Lois Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LOH-iss //ˈloʊ.ɪs//
Origin: Hebrew; Greek
Meaning: Hebrew: 'God's promise'; Greek: 'victorious'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lois has its roots in the Greek language, derived from the name Λοΐς (Loïs). The etymology of Lois can be traced back to the Hebrew name לֵיְלָה (Leila), which means "night." This Hebrew name was adapted into Greek, where it appeared in the New Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Second Epistle to Timothy, written by the Apostle Paul in the first century CE.
In this context, Lois is mentioned as the grandmother of Timothy, a significant figure in early Christianity, which helped to elevate the name's status in Christian communities. Throughout history, the name Lois has been associated with various cultural and religious figures.
The mention of Lois in the New Testament contributed to its adoption in Christian contexts, particularly in Europe during the Middle Ages. The name was further popularized through translations of the Bible and other religious texts, where it was often used in the context of familial and virtuous qualities, reflecting the values of loyalty and faithfulness.
The name also appeared in various forms in different languages, including the French form Louise, which became popular in medieval France and later spread to other regions. Culturally, Lois has been associated with themes of wisdom and nurturing, largely due to its biblical connections.
The name has been embraced in literature and arts, often symbolizing strength and maternal qualities. In addition, diminutive forms like Lottie or Lou have emerged, showcasing the name's adaptability across cultures and languages.
Overall, Lois carries a rich historical and cultural significance, rooted in its biblical origins and the values it represents.
Famous people named Lois
In this section, you will find notable people named Lois. 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 Lois who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lois 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.
Lois Lowry is an author best known for The Giver, Number the Stars, and The Messenger.
Lois Griffin is a fictional character best known as the matriarch of the Griffin family in the animated television series Family Guy.
Lois Lane is a fictional character best known as a reporter and love interest of Superman in DC Comics.
Fictional characters named Lois
The following list of fictional characters named Lois 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.
Lois Lane is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. She is a determined journalist and the love interest of Superman, often playing a crucial role in his stories.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lois, 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 Lois. 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 Lois was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Lois has ranked as high as #37 nationally, which occurred in 1927, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, New York, and Michigan.
In the past 5 years the name Lois has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Lois 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 Lois was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Lois (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 | 13 | |
| TX | 10 | |
| NY | 9 | |
| VA | 8 | |
| IN | 7 | |
| OH | 5 | |
| GA | 5 | |
| MO | 5 |
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 Lois.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 120 |
| 2023 | 132 |
| 2022 | 124 |
| 2021 | 120 |
| 2020 | 106 |
| 2019 | 124 |
| 2018 | 122 |
| 2017 | 134 |
| 2016 | 119 |
| 2015 | 109 |
| 2014 | 101 |
| 2013 | 78 |
| 2012 | 94 |
| 2011 | 72 |
| 2010 | 70 |
| 2009 | 80 |
| 2008 | 85 |
| 2007 | 82 |
| 2006 | 87 |
| 2005 | 65 |
| 2004 | 64 |
| 2003 | 73 |
| 2002 | 85 |
| 2001 | 84 |
| 2000 | 78 |
| 1999 | 76 |
| 1998 | 88 |
| 1997 | 100 |
| 1996 | 94 |
| 1995 | 98 |
| 1994 | 96 |
| 1993 | 91 |
| 1992 | 85 |
| 1991 | 109 |
| 1990 | 93 |
| 1989 | 117 |
| 1988 | 120 |
| 1987 | 110 |
| 1986 | 123 |
| 1985 | 129 |
| 1984 | 135 |
| 1983 | 149 |
| 1982 | 175 |
| 1981 | 188 |
| 1980 | 153 |
| 1979 | 174 |
| 1978 | 203 |
| 1977 | 183 |
| 1976 | 189 |
| 1975 | 222 |
| 1974 | 284 |
| 1973 | 311 |
| 1972 | 343 |
| 1971 | 460 |
| 1970 | 517 |
| 1969 | 565 |
| 1968 | 668 |
| 1967 | 755 |
| 1966 | 918 |
| 1965 | 1,204 |
| 1964 | 1,409 |
| 1963 | 1,581 |
| 1962 | 1,783 |
| 1961 | 2,102 |
| 1960 | 2,269 |
| 1959 | 2,485 |
| 1958 | 2,625 |
| 1957 | 2,876 |
| 1956 | 3,225 |
| 1955 | 3,419 |
| 1954 | 3,952 |
| 1953 | 4,220 |
| 1952 | 4,362 |
| 1951 | 4,533 |
| 1950 | 4,504 |
| 1949 | 4,915 |
| 1948 | 5,077 |
| 1947 | 5,717 |
| 1946 | 5,700 |
| 1945 | 5,148 |
| 1944 | 5,529 |
| 1943 | 6,132 |
| 1942 | 6,406 |
| 1941 | 6,106 |
| 1940 | 6,124 |
| 1939 | 6,034 |
| 1938 | 6,503 |
| 1937 | 6,932 |
| 1936 | 7,232 |
| 1935 | 7,989 |
| 1934 | 8,387 |
| 1933 | 8,655 |
| 1932 | 9,519 |
| 1931 | 9,348 |
| 1930 | 10,114 |
| 1929 | 10,295 |
| 1928 | 10,425 |
| 1927 | 10,505 |
| 1926 | 9,817 |
| 1925 | 9,573 |
| 1924 | 9,299 |
| 1923 | 7,814 |
| 1922 | 6,946 |
| 1921 | 6,899 |
| 1920 | 6,560 |
| 1919 | 5,976 |
| 1918 | 5,877 |
| 1917 | 5,485 |
| 1916 | 5,149 |
| 1915 | 4,775 |
| 1914 | 3,432 |
| 1913 | 2,560 |
| 1912 | 2,146 |
| 1911 | 1,508 |
| 1910 | 1,271 |
| 1909 | 1,157 |
| 1908 | 1,023 |
| 1907 | 899 |
| 1906 | 799 |
| 1905 | 763 |
| 1904 | 727 |
| 1903 | 664 |
| 1902 | 594 |
| 1901 | 488 |
| 1900 | 577 |
| 1899 | 415 |
| 1898 | 466 |
| 1897 | 457 |
| 1896 | 388 |
| 1895 | 311 |
| 1894 | 308 |
| 1893 | 260 |
| 1892 | 242 |
| 1891 | 206 |
| 1890 | 175 |
| 1889 | 154 |
| 1888 | 120 |
| 1887 | 129 |
| 1886 | 116 |
| 1885 | 105 |
| 1884 | 84 |
| 1883 | 76 |
| 1882 | 64 |
| 1881 | 53 |
| 1880 | 53 |