Luz Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: looz //luθ/ or /luːz//
Origin: Spanish; Portuguese
Meaning: Spanish: light; Portuguese: light
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Luz has its roots in the Hebrew language, deriving from the word "לוז" (luz), which translates to "light" or "radiance." This etymological path continues through the Greek form "Lous," and into Latin as "Luz," before being adopted into various languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, where it retains its original meaning. The name entered the English lexicon primarily through the influence of Spanish and Portuguese cultures, particularly during the periods of exploration and colonization in the Americas, where it became associated with both religious and cultural significance.
Historically, Luz is noted in biblical texts, particularly in the Old Testament, where it refers to a city mentioned in the Book of Genesis. This city is associated with the story of Jacob, who named it Bethel after his dream of a ladder reaching to heaven.
The name Luz also appears in various religious contexts, symbolizing divine light and guidance. The significance of light in many cultures has contributed to the name's enduring appeal, as it embodies hope and enlightenment.
Culturally, Luz has been embraced in various traditions, often linked to themes of illumination and purity. In Spanish-speaking countries, it is common for the name to be used in conjunction with other names, such as María Luz, enhancing its spiritual connotation.
The name's association with light has made it a popular choice for those seeking a name that conveys positivity and brightness. Additionally, diminutive forms like Luli or Luzia have emerged in some cultures, reflecting familial affection and cultural adaptation.
Overall, Luz carries a rich historical and cultural legacy, symbolizing light across various contexts.
Famous people named Luz
In this section, you will find notable people named Luz. 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 Luz who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Luz 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.
Luz Casal is a singer-songwriter best known for her albums Como la Flor and La Llamada.
Fictional characters named Luz
The following list of fictional characters named Luz 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.
Luz Noceda is a fictional character from the animated series The Owl House. She is a human girl who discovers a magical realm and aspires to become a witch, challenging the norms of her world.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Luz, 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 Luz. 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 Luz was first seen in the United States in 1886.
Luz has ranked as high as #772 nationally, which occurred in 1999, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and New Jersey.
In the past 5 years the name Luz has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Luz 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 Luz was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Luz (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 | 78 | |
| TX | 57 | |
| NY | 19 | |
| NJ | 16 | |
| IL | 16 | |
| AZ | 14 | |
| NC | 13 | |
| FL | 13 | |
| TN | 12 | |
| GA | 12 | |
| PA | 11 | |
| IN | 9 | |
| OR | 9 | |
| MD | 9 | |
| CO | 9 |
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 Luz.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 375 |
| 2023 | 321 |
| 2022 | 287 |
| 2021 | 245 |
| 2020 | 250 |
| 2019 | 297 |
| 2018 | 260 |
| 2017 | 253 |
| 2016 | 264 |
| 2015 | 283 |
| 2014 | 241 |
| 2013 | 288 |
| 2012 | 307 |
| 2011 | 301 |
| 2010 | 374 |
| 2009 | 380 |
| 2008 | 407 |
| 2007 | 497 |
| 2006 | 496 |
| 2005 | 472 |
| 2004 | 467 |
| 2003 | 478 |
| 2002 | 437 |
| 2001 | 517 |
| 2000 | 489 |
| 1999 | 573 |
| 1998 | 510 |
| 1997 | 479 |
| 1996 | 322 |
| 1995 | 329 |
| 1994 | 336 |
| 1993 | 355 |
| 1992 | 360 |
| 1991 | 361 |
| 1990 | 375 |
| 1989 | 338 |
| 1988 | 310 |
| 1987 | 346 |
| 1986 | 322 |
| 1985 | 333 |
| 1984 | 314 |
| 1983 | 350 |
| 1982 | 373 |
| 1981 | 352 |
| 1980 | 422 |
| 1979 | 447 |
| 1978 | 357 |
| 1977 | 364 |
| 1976 | 375 |
| 1975 | 381 |
| 1974 | 375 |
| 1973 | 344 |
| 1972 | 411 |
| 1971 | 402 |
| 1970 | 426 |
| 1969 | 442 |
| 1968 | 421 |
| 1967 | 348 |
| 1966 | 372 |
| 1965 | 307 |
| 1964 | 343 |
| 1963 | 321 |
| 1962 | 284 |
| 1961 | 280 |
| 1960 | 286 |
| 1959 | 249 |
| 1958 | 246 |
| 1957 | 215 |
| 1956 | 231 |
| 1955 | 204 |
| 1954 | 183 |
| 1953 | 153 |
| 1952 | 104 |
| 1951 | 109 |
| 1950 | 88 |
| 1949 | 76 |
| 1948 | 84 |
| 1947 | 70 |
| 1946 | 57 |
| 1945 | 43 |
| 1944 | 52 |
| 1943 | 51 |
| 1942 | 30 |
| 1941 | 31 |
| 1940 | 42 |
| 1939 | 31 |
| 1938 | 32 |
| 1937 | 32 |
| 1936 | 23 |
| 1935 | 46 |
| 1934 | 33 |
| 1933 | 41 |
| 1932 | 48 |
| 1931 | 40 |
| 1930 | 65 |
| 1929 | 75 |
| 1928 | 95 |
| 1927 | 85 |
| 1926 | 59 |
| 1925 | 60 |
| 1924 | 68 |
| 1923 | 47 |
| 1922 | 60 |
| 1921 | 51 |
| 1920 | 54 |
| 1919 | 42 |
| 1918 | 36 |
| 1917 | 31 |
| 1916 | 29 |
| 1915 | 31 |
| 1914 | 26 |
| 1913 | 33 |
| 1912 | 26 |
| 1911 | 17 |
| 1910 | 19 |
| 1909 | 7 |
| 1908 | 8 |
| 1907 | 16 |
| 1906 | 13 |
| 1905 | 12 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1903 | 8 |
| 1902 | 9 |
| 1901 | 8 |
| 1900 | 7 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1898 | 5 |
| 1897 | 5 |
| 1896 | 6 |
| 1895 | 6 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1892 | 5 |
| 1891 | 5 |
| 1888 | 5 |
| 1887 | 8 |
| 1886 | 5 |