baby names

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40 Lovely, Lively, Lavish Girls Names That Begin With “L”

You’ll love every last one.

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So much thought goes into what name to give a new baby, and with good reason. A baby name is a way to convey heritage, culture, values, and wishes for your child. If you think about it, it’s one of the first gifts we give them. There are lots of things to consider when choosing the name your little one will most likely be using for the rest of their life, and it can be overwhelming. There are so many choices, and only you can know what feels right. Sometimes, it helps to narrow it down by letter, so we’re going to offer some baby girl names that start with “L.”

There might be a lot of reasons you want to choose a girl names that start with “L.” Maybe it’s a subtle way to honor a friend or relative without giving your baby exactly the same name. Or maybe you’ve got a theme going and you want a name that’s going to match siblings Lex, Laurie, and Leda. Or maybe your last name begins with “L” and you want an alliterative name to get across a superhero vibe — thing Peter Parker, Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Clark Kent.

Whatever your reason, you picked a good letter: there are some lovely names that start with “L” for you to consider when making your list.

1

Luna

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This is a name that has catapulted from obscurity to popularity over the past 20 years, and it’s easy to see why. The name itself means “moon” in multiple languages, and it definitely has a beautiful, somewhat mysterious vibe.

2

Lakshmi

Lakshmi is the name of the Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune, wife of Vishnu, protector of the universe. It’s a lot to live up to if you’re named after a goddess, but we know you have high hopes for your little one.

3

Lyra

This name is a reference to the Ancient Greek instrument, the lyre, played by such luminary mythological figures as Apollo, the sun god, and Orpheus, who braved the Underworld to try to rescue his true love. It’s also the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials trilogy.

4

Lilibet

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This diminutive version of “Elizabeth” was the childhood nickname of Queen Elizabeth II, and has been taken up by her great granddaughter, the second child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It’s regal and adorable at the same time.

5

Lucy

This classic name means “light,” and we love this for a baby girl because it represents all the light she brings into her family’s lives.

6

Liliana

This beautiful name is a Spanish and Italian variation of “lily,” which represents purity in the language of flowers. We also love that any nickname you could get from this name – Lily, Lili, Anna – are also really beautiful.

7

Lindy

Historically used as a nickname for names like “Linda,” “Belinda,” and “Lindsey” — all of which derive from the Spanish word “linda,” meaning pretty — Lindy is now a stand-alone name in its own right.

8

Lupita

Made famous by the divine Ms. Nyong’o, Lupita is a Spanish name meaning “little wolf.” A great choice for a girl who will run free and have a tight-knit pack behind her.

9

Leilani

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A Hawaiian girls’ name, Leilani comes from the words “lei” (as in the gorgeous strand of flowers) and “lani” meaning sky or heavens. Put together to make the name Leilani, the name roughly translates to “heavenly garland of flowers” or “royal child of heaven,” since leis have a historical association with royalty.

10

Lennox

Lennox is a name of Scottish origin meaning “elm grove.” We love the sassy, classic-but-modern vibe of this unisex name.

11

Laurel

Flower names are always a hit, and Laurel is one of the less popular ones. It’s a great option for people who like names like Rose, Violet, or Lily but don’t want something quite as popular.

12

Leila

This Arabic name means “night” or “dark.” If you don’t like this spelling, you could go with Layla or Laila – since the name is a transliteration you kind of can’t go wrong.

13

Lucia

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This beautiful Italian version of “Lucy” is a great option to put a twist on a classic or celebrate a family’s Italian heritage. It can be pronounced either traditionally – Loo-chee-uh – or Anglicized – Loo-see-uh.

14

Liberty

Sometimes a name just says it all, right? We also like the French variation of this one – Liberté. Both speak to a bold little girl who knows her mind and stands up for what’s right.

15

Lyric

Perfect for a baby girl born into a family of musicians (or musical theater lovers) who will make life a song for those around her.

16

Lincoln

This very presidential name was made popular by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepherd’s daughter and we are here for it. It’s so versatile – it can be distinguished and quirky, creative and professional – and it’s androgynous, making it a great option for those looking for unusual girl names that start with “L.”

17

Lilith

Lilith is an ancient name meaning “belonging to the night” or “night monster.” In Judaic folklore, Lilith was Adam’s first wife who was banished to become a demon of the night. In the 1960s, however, some feminists reclaimed the Lilith story as that of a woman who refused to submit to a man, even her husband. And of course, every child of the ‘90s knows about Lilith Fair. It could be a strong “L” name for a strong girl.

18

Lorena

This Spanish name comes from the word “laurel” and is that language’s version of the French name “Lorraine” (another sweet girl name that starts with “L”).

19

Lenore

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Perfect for any Edgar Allan Poe fan, Lenore is derived from the French name Eleanor, meaning “light” or “she shines in beauty.” It is also the name of the ill-fated heroine of Poe’s classic poem “The Raven.”

20

Lynette

This name comes from a couple of cultures. In French it means “pretty little one.” In Welsh, it comes from the same word as “idol.”

21

Leah

We love the versatility of this Biblical name, which can be pronounced either as LAY-uh (yes, like the space princess!) or LEE-uh. In the Bible, Leah was the wife of Jacob and the mother of many of the nations of Israel.

22

Lydia

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Whether you’re a fan of Beetlejuice or just love a classic “old lady” baby name, Lydia — a name of Greek origin — is a classic for a reason.

23

Larissa

In Greek mythology, Larissa was a nymph and her name means “citadel.” Over time, this has become a popular name for girls in many Eastern European countries.

24

Leslie

We think this mid-century classic is in need of a comeback. It’s a particularly great choice for those of us who still aren’t over the fact that Parks and Recreation isn’t on anymore.

25

Lourdes

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This name could have a couple of meanings. It could be an ode to the pilgrimage site in the South of France, where many Catholics journey every year to bath in sacred waters. It is also a name from Basque culture meaning “craggy place.” It was made popular in the ‘90s when Madonna bestowed it on her first daughter.

26

Lisbeth

This alternative form of “Elizabeth” — a Hebrew name meaning “God is my oath” — is a great option for families who want to honor someone named Elizabeth, but aren’t so sure about the eternally-popular girls name. Honestly, we like them both. Elizabeth is popular for a reason, but Lisbeth is just such a fun twist on a classic.

27

Lena

Lena is one of those names that occurs throughout cultures and its origin in each case is unclear. In some cases, it has appeared as an alternative to “Helena” which means “light.”

28

Liza

This diminutive version of “Elizabeth” is a fun, elegant, witty alternative and we’re here for it... if for nothing else because we simply adore Liza Minnelli.

29

LaToya

This name comes from Spanish and means “The Victorious One” and wow, what a way to come into the world. This name can be styled and spelled in a variety of ways, including La Toya, LaToya, and Latoya.

30

Lana

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This name means something different depend on its country of origin. In Hawaiian it means “afloat.” In Slavic languages it means (once again) “light.” In Irish, this name means “little rock.”

31

Latika

If this name is familiar to you, it might be because the love interest in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire carried this lovely name. Latika means both “goddess” and “little creeper” (as in the plant variety, not, like a creeper) in Sanskrit and Hindi.

32

Linnea

This sweet Swedish name translates to “lime tree.” We love that it sounds elegant and Bohemian.

33

Letitia

This Spanish girls name comes from an older, Latin name meaning “gladness” or “joy.” Perfect for your little bundle of joy.

34

Logan

This modern, unisex name is more common for boys, but we love it for little girls, too. Logan is a Scottish name that comes from the Gaelic word “lagan” which means “hollow.”

35

Louisa

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Whether you’re a fan of Little Women author Louisa May Alcott or the burly elder sister from Encanto (spelled Luisa), Louisa is a great option. This name is of German origin and means “famous warrior.”

36

Layne

The name Layne derives from the Old English word “lanu” meaning “dweller by the road.” Our word “lane” comes from this same place. As a name, it started out as a surname after the Norman conquest in the 11th century, but is now used as a unisex first name.

37

Luz

This simple but gorgeous Spanish name is yet another “L” girl name meaning “light” and we are absolutely love it. Simply, powerful, graceful: Luz definitely hits all the right notes.

38

Lottie

This diminutive form of Charlotte has one of the best meanings we’ve ever heard: “Free little woman.” It’s giving “baby queen” vibes.

39

Lux

This edgy, modern name is a great option for families who want something sweet but not overly feminine. The name comes from the Latin word meaning... we know you can guess it by now... “light.”

40

Liona

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This Italian name means “lioness” and we love it because, yes, it obviously means “lioness” (“lion” is right there in the name...) without smacking you over the head with it. It’s a great choice for a baby girl you want to encourage to be powerful and graceful.

With 40 beautiful girl names that start with “L” — and most of which seem to mean “light” — to add to your list, you’ll have a perfect name chose in no time.

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