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Name Lineage

    The first name Lois

    A girl’s name from Greek.

    Pronounced /ˈləʊ.ɪs/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Greek origin

    From Ancient Greek Λωΐς (Lōḯs), of obscure meaning. Unrelated to Louise or Louisa.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 87 girls were named Lois, making it the 460th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 507 births (#109).

    0300600 1996200020052010201520202025
    9,907
    babies named Lois, 1996–2025
    #460
    rank in 2025
    2008
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lois with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Lois at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 124 girls born in the United States were named Lois, the 1,670th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1927, when 10,505 were.

    010,00020,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    335,594
    babies named Lois since 1880
    #1,670
    rank in 2025
    1927
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Lois in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Λουίζα
    Louíza
    Greek

    Famous people named Lois

    36 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Lois McMaster Bujold
      American novelist (born 1949)
    • Lois Maxwell
      Canadian actress (1927–2007)
    • Lois Lowry
      American writer, born 1937
    • Loïs Openda
      Belgian association football player, born 2000
    • Lois Weber
      American actor/film director (1879-1939)
    • Lois Chiles
      American actress and model (born 1947)
    • Lois Smith
      American actress, born 1930
    • Lois Wilson
      American actress (1894-1988)
    • Lois Abbingh
      Dutch handball player, born 1992
    • Loïs Boisson
      French tennis player, born 2003
    • Lois Nettleton
      Actress (1927-2008)
    • Lois Duncan
      American young-adult and children's writer (1934-2016)

    More Greek girls’ names

    All 347 names of Greek origin

    Questions

    What does the name Lois mean?
    From Ancient Greek Λωΐς (Lōḯs), of obscure meaning. Unrelated to Louise or Louisa.
    What is the origin of the name Lois?
    From Ancient Greek Λωΐς (Lōḯs), of obscure meaning. Unrelated to Louise or Louisa.
    How popular is the name Lois?
    In 2025, 87 girls born in England and Wales were named Lois, ranking 460th. Its peak was 2008, with 507 births.
    Is Lois a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 335,594 US babies named Lois since 1880 were girls.
    When was Lois most popular?
    1927 in the United States, when 10,505 babies were named Lois, its highest rank at 19th.
    How do you pronounce Lois?
    Lois is /ˈləʊ.ɪs/, 2 syllables.