Baby Name of the Day: Lux

The baby name Lux offers a bright meaning with a sharp, short sound.

Thanks to Kate for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME LUX MEAN?

In Latin, lucere means “to shine.” Lux is the word for light.

Light suggests lots of different things. Illumination and wisdom, but also joy. We see the light and light up when we see someone we love. Light can imply heat, as from a fire. Or hope, as with a candle.

No surprise that plenty of names with connections to light are popular, like Top 100 picks Lucy and Luke, as well as the on-trend Luca. 

LUXURY

Add an ‘e’ and it’s luxury. The word originally implied decadence and sin, from the Latin luxuria – excess.

Over time, luxe lost its moral judgement, though it still implies indulgence.

One fun use of the baby name Lux, blended with this meaning? Legendary punk band The Cramps featured frontman Lux Interior. Real name: Erick Purkheiser. Purkheiser found the phrase in a car advertisement and adopted it as his stage name.

MARIA LUZ

In Spanish, Nuestra Señora de la Luz is a title for the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus.

Names like Luz, Maria Luz, and Maria de la Luz are heard in Spanish-speaking countries. 

Because Luz is sometimes spelled with an X instead, it suggests another Lux name meaning: Our Lady of the Light, a spiritual one. 

It’s not an especially common devotion, but Maria Luz was particularly popular as a double name in 20th century Spain. 

LITERARY LUX

Then came Jeffrey Eugenides’ stellar 1993 debut novel, The Virgin Suicides.

Set in the 1970s, Eugenides’ story followed the five Lisbon sisters, each of whom takes her life, for reasons that are ever revealed. It’s narrated by a group of anonymous teenage boys who are obsessed with the tragic sisters, including the gorgeous Lux. When the novel became a movie in 1999, Kirsten Dunst played the character.

Eugenides’ choice of Lux seems unusual, especially when compared to her sisters: Cecilia, Bonnie, Mary, and Therese. The novel explicitly describes the family as Catholic. Is this a Marian name?

Probably.

Pop culture gave us one more use of the given name: the CW’s short-lived television series Life Unexpected. The show followed teenage Lux Cassidy. After growing up in foster care, she tracked down her biological parents, and in one of those only-on-television twists, they end up living together as a family. It ran from 2010 through 2011, and the name rose in use, particularly for girls, during those years.

And then there’s Lucifer. The show ran from 2016 to 2021. While no characters were named Lux, the Prince of Darkness came to Los Angeles and opened a nightclub he called Lux. Given the show’s popularity, and the rise of character names including Lucifer and Mazikeen, it’s not a stretch to imagine Lux could’ve been boosted by the series, too.

PRONUNCIATION

On paper, Lux looks like it rhymes with tux. The Virgin Suicides’ character pronounced her name this way. 

Except it’s more typically pronounced like Luke-with-an-s: Lukes. At least in Latin, and most of the time, if we hear lux, it’s in a Latin phrase, like Lux et Veritas.

Luz rhymes with goose. And we’re used to Lucy and Lucia, Lucas and Lucian, so the long OO sound seems intuitive for the baby name Lux, too. 

PLACE NAME AND SURNAME 

The name also appears on the map and as a family surname.

There are at least two small towns in France by the name.

As a last name, it might come from the given name Lucas. It could also be from the German Luchs, typically from a nickname for someone with good eyesight, from the word for lynx. (Yes, the lynx is known for its sharp vision, and the Eurasian lynx is native to Germany.)

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME LUX?

Most of the Luke and Luc names are enjoying rising popularity in that decade or two. How about the baby name Lux?

While it’s not unknown before the 21st century, it doesn’t appear in the US popular names data until 2001. The year it debuted, nine girls and five boys received the name.

So Lux has been a unisex option from the beginning. 

As of 2024, Lux has yet to rank in the Top 1000 baby names in the US. 60 girls and 164 boys were named Lux in the year 2024.

That’s down a bit from peak usage around 2021/2022, but still pretty reasonable numbers.

MEANINGFUL MINI OPTION

The baby name Lux fits multiple trends. Boys’ names ending in x are still having a moment, from vintage Felix to gemstone Onyx. But it’s equally compelling as a girl’s given name, a sister for Tru, an more subtle alternative to Halo. 

It could be an interesting, edgy, and meaningful choice as a middle name, too. 

If you’re after something with history, a powerful message, and a compact style, Lux could be the perfect name for your family.

What do you think of the baby name Lux?

First published on December 24, 2015, this post was revised on April 21, 2026.