Lois
From Ancient Greek Λωΐς (Lōḯs), of obscure meaning.
Every Lois since 1880 — 335,594 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lois
Lois is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,670 in 2025 with 124 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 335,594 American babies have been named Lois. Its peak came in 1927, when 10,587 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lois stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lois year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 124 | #1,670 | — | — |
| 2024 | 121 | #1,690 | — | — |
| 2023 | 132 | #1,591 | — | — |
| 2022 | 124 | #1,690 | — | — |
| 2021 | 120 | #1,726 | 6 | #11,596 |
| 2020 | 106 | #1,846 | — | — |
| 2019 | 124 | #1,693 | — | — |
| 2018 | 122 | #1,701 | — | — |
| 2017 | 134 | #1,622 | — | — |
| 2016 | 119 | #1,751 | — | — |
| 2015 | 109 | #1,880 | — | — |
| 2014 | 101 | #1,973 | — | — |
| 2013 | 78 | #2,359 | — | — |
| 2012 | 94 | #2,054 | — | — |
| 2011 | 72 | #2,525 | — | — |
| 2010 | 70 | #2,602 | — | — |
| 2009 | 80 | #2,412 | — | — |
| 2008 | 85 | #2,307 | — | — |
| 2007 | 82 | #2,342 | — | — |
| 2006 | 87 | #2,219 | 5 | #13,233 |
| 2005 | 65 | #2,616 | — | — |
| 2004 | 64 | #2,615 | — | — |
| 2003 | 73 | #2,313 | 7 | #9,252 |
| 2002 | 85 | #2,042 | — | — |
| 2001 | 84 | #2,026 | — | — |
| 2000 | 78 | #2,095 | 6 | #9,840 |
| 1995 | 98 | #1,555 | — | — |
| 1990 | 93 | #1,613 | 8 | #6,186 |
| 1985 | 129 | #1,122 | — | — |
| 1980 | 153 | #972 | 5 | #6,864 |
| 1975 | 222 | #676 | — | — |
| 1970 | 517 | #427 | 9 | #3,426 |
| 1965 | 1,204 | #249 | 7 | #3,428 |
| 1960 | 2,269 | #175 | 12 | #2,487 |
| 1955 | 3,418 | #124 | 12 | #2,386 |
| 1950 | 4,504 | #83 | 17 | #1,858 |
| 1945 | 5,148 | #48 | 21 | #1,477 |
| 1940 | 6,125 | #38 | 37 | #1,087 |
| 1935 | 7,990 | #21 | 57 | #826 |
| 1930 | 10,114 | #17 | 87 | #670 |
| 1925 | 9,573 | #18 | 67 | #813 |
| 1920 | 6,560 | #38 | 56 | #926 |
| 1915 | 4,775 | #47 | 67 | #727 |
| 1910 | 1,271 | #76 | 15 | #807 |
| 1905 | 763 | #88 | 8 | #975 |
| 1900 | 577 | #115 | 10 | #880 |
| 1895 | 311 | #144 | — | — |
| 1890 | 175 | #178 | — | — |
| 1885 | 105 | #183 | — | — |
| 1880 | 53 | #211 | — | — |
Famous people named Lois
- Lois Maxwell Actor · 1927–2007
- Lois Chiles Actor · b. 1947
- Lois McMaster Bujold Writer · b. 1949
- Lois Lowry Writer · b. 1937
- Lois Smith Actor · b. 1930
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lois mean?
From Ancient Greek Λωΐς (Lōḯs), of obscure meaning.
How popular is the name Lois in 2025?
Lois ranked #1,670 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 124 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lois?
335,594 babies have been named Lois in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lois most popular?
Lois peaked in 1927, when 10,587 newborns received the name.
Is Lois a boy or girl name?
Lois is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lois rising or falling?
Lois is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lois?
Well-known people named Lois include Lois Maxwell (actor), Lois Chiles (actor), Lois McMaster Bujold (writer).