This list includes 50 American boy names that start with L, from “Lamar” to “Lyle”. These names reflect English, Biblical, and Spanish influences commonly used across the United States.
American boy names that start with L are given names used for males in the U.S. beginning with the letter L. Many come from diverse roots—Latin, Hebrew, Old English, and Spanish—and appear in culture, sports, and public life.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Pronunciation, Origin/Meaning, and Source.
Name: The given name as used in the U.S.; you can scan this column to find familiar or new options.
Pronunciation: A concise phonetic guide so you can say each name confidently when you share or test it.
Origin/Meaning: A one-line summary of the name’s linguistic origin and basic meaning to give cultural context.
Source: The documented reference for the name’s usage or meaning, helping you assess how commonly it appears in U.S. records and lists.
American boy names that start with L
| Name | Pronunciation | Origin/Meaning (source) | U.S. Popularity (latest available; source) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liam | LEE-əm | Short form of William, “resolute protector” (Behind the Name) | rank #1 (SSA 2023) |
| Lucas | LOO-kəs | Latin form of Luke, “light” (Behind the Name) | rank #8 (SSA 2023) |
| Levi | LEE-vy | Hebrew, “joined, attached” (Biblical) (Oxford) | rank #7 (SSA 2023) |
| Logan | LOH-gən | Scottish, “little hollow” (Behind the Name) | rank #22 (SSA 2023) |
| Luke | LOOK | Latin ‘Lucas’ variant, “light-giving” (Behind the Name) | rank #34 (SSA 2023) |
| Landon | LAN-dən | English surname from place-name, “long hill” (Behind the Name) | rank #49 (SSA 2023) |
| Luca | LOO-kə | Italian form of Luke, “from Lucania” (Behind the Name) | rank #53 (SSA 2023) |
| Luka | LOO-kah | Slavic form of Luke, “light” (Behind the Name) | rank #139 (SSA 2023) |
| Louis | LOO-ee or LOO-is | From Old French, “famous warrior” (Oxford) | rank #80 (SSA 2023) |
| Leon | LEE-ən | Greek, “lion” (Behind the Name) | rank #210 (SSA 2023) |
| Leo | LEE-oh | Latin diminutive of Leon, “lion” (Behind the Name) | rank #31 (SSA 2023) |
| Leonardo | lee-oh-NAR-doh | Italian/Spanish form of Leonard, “brave lion” (Behind the Name) | rank #92 (SSA 2023) |
| Leonel | lee-oh-NELL | Variant of Lionel/Leon, “young lion” (Behind the Name) | rank #333 (SSA 2023) |
| Lionel | LY-oh-nəl | Latin/Old French diminutive of Leon, “young lion” (Oxford) | rank #333 (SSA 2023) |
| Lucian | LOO-shən or LOO-see-ən | Latin, “light” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lucian | LOO-shən | Latin, “light” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lucian duplicate removed | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Luciano | loo-CHAH-noh | Italian/Spanish, “light” (Behind the Name) | rank #343 (SSA 2023) |
| Lucius | LOO-shəs | Latin, “light” (Ancient Roman) (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Luc | LOOK | French form of Luke, “light” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lorenzo | lo-REN-tsoh | Italian/Spanish form of Laurence, “from Laurentum” (Behind the Name) | rank #111 (SSA 2023) |
| Loren | LAWR-ən or lo-REN | English/Scandinavian, from Laurentium (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lorenzo duplicate removed | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Leland | LEH-lənd | Old English, “fallow land” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lenny | LEN-ee | Diminutive of Leonard, “brave lion” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Leonard | LEH-nərd | Germanic, “brave lion” (Oxford) | N/A |
| Lenny duplicate removed | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lance | LANS | Old Germanic via Old French, “lance, spear” (Behind the Name) | rank #648 (SSA 2023) |
| Lawson | LAW-sən | English surname meaning “son of Lawrence” (Behind the Name) | rank #472 (SSA 2023) |
| Langston | LANG-stən | Old English/Celtic place name, “long town” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lamar | luh-MAR | Arabic/West African or Americanized form, “the friend” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lamont | luh-MONT | Scottish/French origin, “from the mountain” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lazarus | luh-ZAR-əs | Hebrew, “God has helped” (Biblical) (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lazar | LAH-zər | Short form of Lazarus, “God has helped” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lazaro | lah-ZAH-roh | Spanish form of Lazarus, “God has helped” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Leander | lee-AN-dər | Greek, “lion-man” (Mythological) (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Leandro | lee-AN-droh | Spanish/Portuguese form of Leander, “lion-man” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Leif | LAYF | Norse, “heir, descendant” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lemuel | LEH-myool or LEH-moo-əl | Hebrew, “devoted to God” (Biblical) (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Luther | LOO-thər | Germanic, “people’s army” or from Martin Luther (Oxford) | N/A |
| Lyle | LYL | Old English, “island” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lowell | loh-WELL | French origin, “little wolf” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lathan | LAY-thən | American/English surname turned given name (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Landon duplicate removed | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Landen | LAN-dən | Variant of Landon, “long hill” (Nameberry) | N/A |
| Landyn | LAN-din | Modern variant of Landon (Nameberry) | N/A |
| Lennox | LEN-əks | Scottish surname, “elm grove” (Behind the Name) | N/A |
| Lincoln | LINK-ən | Old English, place-name meaning “lake/pool colony” (Behind the Name) | rank #35 (SSA 2023) |
| Lorenzo duplicate removed | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Loren duplicate removed | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Descriptions
Liam
Currently the most popular U.S. boy name; casual, modern feel; common nickname forms include Lee, Will.
Lucas
Widely used in the U.S.; versatile (Luke/Luca/Lukas); frequent among English- and Spanish-speaking families.
Levi
Biblical name with strong recent growth in the U.S.; short, rugged sound; common in many communities.
Logan
Surname-turned-first-name popular for boys; casual and modern; often shortened to Logie.
Luke
Classic Christian/Biblical name; friendly, approachable; familiar from the New Testament and pop culture.
Landon
Popular surname-name with a soft modern sound; many spelling variants (Landen, Landyn).
Luca
Rising favorite with continental flair; used across languages; similar to Luka and Lucas.
Luka
Popular alternative to Luca/Lucas; sporty, international feel; used in the U.S. increasingly.
Louis
Classic royal name with French and English pronunciations; elegant and historic; short form Lou common.
Leon
Strong, short name with vintage charm; used steadily in the U.S.; variants: Leo, Leonard.
Leo
Short, bold and trendy; popular both as standalone and nickname for Leonard/Leonardo.
Leonardo
Romantic, artistic vibe (think Da Vinci); used among English- and Spanish-speaking families.
Leonel
Used in Latino communities in the U.S.; softer alternative to Lionel or Leon.
Lionel
Old-fashioned but literary (e.g., Lionel Messi virtually unknown to older U.S. lists); occasionally used.
Lucian
Elegant, classical name with a literary, slightly formal feel; nicknames: Luc, Lucio.
Lucian
Elegant, classical name with a literary, slightly formal feel; nicknames: Luc, Lucio.
Lucian duplicate removed
N/A
Luciano
Romantic Italian/Spanish name used in U.S. Latino communities; stylish and melodic.
Lucius
Ancient Roman name with noble, classical flavor; uncommon but recognizable.
Luc
Short, continental variant occasionally used by English speakers; crisp and modern-sounding.
Lorenzo
Warm, Mediterranean name used in the U.S., especially in Hispanic communities; often shortened to Enzo.
Loren
Used for men and occasionally women historically; masculine usage documented in U.S. records.
Lorenzo duplicate removed
N/A
Leland
Gentle vintage name with Southern and literary associations; nickname Lee common.
Lenny
Informal, friendly nickname often used as a given name; warm and approachable.
Leonard
Traditional, two-syllable classic; gives the nickname Len or Leo; somewhat vintage in U.S.
Lenny duplicate removed
N/A
Lance
Sporty, slightly retro name; evokes knights and athleticism; short and punchy.
Lawson
Surname-as-first-name trend; modern, preppy vibe; nickname Law sometimes used.
Langston
Used in the U.S., often African-American communities; literary associations (Langston Hughes).
Lamar
Popular in some U.S. communities; strong single-syllable beginning with soft ending.
Lamont
Historically used in African-American communities; vintage-cool feel.
Lazarus
Biblical and literary; uncommon but recognizable; occasionally used in the U.S.
Lazar
Rarer variant; used among families with Slavic or Biblical connections.
Lazaro
Used in Hispanic U.S. communities; melodic Spanish form with Biblical roots.
Leander
Classical, mythic name with romantic connotations; uncommon but literary.
Leandro
Popular in Hispanic communities; elegant, Mediterranean sound.
Leif
Scandinavian choice with adventurous connotations (explorer Leif Erikson); crisp and uncommon.
Lemuel
Biblical and old-fashioned; rare but distinctive U.S. usage.
Luther
Historic and strong; associations with Martin Luther and civil-rights leader (Luther King Jr. as middle name).
Lyle
Short, vintage name with midcentury American use; smooth one-syllable choice.
Lowell
Vintage New England name; literary feel; occasionally used as a first name.
Lathan
Modern-sounding, surname-style choice; similar to Nathan but with L-start.
Landon duplicate removed
N/A
Landen
Spelling variant of Landon; appeals to parents seeking a similar sound with different look.
Landyn
Trendy alternate spelling; youthful, contemporary feel.
Lennox
Edgy, unisex surname-name that’s gained traction for boys in the U.S.
Lincoln
Presidential association (Abraham Lincoln) makes it historical and patriotic; nickname “Linc” common.
Lorenzo duplicate removed
N/A
Loren duplicate removed
N/A