Find out how popular the first name Lourdes has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Lourdes by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Lourdes is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Lourdes being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 73 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Lourdes.

The history of the first name Lourdes

The name Lourdes finds its origins in the Pyrenees region of southwestern France. It is derived from the Occitan words "lor" meaning "this" and "de" meaning "the," referring to the grotto at the town of Lourdes where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.

The Marian apparitions at Lourdes have made the town a significant place of pilgrimage for Catholics worldwide. The name Lourdes became popular after these events, as a way to honor the Virgin Mary and the miracles attributed to the location.

While the name Lourdes does not appear in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been closely associated with the Catholic faith and the veneration of the Virgin Mary since the 19th century.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Lourdes is Saint Bernadette Soubirous herself (1844-1879), the young French girl who witnessed the Marian apparitions at the grotto in Lourdes.

Another notable figure with the name Lourdes is Lourdes Torres (1920-2008), a Cuban-American actress and dancer who appeared in several Hollywood films and television shows throughout her career.

Lourdes Diaz (1958-1992) was a Cuban-American serial killer who was convicted of murdering several elderly women in Miami, Florida, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Lourdes Montes (born 1970) is a Mexican-American entrepreneur and the founder of the successful tequila brand, Casa Dragones.

Lourdes Portillo (born 1944) is a Mexican-American filmmaker and academic, known for her pioneering work in Chicana/o and Latino/a cinema, including the documentary films "Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo" and "Señorita Extraviada."

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Lourdes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lourdes, please contact us.

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