What is Lulu short for?

Lulu names range from traditional Louise to obscure Eluned. If you love a playful, sparky nickname, but want something more substantial for your daughter’s birth certificate, this list is for you.

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FAMOUS LULUS

In the 1930s and 40s, the Sunday comics chronicled the adventures of Little Lulu Moppett. Marjorie Henderson Buell created the character. Miss Moppett found her way into scrapes and adventures, but she was generally virtuous and day-saving.

Scottish singer Lulu – born Marie – scored a string of hits in the 1960s. “To Sir With Love,” from the Sidney Poitier movie, was her biggest hit. She also sang the theme song to James Bond movie “The Man With the Golden Gun.”

And if you’re into yoga – or just athleisure – clothing brand lululemon almost certainly comes to mind. There is no Ms. Lemon or Lu behind the spandex. Instead, company founder Chip Wilson noted that brands with “L” appealed to Japanese customers because they seemed especially American. He opened his first store in Vancouver in the year 2000. L-L names like Lily and Layla were just beginning to trend with American parents, too, making lululemon a very stylish brand name. 

Gilmore Girls gave us Lulu Kuschner, an elementary school teacher in Stars Hollow.  Fictional Lulus also appear in everything from General Hospital to Sesame Street. 

The name Lulu had a good run in the early twentieth century, too. Silent film star Louise Brooks played a Lulu in 1929 silent film Pandora’s Box. 

WHY NOT JUST NAME HER LULU?

Formal names aren’t required.

As an independent name, Lulu ranks in the US Top 1000 from 1880 through the 1930s. As of 2023, 63 girls were named Lulu.

Is it a good first name? If Leah and Cleo work, it’s hard to argue that this name isn’t wearable. But it does sound more like a sweet, affectionate nickname that a given name.

Also noteworthy: Lulu is a name of Arabic origin meaning pearl. 

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FORMAL LULU NAMES

ELOISE

If Louise works, then the similar-sounding Eloise seems an obvious choice, too.

ELUNED

An obscure Welsh saint’s name, Eluned looks like it has the “lou” sound right there. Except the correct pronunciation is closer to el EH ned or el EE ned in Welsh. Still, it’s so very obscure that American parents might get away with the unconventional pronunciation that leads to Lulu.

GUADALUPE

Often given in combination with Maria, Guadalupe honors a Marian apparition in Guadalupe, Mexico. Despite the sacred nature of the name, it has a certain rhythm that makes bouncing, upbeat Lulu feel like a natural fit.

LAURA, LAUREL, LAUREN

Classic Laura is a timeless choice well-used across the centuries. Laurel makes it a straight-up nature name. Lauren is more of an 80s favorite, and Laurel feels like a nature name ready to succeed now. But nearly any Laura name could lead to Lulu, too. 

LIBELULA

It almost looks like a Libby-Lula smoosh. Except libélula is the Spanish word for dragonfly. With Tallulah on the rise, this seems more wearable than ever.

LOU

Just Lou – or Lue – is sometimes used as a first or middle name. Doubling it to Loulou or Lulu is an obvious choice.

LOUISE, LOUISA, LUISA, LUISE

Classic girl names Louise and Louisa naturally lead to Lulu. They’re buttoned-up traditional picks. Nickname Lulu lends them all sorts of spark. 

LOURDES

A pilgrimage site of deep significance to Catholics, Lourdes has sometimes been used as a given name. Madonna chose it for her firstborn back in 1996, with the nickname Lola. But Lulu works every bit as well.

LUCASTA

Inspired by the phrase lux casta  – pure light – Lucasta was invented by a seventeenth century poet in love with a Lucy.

LUCIA, LUCIANA

Romance language Lucia fits right in with Olivia and Sophia. Built-in nicknames like Lucy, Lou, and Lulu are a bonus. Elaborations like Luciana work, too.

LUCIENNE

If you love French feminine names like Genevieve, Josephine, and Vivienne, Lucienne might appeal. It’s a sleek, sophisticated member of the Lulu names club.

LUCILLA

Ancient saint’s name seldom heard in the US today, but with potential.

LUCILLE

Most Lucilles shorten to Lucy, but Lulu works nicely, too.

LUCINDA

A lovely literary elaboration, Lucinda first appeared in Don Quixote way back in 1605.

LUCRETIA

Gothic and rare, Lucretia belongs to a Borgia. Nineteenth century US First Lady Lucretia Garfield shortened her name to Crete. But Lulu takes the name in a more playful direction.

LUDOVICA

The Germanic Chlodovech became Clovis, then Louis … but with a pit stop to become Ludovicus. That makes Ludovica one of the rarest feminine forms of the classic name. It sounds aristocratic, dramatic, and just a little bit intimidating. But if we can call our girls Isabella “Izzy” and Francesca “Frankie,” then Ludovica “Lulu” fits right in.

LUELLA

A mix of Lulu names, and that -ella ending we all love, Luella sounds rich with potential. The extra Ls make Lulu an even more intuitive nickname. The spelling Louella is sometimes seen, too.

LULA

Originally short for Louise and Louisa, Lula now sounds like a potential formal name.

LUMEN, LUX, LUZ

From the Latin word for light.

LUNA

Popular night-sky choice that could lead to this pet name.

LUSCINIA

An avian name, Luscinia refers to the family of birds including the nightingale. It’s the Latin name, in use since at least 70 AD, and translates roughly into “famous songster.” The name is associated with the Roman goddess Minerva, goddess of wisdom, too.

LUVENIA

Invented in the late nineteenth century, Luvenia and Louvenia ranked in the US Top 1000 into the 1930s and 40s. If you’re seeking an undiscovered vintage pick, these might work.

MARY LOU, MARIA LUISA, MARIE-LOUISE

Double names with a form of Mary and any Lou- middle are another obvious choice. Spellings like Marilu make it even more obvious.

TALLULAH

A Hollywood name from leading lady Tallulah Bankhead, this name is trending in recent years. It’s offbeat and upbeat, and shortens easily to Lulu. Other spellings, like Talulla and Talula, are also seen.

MIDDLE NAMES LEADING TO LULU

 A combination like Laura Louise easily leads to Lulu. But even a name like Caroline Louise or Ella Louise might suggest Lulu; it just takes a little bit of L sound combined with that middle.

For more daring namers, a combination like Amelia Blue or Leah Blue could work.

ALTERNATIVES TO LULU

For many of these names, Lula is another possible nickname.

The French Lilou is often connected to an old name meaning Lily, but it would work as a nickname, too. 

The name could also be spelled Loulou, Lou Lou, or even Looloo or Loo Loo, though the simplified four-letter spelling is most common.

Time for your take: what is Lulu short for? Would you add any names/combinations to this list?

Originally published on December 15, 2011, this post was revised and re-posted on May 14, 2020 and again on September 14, 2024.

About Abby Sandel

Whether you're naming a baby, or just all about names, you've come to the right place! Appellation Mountain is a haven for lovers of obscure gems and enduring classics alike.

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53 Comments

  2. Do not like “Lulu” though I like several of the names that “get you there.” It’s too cutesy by half, and I think any name that a child might be inclined to carry outside the house (unlike “pumpkin face” or “cutie pie”) should be something more dignified than the kind of thing you’d use on a dog. “Lulu” seems like a dog’s name to me.

    And “lulu lemon” makes me think only of the horrific murder that recently occurred at our local store and the founder’s obsession with Ayn Rand. Yoga and Rand? Strange bedfellows indeed!

    However, in general, I’m pretty loose on the foundation of nicknames. My family’s nickname for me has nothing to do with my own name, and the nickname we use for my daughter is not any of the five or six “established” nicknames that “belong” to that name.

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  3. I am having a Lu phase this winter. Loving names Like Louisa Lucille and Luna.. I love Lulu as a kids name, but you probably need a full name to fall back on, it is a little cutesy for 40 year old, but could come back when she has grandchildren .. granny Lulu would be such a cute grandma name.. This is another subject I am fascinated by.. grandmother names.

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  6. We were going to have a Lucy (possibly Lucinda) earlier this year, if we’d had a boy. I fancied Lulu for her nickname – especially as we knew another baby Lucy, so we’d need something to differentiate between the two.

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  8. thank you for mentioning Lucasta!! (I didn’t know that before about the “lux casta” either, makes me love the name even MORE).

    I know a Japanese woman named Luna who was born in 1969 shortly after the moon landing. I also knew a Ludovica who was super cool and artistic and used to go by “Lou” as a short form.

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  9. You left out Lucina as another possibility – we named our daughter Lucina (pronounced loo SEE na) because we are a French/American couple & it can be pronounced similarly in both languages. However, we found pronunciation was tough for the US relatives who call her anything from Lucinda to Lucretia. My husband’s French relatives have had their own issues with it too. Apparently there are a ton of Lucinas in Armenia. Anyway, she has become Lulu to anyone who looks puzzled when we tell them her name, and also as an endearment for us as parents- how could a nickname get much cuter than Lulu?

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