Luis first name popularity, history and meaning

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

Meaning of Luis

A masculine Spanish name derived from the Germanic name Chlodovech meaning "famous warrior".

Popularity of Luis by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Luis is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Luis being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,760 male babies and 7 female babies born with the name Luis.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 7 baby girls were named Luis in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 2,760 7
2022 2,933 0
2021 2,734 7
2020 2,700 5
2019 3,187 0
2018 3,097 0
2017 3,383 5
2016 3,555 6
2015 3,733 0
2014 3,902 6
2013 4,004 5
2012 4,372 0
2011 4,692 10
2010 5,127 6
2009 6,141 14
2008 7,133 12
2007 8,054 12
2006 7,921 15
2005 7,466 12
2004 7,495 17
2003 7,582 19
2002 7,376 30
2001 7,489 32
2000 7,662 31
1999 7,211 32
1998 7,199 24
1997 7,129 18
1996 6,407 29
1995 6,172 30
1994 6,361 38
1993 6,407 43
1992 6,165 47
1991 5,894 53
1990 5,797 48
1989 4,853 40
1988 4,329 40
1987 3,919 37
1986 4,027 51
1985 3,703 32
1984 3,263 37
1983 3,322 33
1982 3,327 41
1981 3,345 38
1980 3,358 37
1979 2,753 42
1978 2,399 24
1977 2,497 28
1976 2,388 22
1975 2,421 26
1974 2,450 27

The history of the first name Luis

The name Luis has its origins in the Germanic languages, derived from the Old German name Chlodovechus, which was later latinized to Ludovicus. Ludovicus was a compound name, formed by the words "hlud" meaning "famous" and "wig" meaning "warrior" or "fighter". Over time, the name evolved through various forms like Lodewijc, Loduwijk, and eventually became Luis in the Spanish and Portuguese languages.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Luis can be traced back to the 8th century, when it was borne by the Frankish king Clovis I, also known as Louis the Pious or Louis the Fair. He was the founder of the Carolingian dynasty and played a significant role in the spread of Christianity in Western Europe.

The name Luis gained popularity across Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions influenced by the Franks and the Catholic Church. Several notable historical figures bore this name, including Louis IX of France, also known as Saint Louis, who ruled from 1226 to 1270 and led two crusades to the Holy Land.

Another famous Luis was Luis de Camões, the renowned Portuguese poet who lived from 1524 to 1580 and is considered one of the greatest literary figures in the Portuguese language. His epic poem "Os Lusíadas" is a masterpiece that celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery.

In Spain, Luis de León, a 16th-century poet, scholar, and theologian, was a prominent figure of the Spanish Renaissance. He was born in 1527 and is remembered for his contributions to Spanish literature and his defense of religious freedom.

Across the Atlantic, Luis de Velasco was a Spanish conquistador and the second viceroy of New Spain (now Mexico) from 1550 to 1564. He played a crucial role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the establishment of colonial rule in Mexico.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Luis, a name with a rich heritage and fascinating linguistic journey from its Germanic roots to its modern usage in various Romance languages.

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

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

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"Luis first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/luis-meaning-and-history/.

"Luis first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/luis-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Luis first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/luis-meaning-and-history/.

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