Lucy
Lucy was the 25th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6,176 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 30 places. More babies were named Lucy in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning light (Latin root) · Latin
Say it LOO-see /ˈlusi/
- Rank in 2025
- #25 girls, up 25 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 6,176girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20256,176 babies
- Total since 1880
- 237,613babies recorded
What does the name Lucy mean?
Lucy comes through Old French Lucie from Latin Lucia, the feminine of the Roman first name Lucius, which is linked to lux, 'light'. Its medieval spread owed much to Saint Lucy of Syracuse, a martyr of the 3rd-4th century named in the prayers of the Mass. DMNES points out that Lucy is not, as is sometimes said, a feminine form of Luke.
Lucia (Latin, “feminine of Lucius”)lux (Latin, “light”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Other explanations you may read: A feminine form of Luke.
See also: Latin names, names that mean light.
Nicknames for Lucy
The usual nicknames for Lucy are Lu.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Girls, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lu · also for Lucia, Lucille, Luella | Modern | #12,652 | 35 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are girls given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Lucys go by each one.
Lucy popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 644 since 1881, 8 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #25 | 6,176 |
| 2020 | #50 | 4,369 |
| 2010 | #75 | 3,634 |
| 2000 | #324 | 980 |
| 1990 | #449 | 551 |
| 1980 | #480 | 439 |
| 1970 | #438 | 504 |
| 1960 | #267 | 1,130 |
| 1950 | #207 | 1,289 |
| 1940 | #154 | 1,382 |
| 1930 | #119 | 2,121 |
| 1920 | #94 | 3,018 |
| 1910 | #75 | 1,283 |
| 1900 | #61 | 1,246 |
| 1890 | #53 | 973 |
| 1880 | #44 | 590 |
How popular is Lucy, counting every spelling?
Lucy is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #30 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #25 for Lucy on its own. Together these spellings went to 6,450 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucy | 6,176 | #25 | 25,390 |
| Lucie | 207 | #1,130 | 866 |
| Luci | 59 | #2,877 | 329 |
| Lucee | 8 | #11,516 | 28 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Lucy?
6,176 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lucy (1.71 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Lucy born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 31. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lucy.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lucy?
About 133,900 people born in the US named Lucy are alive today, with a median age of 15; half are between 7 and 45. That makes Lucy mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lucy by state
How common Lucy was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Vermont (4.3×), Utah (3.0×), Wyoming (3.0×), Alaska (3.0×), New Hampshire (2.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Texas, Florida, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lucy: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lucy, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Lucy · Sibling names for Lucy
Lucy is also a nickname for Lucia, Lucille, Luciana and Lucinda.
Questions about the name Lucy
What does Lucy mean?
Lucy means “light (Latin root)” (Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Lucy?
Lucy was the 25th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 6,176 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 30 places. More babies were named Lucy in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Lucy a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Lucy in the US.
Where is Lucy most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lucy was most common in Vermont (13.62 per 1,000 girls), followed by Utah and Wyoming.