12,290births recorded
9Countries
3Variants
2020Peak · Belgium
#45Belgium 2025
Lou is a boy name family recorded 12,290 times in 9 countries since 1880. It ranks highest today in Belgium (#45 in 2025). Its all-time peak was in Belgium in 2020, at 223.2 births per 100,000. Elsewhere it is mostly given as Lo (Sweden), Lau (Catalonia).
Popularity by country
Births per 100,000 newborns, all forms of the name combined.
Which form wins where
Births per 100,000 newborns for each form, in the selected country.
All forms of Lou
| Variants | Language | Total births | Country | Latest rank | Peak year | 10-year trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lou | French | 4,340 | 🇫🇷 France | #240 | 2025 | ▲ 107 % |
| Lou | French | 4,089 | 🇺🇸 United States | #1919 | 1881 | ▲ 137 % |
| Lou | French | 2,626 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | #45 | 2020 | ▲ 37 % |
| Lou | French | 418 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | #303 | 2025 | ▲ 63 % |
| Lou | French | 132 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | #834 | 2019 | ▲ 19 % |
| Lou | French | 87 | 🇩🇪 Germany (large cities) | – | 2022 | – |
| Lo | English | 504 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | #437 | 2015 | ▼ 64 % |
| Lo | English | 33 | 🇺🇸 United States | – | 1987 | – |
| Lau | Catalan | 43 | 🇪🇸 Catalonia | #544 | 2023 | ▲ 45 % |
How we grouped these names
- Lou ↔ Lo — Wikidata “said to be the same as”
Questions about Lou
How popular is the name Lou?
In 2025 it ranked #45 in Belgium. Official registers record 12,290 births across 9 countries.
What is Lou in other languages?
Lo (English); Lau (Catalan).
When was Lou most popular?
It peaked in Belgium in 2020, at 223.2 births per 100,000.
Is Lou a boy or a girl name?
In official birth registers, Lou is a boy name.