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

Popularity of Lu by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Lu is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 85% of people named Lu being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 11 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Lu.

The history of the first name Lu

The name Lu has its origins in the Chinese language and culture, with roots dating back several millennia. It is a monosyllabic name that has been used for both males and females throughout Chinese history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lu can be found in the ancient Chinese classic, the Shijing (Book of Songs), which dates back to the early Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC). The name appears in several poems, often referring to noble or virtuous individuals.

In Chinese, the character 鲁 (Lǔ) represents the name and has various meanings, including "deer," "sturdy," or "lacquer." It was also the name of one of the most powerful states during the Spring and Autumn period (771–476 BC) in ancient China, known as the State of Lu.

One of the most famous historical figures with the name Lu was Lu Bu (153–198 AD), a renowned military general and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He was known for his martial prowess and played a significant role in the events that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the onset of the Three Kingdoms period.

Another notable bearer of the name was Lu You (1125–1210 AD), a celebrated poet and essayist of the Southern Song Dynasty. He is renowned for his poetic works, which often captured the beauty of nature and the human experience.

In the realm of philosophy, Lu Jiuyuan (1139–1193 AD) was a prominent Neo-Confucian scholar and thinker who made significant contributions to the development of Confucian thought during the Song Dynasty.

The name Lu has also been associated with religious figures, such as Lu Sheng (born in 738 AD), a revered Buddhist monk and founder of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.

From ancient times to the present, the name Lu has been carried by numerous individuals who have left their mark on history, including Lu Xun (1881–1936 AD), a renowned Chinese writer and literary critic who played a pivotal role in the May Fourth Movement and the modernization of Chinese literature.

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 Lu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!