Love Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: luhv //lʌv//
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: English: affection; Latin: beloved
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Love has its roots in Old English, derived from the word "lufu," which means affection or strong emotional attachment. This term can be traced back to Proto-Germanic *lubō, which is related to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as Old High German "luba" and Old Norse "lof." The transition into Middle English saw the term evolve, maintaining its core meaning associated with deep emotional connections and affection.
The name Love, as a given name, emerged from this linguistic background, reflecting the positive and nurturing connotations of the word itself. Historically, the use of Love as a name can be linked to various cultural and literary milestones.
In medieval England, the concept of courtly love was prominent, influencing literature and poetry, where love was often idealized and celebrated. This cultural backdrop provided fertile ground for the adoption of Love as a personal name, particularly among those who wished to evoke the virtues of affection and compassion.
The name also appears in various religious contexts, notably in Christian teachings, where love is a central tenet, as exemplified in biblical passages such as 1 Corinthians 13, which emphasizes the importance of love as a virtue. Culturally, the name Love resonates with themes of kindness, compassion, and familial bonds.
It has been used in various forms of art and literature, symbolizing the deep connections between individuals. The name's enduring appeal can be attributed to its positive associations and the universal significance of love in human relationships.
While diminutive forms or variations of the name may exist, such as Lovey, the essence of the name remains rooted in its original meaning, reflecting the timeless nature of love itself.
Famous people named Love
In this section, you will find notable people named Love. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Love who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Love who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Love Hewitt is an actress and singer best known for Party of Five, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Ghost Whisperer.
Love Jones is a film best known for its exploration of romance and relationships in the African American community.
Fictional characters named Love
The following list of fictional characters named Love 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.
Love is a fictional character from the manga and anime series Death Note. She is a brilliant and enigmatic detective who becomes a key rival to the protagonist, Light Yagami.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Love, 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 Love. 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 Love was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Love has ranked as high as #1011 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Georgia.
In the past 5 years the name Love has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Love 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 Love was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Love (2024)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 43 | |
| TX | 28 | |
| FL | 21 | |
| GA | 19 | |
| NY | 17 | |
| OH | 14 | |
| IL | 11 | |
| PA | 11 | |
| VA | 11 | |
| AZ | 10 | |
| NC | 9 | |
| IN | 8 | |
| WI | 8 | |
| LA | 8 | |
| WA | 7 |
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 Love.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 319 |
| 2023 | 384 |
| 2022 | 386 |
| 2021 | 251 |
| 2020 | 245 |
| 2019 | 128 |
| 2018 | 144 |
| 2017 | 123 |
| 2016 | 100 |
| 2015 | 113 |
| 2014 | 127 |
| 2013 | 141 |
| 2012 | 112 |
| 2011 | 71 |
| 2010 | 90 |
| 2009 | 85 |
| 2008 | 80 |
| 2007 | 77 |
| 2006 | 52 |
| 2005 | 49 |
| 2004 | 51 |
| 2003 | 47 |
| 2002 | 47 |
| 2001 | 48 |
| 2000 | 56 |
| 1999 | 30 |
| 1998 | 26 |
| 1997 | 16 |
| 1996 | 23 |
| 1995 | 17 |
| 1994 | 12 |
| 1993 | 13 |
| 1992 | 10 |
| 1991 | 11 |
| 1990 | 10 |
| 1989 | 12 |
| 1988 | 16 |
| 1987 | 14 |
| 1986 | 11 |
| 1985 | 13 |
| 1984 | 13 |
| 1983 | 7 |
| 1982 | 21 |
| 1981 | 15 |
| 1980 | 17 |
| 1979 | 22 |
| 1978 | 21 |
| 1977 | 32 |
| 1976 | 34 |
| 1975 | 26 |
| 1974 | 29 |
| 1973 | 24 |
| 1972 | 31 |
| 1971 | 23 |
| 1970 | 19 |
| 1969 | 12 |
| 1968 | 6 |
| 1967 | 8 |
| 1966 | 6 |
| 1965 | 5 |
| 1964 | 7 |
| 1963 | 7 |
| 1962 | 6 |
| 1961 | 5 |
| 1956 | 8 |
| 1952 | 5 |
| 1950 | 9 |
| 1947 | 5 |
| 1946 | 7 |
| 1945 | 5 |
| 1944 | 10 |
| 1941 | 6 |
| 1940 | 5 |
| 1938 | 5 |
| 1935 | 6 |
| 1934 | 7 |
| 1933 | 8 |
| 1932 | 19 |
| 1931 | 7 |
| 1930 | 22 |
| 1929 | 17 |
| 1928 | 11 |
| 1927 | 11 |
| 1926 | 16 |
| 1925 | 13 |
| 1924 | 17 |
| 1923 | 10 |
| 1922 | 12 |
| 1921 | 17 |
| 1920 | 15 |
| 1919 | 11 |
| 1918 | 16 |
| 1917 | 16 |
| 1916 | 19 |
| 1915 | 19 |
| 1914 | 10 |
| 1913 | 12 |
| 1911 | 11 |
| 1910 | 12 |
| 1908 | 5 |
| 1907 | 9 |
| 1906 | 8 |
| 1905 | 9 |
| 1904 | 5 |
| 1903 | 7 |
| 1902 | 5 |
| 1901 | 7 |
| 1900 | 8 |
| 1898 | 10 |
| 1897 | 7 |
| 1896 | 7 |
| 1895 | 6 |
| 1894 | 10 |
| 1893 | 11 |
| 1892 | 10 |
| 1891 | 10 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1889 | 10 |
| 1888 | 7 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1880 | 5 |