Lola Montez c.1851 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets … or so proclaims the song from the musical Damn Yankees.
But what do Lola’s parents want to put on their daughter’s birth certificate?
It’s Just Lola
Lola as a given name is on the rise, fueled by a long list of celebrities who have given the name to their girls: Annie Lennox, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, Jennie Garth and Peter Faccinelli, and Kelly Ripa. We all grew up on The Kinks’ famous song, but somehow in 2012, Lola’s L-O-LA, Lola refrain sounds more like a lullaby than a cautionary tale.
For what is worth, Lola’s history is longer than you might imagine. She was in the US Top 1000 from 1880 into the 1970s. She disappeared for a few decades, but by 2002, she was back in the rankings. At #243 in 2011, she’s slipped a bit from her recent peak of #211 in 2010, but it is too soon to said if she’ll slide farther or resume her climb. With names like Lila all the rage, it is easy to imagine Lola – just Lola – wearing well on a little girl.
Traditional Options
Plenty of parents will want something slightly more substantial to put on their daughter’s birth certificate, just in case Lola seems too showgirl. The options are plentiful:
Dolores is the traditional way to get to Lola, but even with names like Hazel and Harriet sounding clunky-cool, Dolores still seems lost in limbo.
Eleanor could work, too, though Ellie and Nora are more obvious.
Elizabeth seems like an unlikely way to get to Lola, but the famous dancer – and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria – was born Elizabeth Rosanna.
Eloise – The most obvious of the El- options to get to Lola, Eloise’s strong o sound makes her a good candidate.
Lorelei is already a temptress, a siren from Germanic folklore. Lola is just as daring, but makes Lorelei quite approachable.
If Lorelei makes the list, how about Laura? It is easy to imagine a young child tripping over Laura’s aur sound and calling an aunt or a little sister Lola instead. There’s Lorna, too.
Charlotte seems like a ready way to get to Lola, with her lo combination in the middle. Again, like Eleanor, it isn’t that the sound doesn’t work – it is just that Charlie, Carlie, and Lottie are much more obvious options. Caroline is even more of a reach, but if Charlotte works, then why not Caroline? Or maybe it would be better to opt for Carlotta – a little bit clunky, but somehow I’d expect a Carlotta to have a spunky, unexpected nickname, too.
Here’s another thought: how ‘bout Lorraine? The French place name peaked back in the 1928, but was never so common that she feels dated. Today, she boasts the same retro swing as Irene or Loretta, and with that strong Lo sound, Lola follows naturally. Hmmm … how about Loretta?
If Florence and company can lead to the short form Flo, why not lose the F and call her Lo … la?
Modern Possibilities
The Material Girl put the spiritual place name Lourdes on the map, along with nickname Lola. Madonna’s firstborn has long preferred Lourdes. Still, we now find the idea of Lourdes called Lola reasonable – or at least familiar.
Planning on using a family surname like Lowery or Lowell in the first spot? If the last name begins with Lo, you might be able to parlay that androgynous surname into a spunky short form for a daughter.
Starbaby favorite Marlow – or Marlowe or Marlo- seems like an obvious pick.
The same logic earns modern nature name Willow a spot on this list.
Mallory has had a good run in recent decades. Her lor sound made me wonder … could you call a little Mallory Lola?
Lolita is actually a nickname for Lola, not the other way around! But by American standards, the shorter name is always the least formal version. Could Nabokov’s scandalous novel ever recede into the background far enough to make Lolita an option for a daughter? Maybe …
Rarities
Let’s end with a list of legitimate names that are seldom heard – but many of which could lead to Lola.
Alona
Alondra
Alonza
Appollonia
Cloelia
Clothilde
Filomena, Philomene
Salome
Yolonda
What do you think of Lola? Would you use her as a given name? A nickname? If so, for which name?
Liz says
August 25, 2012 at 10:36 PMLove Lorene/Lorraine, that’s my
mn, after my gram.
Julie says
August 25, 2012 at 6:50 PMMy niece Mallory’s nickname is Lally, but I could easily see calling her Lola. The other day I met a teeny Lorraine, I think I prefer the full name… that’s one that should come back!
appellationmountain says
August 27, 2012 at 8:30 PMI agree, Julie – I never gave Lorraine a moment’s thought until I met one. It is a great, spunky name!
Katybug says
August 25, 2012 at 1:18 PMMy favorite great aunt was Lola (actually the name on her birth certificate was Meddie Lola), and I have long wanted to name a little girl Louise/Louisa, nicknamed Lola. Lola from Louisa isn’t intuitive but it’s not much more of a stretch than Laura, IMO.
Lola says
August 25, 2012 at 6:09 PMKatybug, I think Louisa/Lola is awesome! It’s not intuitive but it would absolutely work, especially if there was another prominent ‘L’ somewhere in her middle name! Even if she’s something like Louisa Frances, Lola works for Louisa.
K says
August 25, 2012 at 1:37 AMOh, I love Lorelei nickname Lola! It’s probably a little too showgirl for me to use myself, but I read a book once where the siblings were Spencer, Lola, Scarlett, and Marlene, and the perfection of those names together made me do a bit of a happy dance of joy. (For the record, I think that the oldest girl’s name was just Lola-no long form. I don’t think a full form is necessary, actually. It goes along with a lot of the other ends-in-a names that we see on girls nowadays–Bella, Ella, Isla, Anna, Tessa, Eva, Ava, Ada).
Eva says
August 24, 2012 at 9:31 PMWow I love a lot of these options! Finola, Viola, and Nicola could also work.
Emily says
August 24, 2012 at 6:37 PMI would just put Lola on the birth certificate.
Wildsyringa says
August 24, 2012 at 6:00 PMI’ve also heard Lola mentioned as a nickname for Penelope and Elodie.
Lola says
August 24, 2012 at 5:50 PMWell, I’m clearly for Laura/Lola since it’s my name & nickname. My kid brother tripped on every ‘r’ as a tot and Laura became Lola almost as soon as he could speak and stuck.
I do love Dolores & Florence as well as Lorraine but would probably not nickname them down to Lola since that would be very confusing indeed! (If I thought L-Dr. was bad…)
But I’ve loved being Lola almost forever and can clearly see why it appeals to all sorts of folks. It’s cute, easy to spell and spunky, sexy and sweet all at once. Lola is awesome and I’m so glad it’s my nickname! 😀
taragui says
August 24, 2012 at 3:34 PMLola is cute. You could also use it as a nn for Paloma or Lorena.
catherine says
August 24, 2012 at 2:41 PMI know a little Eloisa who is called Lola. You mentioned Eloise, but giving Eloise an A on the end might make Lola feel even more relevant.
Kara says
August 24, 2012 at 12:56 PMMy brother’s dance teacher (who used to dance professionally in NYC before settling down in the country) named her daughter Lola. I’m pretty sure it’s just Lola. I’m also reminded of the show “Absolutely Fabulous,” where Eddie insists on calling her granddaughter Lola instead of her given name, (plain)Jane. I think Lola is meant to seem daring and extravagant in the context of the show, much like the rest of Eddie’s lifestyle, but it no longer seems to out there to me.
Alonza or Appollonia nicknamed Lola sound incredible in a good way.
KO says
August 24, 2012 at 12:54 PMLove love love Dolores! I can’t get enough Marian appellations.
Kristin says
August 24, 2012 at 12:43 PMLove Lola, nickname or given. As a nickname, I particularly like it for Lorelei, Lorraine, and Loretta.
Erin says
August 24, 2012 at 11:07 AMIf I were to use Lola, I would use it in that form. Maybe Magnolia as Names4Real mentioned.
Liz says
August 24, 2012 at 11:03 AMlove not live
Liz says
August 24, 2012 at 11:02 AMI live Lorna… Have you not notd’d it yet?
C in DC says
August 24, 2012 at 10:09 AMThis is one case where I think I prefer the nickname to any of the full name options. This one is, though, all Barry Manilow for me.
Names4Real says
August 24, 2012 at 9:48 AMI like Magnolia nn Lola. 🙂
Ashlie says
August 24, 2012 at 11:01 PMLove Magnolia! & you get Maggie too!
Meg says
August 24, 2012 at 8:41 AMwe’d love to use lola as a name for a future daughter but we just aren’t loving the formal name options for it as a nickname. until we find the perfect one if we decide to use lola it’lll be in the middle name slot. 🙂