a source of inspiration and aspiration. Here are some examples of famous individuals with French first names that start with 'L'.
| Name | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Louis XIV | King of France (1643 – 1715), the "Sun King" |
| Louis Pasteur | Scientist (1822 – 1895), groundbreaking work in microbiology |
| Léon Blum | Politician (1872 – 1950), Prime Minister of France |
| Louis de Funès | Comedic actor (1914 – 1983) |
| Léa Seydoux | Actress (b. 1985), known for roles in Blue Is the Warmest Colour and James Bond films |
| Laurent Fabius | Politician (b. 1946), former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of France |
| Ludivine Sagnier | Actress (b. 1979), known for Swimming Pool and *Lupin* |
| Luc Besson | Film director and producer (b. 1959), known for The Fifth Element and Léon: The Professional |