Here you’ll find 34 Roman names that start with L, organized from “Labeo” to “Lutatius”. The list includes praenomina, nomina, and cognomina, ranging from common family names to rarer personal surnames. Writers, parents, genealogists, and students use these names for character naming, research, or cultural study.
Roman names that start with L are personal and family names from ancient Rome, including praenomina, nomina, and cognomina. Many appear in inscriptions and literature, where they signal family ties or descriptive origins.
Below you’ll find the table with Gender, Pronunciation, Meaning, and Type.
Gender: Shows whether a name is typically masculine, feminine, or used for both, helping you pick appropriately.
Pronunciation: Provides a simple phonetic guide so you can say the name correctly in speech or notes.
Meaning: Offers a concise meaning or origin note to help you understand cultural or semantic associations.
Type: Indicates whether the entry is a praenomen, nomen, or cognomen, so you can place it in context.
Roman names that start with L
| Name | Gender | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucius | male | praenomen | light; born at dawn |
| Lars | male | praenomen | Etruscan “lord” or nobility title |
| Livius | male | nomen | gens name; origin uncertain |
| Livia | female | nomen | feminine of Livius |
| Licinius | male | nomen | gens name; origin uncertain |
| Licinia | female | nomen | feminine of Licinius |
| Lucretius | male | nomen | gens name; origin uncertain |
| Lucretia | female | nomen | feminine of Lucretius |
| Laelius | male | nomen | gens name; origin uncertain |
| Laelia | female | nomen | feminine of Laelius |
| Lollius | male | nomen | gens name; origin uncertain |
| Lollia | female | nomen | feminine of Lollius |
| Lutatius | male | nomen | gens name (Lutatia) |
| Lutatia | female | nomen | feminine of Lutatius |
| Laberius | male | nomen | gens name; origin uncertain |
| Laberia | female | nomen | feminine of Laberius |
| Lartius | male | nomen | Etruscan gens name |
| Lartia | female | nomen | feminine of Lartius |
| Lucullus | male | cognomen | diminutive of Lucius; “little Lucius” |
| Longus | male | cognomen | long, tall |
| Longinus | male | cognomen | long, tall |
| Lupus | male | cognomen | wolf |
| Labeo | male | cognomen | big-lipped |
| Labienus | male | cognomen | uncertain; family name |
| Laevus | male | cognomen | left-handed; unlucky |
| Laevinus | male | cognomen | diminutive/variant of Laevus |
| Lentulus | male | cognomen | diminutive of ‘lentus’ (slow/firm) |
| Lepidus | male | cognomen | sluggish, slow |
| Lucanus | male | cognomen | from Lucania (regional) |
| Luscus | male | cognomen | one-eyed |
| Laeca | male | cognomen | uncertain; attested surname |
| Lactuca | female | cognomen | lettuce; perhaps nickname |
| Laenas | male | cognomen | of uncertain derivation |
| Largus | male | cognomen | generous, abundant |
Descriptions
Lucius
Most common Roman praenomen, pronounced LOO-kee-us. Used by thousands (e.g., Lucius Junius Brutus). Ubiquitous in inscriptions and literature. Source: Livy; CIL.
Lars
Etruscan-born praenomen adopted in Rome (Lars Porsena). Pronounced LAHRS. Especially attested in early Republican/ Etruscan contexts. Source: Livy.
Livius
Nomen of the Livia gens (Titus Livius = Livy). Pronounced LIH-vee-us. Prominent family from Republic to Empire. Source: Livy; Tacitus.
Livia
Famous female nomen (Livia Drusilla, wife of Augustus). Pronounced LEE-vee-ah. Widely attested in literary and epigraphic sources. Source: Tacitus; Suetonius.
Licinius
Nomen of the Licinii (e.g., Licinius Stolo). Pronounced lih-SIN-ee-us. Prominent Republican gens with many magistrates. Source: Cicero; Livy.
Licinia
Female form of the Licinius nomen, common in inscriptions. Pronounced lih-SIN-ee-ah. Source: Cicero; CIL.
Lucretius
Nomen of the Lucretii (T. Lucretius Carus, poet). Pronounced loo-KRET-ee-us. Attested in literature and inscriptions. Source: Lucretius (De Rerum Natura).
Lucretia
Famous early Roman matron whose rape sparked the Republic’s founding story. Pronounced loo-KREH-sha. Source: Livy.
Laelius
Nomen of Laelii (Gaius Laelius, friend of Scipio). Pronounced LAY-lee-us. Appears in philosophical and historical works. Source: Cicero (Laelius).
Laelia
Female form of Laelius, attested in inscriptions and literary mentions. Pronounced LAY-lee-ah. Source: Cicero; CIL.
Lollius
Nomen of gens Lollia (e.g., Marcus Lollius). Pronounced LOL-ee-us. Attested across Republic/Empire; female form Lollia known. Source: Tacitus; CIL.
Lollia
Famous bearer Lollia Paulina (imperial era). Pronounced LOL-ee-ah. Well-attested in Tacitus and inscriptions. Source: Tacitus.
Lutatius
Nomen of the Lutatii (Gaius Lutatius Catulus). Pronounced loo-TAH-tee-us. Noted in naval victory of 241 BC. Source: Livy; Polybius.
Lutatia
Female form of Lutatius, attested epigraphically. Pronounced loo-TAH-tee-ah. Source: CIL.
Laberius
Nomen of Decimus Laberius, a comic poet. Pronounced lah-BEH-ree-us. Attested in literary sources. Source: Cicero.
Laberia
Female form attested in inscriptions. Pronounced lah-BEH-ree-ah. Source: CIL.
Lartius
Etruscan-derived nomen (Titus Lartius, early commander). Pronounced LAHR-tee-us. Attested in early Roman history. Source: Livy.
Lartia
Female form of the Etruscan Lartius gens, seen in inscriptions. Pronounced LAHR-tee-ah. Source: Livy; CIL.
Lucullus
Cognomen of the Licinii Luculli (Lucius Licinius Lucullus, general and gourmand). Pronounced loo-KUL-lus. Well-known from Plutarch and later writers. Source: Plutarch.
Longus
Common cognomen across gentes, denotes stature. Pronounced LONG-us. Numerous epigraphic and literary attestations. Source: CIL.
Longinus
Cognomen used into Imperial times (e.g., Cassius Longinus). Pronounced lon-GEE-nus. Attested in republican and imperial literature. Source: Plutarch; Cicero.
Lupus
Common cognomen meaning “wolf” (e.g., several Valerii, Claudii). Pronounced LOO-pus. Frequent in inscriptions. Source: CIL; Pliny.
Labeo
Cognomen borne by jurist Marcus Antistius Labeo. Pronounced LAH-bay-oh. Attested in legal and literary texts. Source: PIR; Tacitus (references).
Labienus
Titus Labienus, Caesar’s lieutenant in Gaul. Pronounced lah-BYE-nus. Prominently attested in Caesar’s Gallic War. Source: Caes. BG.
Laevus
Cognomen meaning “left” or “slanted”. Pronounced LAY-vus. Found in Republican families and inscriptions. Source: Livy; CIL.
Laevinus
Cognomen borne by several commanders (Valerii Laevini). Pronounced lay-VEE-nus. Attested in Livy. Source: Livy.
Lentulus
Famous Cornelii Lentuli branch (Publius Cornelius Lentulus Sura, Catiline conspirator). Pronounced LEN-too-lus. Well-attested by Cicero. Source: Cicero.
Lepidus
Cognomen of the Aemilii Lepidi (Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, triumvir). Pronounced LEH-pih-dus. Well-known in Republican/Imperial sources. Source: Cicero; Appian.
Lucanus
Cognomen of the poet Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (Lucan). Pronounced loo-KAH-nus. Attested in literary corpus. Source: Lucan (Pharsalia).
Luscus
Cognomen meaning “one-eyed” (e.g., Metellus Luscus). Pronounced LOOS-kus. Found in Republican magistrates and inscriptions. Source: Livy; CIL.
Laeca
Cognomen borne in late Republic (e.g., Gaius Laeca). Pronounced LAY-kah. Appears in literary and epigraphic records. Source: Livy; Plutarch.
Lactuca
Known as a cognomen/agnomen in a few inscriptions (e.g., L. Valerius Lactuca). Pronounced LAK-too-kah. Likely a nickname-turned-name. Source: CIL.
Laenas
Cognomen carried by several Republican figures (e.g., Aemilii Laenates). Pronounced LAY-ee-nas. Attested in Republican literature. Source: Livy; Cicero.
Largus
Cognomen meaning “bountiful”; occurs in various families. Pronounced LAR-gus. Attested in inscriptions and histories. Source: CIL; Pliny.