Louisiana baby names reflect the state’s fascinating history and culture.
Cajuns, zydeco music and so much jazz, Mardi Gras parades. It’s a distinctive place, and the names in use match.
The term Acadians refers to French settlers in North America. They were forcibly deported from their land in northeastern Canada in the 1750s following the British conquest. Some of those families eventually ended up in Louisiana. French names like Florent, Alexandre, Jules, Cecile, and Augustin are heard across the state, preserving that heritage.
It became the 18th US state on April 30, 1812.
In terms of demographics, the state of Louisiana is roughly in the middle. It’s 25th out of 50 in terms of population size, and 33rd out of 50 by land area.
A little over half of the state’s population identifies as white. Not quite one-third is African American, with about 7% Hispanic or Latino and around 2% Asian. In general, the white population continues to shrink, while younger Louisianans identify as African American or mixed race. Because name trends are impacted by parents’ racial identity, this is born out by the Top 100 baby names.
LOUISIANA AS A BABY NAME
The state takes its name from Louis XIV, King of France from 1643 to 1715.
It was originally called La Louisiane by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who claimed the area for France. It was part of the French colonial empire, and extended from the state as we known it today, all the way to the current US-Canada border, reaching even into Alberta and Saskatchewan.
While Louisiana looks almost like a double name, that’s not quite accurate. Adding -ane to a French word means “relating to.” So La Louisiane was land relating to King Louis’ reign.
In 1803, the US purchased most of that area. Worth noting: despite the purchase, most of that land had long been inhabited by Native peoples and was not controlled by any European or American government. Nevertheless, the Louisiana Purchase ultimately accounted for about one-quarter of the land considered part of the United States today.
TOP TEN BOY NAMES IN LOUISIANA
10. HUDSON (#22 in the US)
Hudson ranks in the ten most popular names in seversl Southern states, far away from New York’s Hudson River and Canada’s Hudson Bay.
9. LEVI (#12 in the US)
Slightly more popular here than nationally.
8. HENRY (#6 in the US)
A classic that’s big nearly everywhere.
7. OLIVER (#3 in the US)
Oliver sinks just slightly in Louisiana.
6. JAMES (#5 in the US)
Another universal classic.
5. WILLIAM (#10 in the US)
William fares slightly better in Louisiana, perhaps a nod to Southerners’ tendency to hand down the most traditional names across generations.
4. JOHN (#21 in the US)
John might also benefit from Southern families’ tendency to stick with the most traditional choices, at least as first names.
3. ELIJAH (#8 in the US)
An Old Testament name that tends to out-perform with parents of African-American descent, this Biblical favorite might reflect the state’s demographics.
2. NOAH (#2 in the US)
Big across the US and also in the second spot here.
1. LIAM (#1 in the US)
Louisiana’s top name echoes the national trends.
TOP 100 LOUISIANA BOY NAMES
- Liam
- Noah
- Elijah
- John
- William
- James
- Oliver
- Henry
- Levi
- Hudson
- Joseph
- Luke
- Asher
- Samuel
- Carter
- Mason
- Wyatt
- Theodore
- Benjamin
- Ezra
- Maverick
- Amir
- Grayson
- Beau
- Brooks
- Christian
- Thomas
- Josiah
- Cooper
- David
- Matthew
- Jack
- Michael
- Owen
- Walker
- Legend*
- Waylon
- Bennett
- Jackson
- Lucas
- Dylan
- Parker
- Easton
- Andrew
- Charles
- Jacob
- Jayden
- Hayes
- Joshua
- Weston
- Alexander
- Aiden
- Isaac
- Jude
- Elias
- Anthony
- Ethan
- Kingston*
- Roman
- Isaiah
- Mateo
- Cameron
- Gabriel
- Myles
- Silas
- Eli
- Kai
- River(
- Stetson*
- Karter*
- Rowan
- Leo
- Jace*
- Jaxon
- Luca
- Christopher
- Nolan
- Wesley
- Braxton*
- Logan
- Daniel
- Nathan
- Beckham*
- Rhett*
- Ryder*
- Micah
- Sebastian
- Colton
- Graham*
- Julian
- Tatum*
- Caleb
- August
- Messiah*
- Thiago
- Ashton*
- Kayden*
- Lincoln
- Briggs*
- Kayson*
* indicates the name does not appear in the current US Top 100
TOP TEN GIRL NAMES IN LOUISIANA
10. ELEANOR (#14 in the US)
A classic name that feels elegantly Southern.
9. HARPER (#12 in the US)
Family surname names are big in the South, and Harper Lee’s status as a beloved Southern author is another reason this name continues to rank higher here.
8. ELLIE (#21 in the US)
Casual Ellie is even more popular in Louisiana. Worth noting: because of a relatively small Spanish-speaking population, names like Sophia/Sofia and Isabella don’t rank in the state’s Top Ten, opening space for names like Ellie. Since it’s a logical Eleanor nickname, chances are that Ellie is even more common than these sky-high numbers suggest.
7. MIA (#5 in the US)
A national favorite.
6. EMMA (#2 in the US)
Slightly less common here than elsewhere.
5. EVELYN (#8 in the US)
Like Eleanor, a name with tradition and restraint.
4. AVA (#9 in the US)
There’s something about Ava that sounds just right on this list. Famous Louisiana native Reese Witherspoon chose this name for a daughter way back in 1999.
3. CHARLOTTE (#4 in the US)
Lady-like Charlotte is a chart-topper across the US.
2. AMELIA (#3 in the US)
Amelia surges into the second spot.
1. OLIVIA (#1 in the US)
Olivia is on top in yet another US state.
TOP 100 LOUISIANA GIRL NAMES
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Charlotte
- Ava
- Evelyn
- Emma
- Mia
- Ellie
- Harper
- Eleanor
- Chloe
- Ivy
- Nova
- Avery
- Isabella
- Sophia
- Elizabeth
- Hazel
- Camille*
- Ella
- Lily
- Aurora
- Willow
- Gianna
- Millie
- Autumn
- Caroline
- Mary*
- Aria
- Paisley
- Zoe
- Mila
- Nora
- Eloise
- Emily
- Violet
- Lucy
- Sofia
- Audrey
- Delilah
- Emery
- Stella
- Vivian
- Abigail
- Kehlani*
- Naomi
- Parker*
- Remi*
- Riley
- Josephine
- Serenity*
- Adeline
- Alice
- Blakely*
- Georgia*
- Grace
- Scarlett
- Eden
- Isla
- Lainey
- Luna
- Zoey
- Magnolia*
- Lillian
- Madison
- Layla
- Cecilia*
- Demi*
- Eliana
- Josie
- Khloe*
- Kinsley
- Journee*
- Margot*
- Nevaeh*
- Oaklynn*
- Kalani*
- Malani*
- Brooklyn*
- Emilia
- Margaret*
- Ruby
- Claire
- Genesis
- Londyn*
- Rylee*
- Sophie
- Anna
- Annie*
- Aubrey*
- Kali*
- Everly
- Leah
- Penelope
- Sutton*
- Addison
- Alani*
- Camila
- Armani*
- Iris
* indicates the name does not appear in the current US Top 100
DISTINCTIVE LOUISIANA PLACE NAMES
Names inspired by the city of New Orleans, from the French Quarter to the Garden District, and everywhere in between, can be found here. It’s a mix of languages, Greek mythology, and borrowings from history and the natural world, too.
Because New Orleans and Louisiana loom large in fiction, plenty of imaginary place names are located in the state, too. This list is confined to places that really do appear on the map today.
ACADIA
A parish – the Louisianan equivalent of a county – and a historical nod to the Acadians.
ARCADIA
A tiny town you might know from the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
BEAUREGARD
Another parish name. One caution: it’s named for a Confederate military officer from the state.
CADDO
Another parish name. Like so many O-ending options, Caddo sounds like it has potential. But again, a caution: Caddo is borrowed from a local indigenous people.
CONCORDIA
From a Latin word meaning harmony.
EUNICE
A tiny town named for the wife of legendary lawman CC Duson. Duson founded the town.
HAMMOND
Swedish sailor Peter av Hammerdal became one of the region’s first European settlers around 1818. He Anglicized his name to Peter Hammond, and the area where he lived eventually borrowed his adopted name, too.
HELENA
The Baton Rouge area includes St. Helena Parish, named for the saint.
LAFAYETTE
The state’s fourth-largest city was named for the Marquis de Lafayette.
LANDRY
In the heart of both Creole and Cajun country sits St. Landry Parish.
NOLA
A common abbreviation for New Orleans, Louisiana.
RUSTON
Located near the meeting place of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, Ruston is home to Lousiana Tech University. It’s named for one of the original donors of land to the city.
SABINE
A parish on the state’s Texas border, Sabine shares its name with the river that cross both states.
NAMES FROM LOUISIANA HISTORY & SYMBOLS
BAYOU
Louisiana is nicknamed the Bayou State because of the many marshy, slow-flowing rivers that define the region.
BEAR
The black bear is the state’s official mammal, though isn’t strongly associated with Louisiana.
CYPRESS
The bald cypress is the state’s official tree.
EVANGELINE, GABRIEL
The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s mournful “Evangeline” is a tale of lost love between two Acadians, Evangline and Gabriel. The 1847 poem is immortalized by a statue, the Evangeline Oak, and more landmarks from the tale, still open to visitors in St. Martinville at the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historica Site.
HONEY
Borrowed from state insect, the honeybee.
LEO
Inspired not by a lion, but the Catahoula leopard dog, the state’s official dog.
MAGNOLIA
A very Southern favorite, Magnolia ranks in the state’s Top 100, and serves as the Louisiana state flower, too.
OLIVIER
Acadian House in a National Historic Landmark, also known as Maison Olivier. Built by a wealthy Creole landowner named Pierre Olivier Duclozel de Vezin, it’s a great surviving example of the type of homes built in the region during the early 19th century.
STELLA
Borrowed from Tennesse Williams’ enduring play A Streetcar Named Desire, and especially by a young Marlon Brando yelling the name in the celebrated film version.
SUNSHINE
“You Are My Sunshine” is the state’s official song.
WATSON
An archeological site, Watson Brake dates to around 3500 BCE. Its’ the oldest earthwork mound complex in North America, pre-dating Stonehenge or the Egyptian pyramids.
FAMOUS LOUISIANANS
ADONIS
From jazz musician Adonis Rose.
ANTHONY
From actor and Avengers star Anthony Mackie.
BRITNEY
As in Spears.
DAK
He plays for Dallas, but Dak Prescott was born in Sulphur, Louisiana.
HARRY
Famous New Orleans native Harry Connick, Jr. is strongly associated with the city and state.
IAN
Actor Somerhalder rose to fame as Damon in The Vampire Diaries, a show with spin-offs eventually set in New Orleans.
JARED
Borrowed from actor Leto.
JEAN
Sometimes called the Gentleman Pirate, Jean Lafitte’s personal story is tied up with New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico.
KHALED
As in DJ Khaled.
LOUIS
Borrowed from the legendary Louis Armstrong – and the royal for which the state in named and the saint whose cathedral stands at the heart of New Orleans.
MARIE
As in Marie Laveau, a priestess and practitioner of Voodoo in 19th century New Orleans. While she was a historical figure, legends around her have made her larger than life.
ODELL
Another football-centric name, borrowed from Odell Beckham Jr., a native of Baton Rouge.
PAULEY
New Orleans native Pauley Perette rose to fame as Abby on NCIS. She’s named for her father, Paul.
REESE
Actress Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon has made her family name famous.
TRUMAN
Author Truman Capote was born in New Orleans.
TYLER
As in legendary actor and filmmaker Perry.
PEYTON
Yet another football-inspired name, this time from Peyton Manning. The family also includes Arch, Cooper, and Eli, all potential Louisiana names.
WYNTON
Speaking of famous families, the Marsalis musicians include Ellis, Brandford, Delfeayo, and Jason, as well as Wynton.
