La Unisex

Popularity: · Trend: → Stable

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: lah /lɑː/

Origin: French; Chinese

Meaning: French: 'the'; Chinese: 'beautiful'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name La has uncertain etymological roots, but it is often associated with various linguistic traditions. One possible origin is from the Latin word "laudare," meaning "to praise," which has influenced several names in Romance languages.

The name may also derive from the French word "la," meaning "the," which is used as a definite article. This connection to French could suggest a cultural significance tied to femininity or identity, as many French names incorporate articles or modifiers that denote gender.

The path into English likely occurred through the influence of Norman French after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many French names and terms were adopted into English vernacular. Historically, the name La does not have prominent figures or milestones directly associated with it, unlike more established names.

However, its simplicity and phonetic appeal may have contributed to its use in various cultures. In literature and art, the use of simple, evocative names has often been favored, and La may have found resonance in poetic or artistic contexts.

The name's brevity and ease of pronunciation could have made it appealing in various narratives and folk tales, although specific examples are less documented. Culturally, names like La may symbolize a connection to nature or simplicity, reflecting a broader tradition of using short, elemental names in many cultures.

The name's potential diminutive forms or variations could include "Lala" or similar phonetic adaptations, which often carry affectionate connotations in various languages. Overall, while La may not have a rich historical narrative, its linguistic roots and cultural associations suggest a timeless quality that resonates across different eras and societies.

Fictional characters named La

The following list of fictional characters named La is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

La La Land is a fictional character from the film La La Land. She is a talented aspiring actress who navigates her dreams and relationships in Los Angeles.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with La, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with La. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name La was first seen in the United States in 1913.

La has ranked as high as #1147 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, New York, and South Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name La has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name La is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when La was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for La (2006)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
AR 6
100%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for La.

YearBirths
20076
200613
20059
20048
20037
20026
200114
200019
199928
199823
199724
199619
199530
199444
199355
199261
199168
199080
198941
19888
198712
198621
198530
198453
198346
198237
198135
198021
197929
197822
197720
197621
197528
197429
197321
197227
197123
197030
196919
196835
196730
196613
196512
19649
19639
19628
19615
196013
19575
19565
19545
19539
19526
19496
19479
19466
19435
19427
19416
19408
19399
19388
19369
193511
19348
193312
19325
19315
193010
19286
19279
19267
19256
19245
19238
19205
19198
19188
19135