Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1954

Lu

Gender Girl · 1% boys Rank 2025 #12,652
Rank 2025
#12,652
among girls · ↓918 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Lu
How common
1 in 229,610
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1954
394 babies
All-time total
4,081
#2,962 all-time among girls
First recorded
1886
in Social Security records

Lu popularity over time

4,081 babies have been named Lu since 1886, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.060.130.190.2518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 26 – 26 3 – #997
1890s 30 – 30 3 +15% #1,285
1900s 33 – 33 3 +10% #1,381
1910s 97 12 109 11 +230% #1,734
1920s 191 – 191 19 +75% #1,528
1930s 323 – 323 32 +69% #1,015
1940s 370 – 370 37 +15% #1,199
1950s 2,021 – 2,021 202 +446% #442
1960s 747 – 747 75 -63% #788
1970s 100 – 100 10 -87% #3,324
1980s 25 – 25 3 -75% #7,134
1990s 5 6 11 1 -56% #14,774
2000s – – – – – –
2010s 36 – 36 4 – #10,547
2020s (to 2025) 42 17 59 10 +173% #9,358

The story of Lu

Lu is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #12,652 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1886, 4,081 American babies have been named Lu. Its peak came in 1954, when 394 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Lu stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lu?

The median living Lu is about 69 years old; half are between 64 and 71. An estimated 2,900 people named Lu are alive in the United States today.

median 69 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Lu 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 7 #12,652 – –
2024 8 #11,734 – –
2023 11 #9,358 – –
2022 9 #10,890 5 #13,566
2021 – – 6 #11,600
2020 7 #12,937 6 #11,446
2019 5 #17,038 – –
2018 5 #17,146 – –
2017 6 #15,202 – –
2016 10 #10,547 – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 5 #18,196 – –
2012 5 #18,474 – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – 6 #8,460
1990 – – – –
1985 5 #11,710 – –
1980 9 #7,134 – –
1975 11 #5,357 – –
1970 18 #3,512 – –
1965 36 #1,937 – –
1960 169 #788 – –
1955 276 #549 – –
1950 41 #1,442 – –
1945 44 #1,202 – –
1940 31 #1,366 – –
1935 41 #1,093 – –
1930 13 #2,499 – –
1925 25 #1,723 – –
1920 12 #2,817 – –
1915 7 #3,640 – –
1910 6 #2,302 – –
1905 7 #1,631 – –
1900 9 #1,381 – –
1895 7 #1,377 – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Lu

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Lu Han Lu Han Chinese singer (born 1990) Contemporary
  2. 2 Lu Xun Lu Xun Chinese novelist and essayist (1881–1936) 19th century
  3. 3 Lu Ban Lu Ban 5th-century BC Chinese engineer and inventor -507–-440 · Antiquity
  4. 4 Lu Yen-hsun Lu Yen-hsun Taiwanese tennis player b. 1983 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Lu Su Lu Su Chinese politician, general and diplomat (172–217) Antiquity
  6. 6 Lu You Lu You Chinese historian and poet (1125–1210) Medieval
  7. 7 Lu Yu Lu Yu Chinese writer who influenced tea drinking 733–804 · Medieval
  8. 8 Lu Xun Eastern Wu general and politician (183-245) Antiquity
  9. 9 Lu Li Lu Li Chinese gymnast b. 1976 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Lu Yong Chinese weightlifter (born 1986) Contemporary
  11. 11 Lu Ying Lu Ying Chinese swimmer (born 1989) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Lu, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Lu?

The median living Lu is about 69 years old. Half of all living Lus are between 64 and 71 years old.

How many people named Lu are alive today?

An estimated 2,900 people named Lu are alive in the United States, based on 4,081 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Lu in 2025?

Lu ranked #12,652 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Lu?

4,081 babies have been named Lu in the United States since 1886, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lu most popular?

Lu peaked in 1954, when 394 newborns received the name.

Is Lu a boy or girl name?

Lu is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lu rising or falling?

Lu is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Lu?

Well-known people named Lu include Lu Han (singer), Lu Xun (writer), Lu Ban (engineer).

Names like Lu

Names that sound and feel close to Lu: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Lu with similar names → More names starting with L →