Girl name · Latin
Lucy
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: light, brightnessLucy is a girl's name that comes from Latin and means "light, brightness". It is used in English, Irish and Scottish.
- Meaning
- Light, brightness
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #25 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Lucy
As a girl's name, Lucy comes from Latin and means "light, brightness". It is used in English, Irish and Scottish.
Its meaning puts Lucy on our names that mean light list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Lucy on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Lucy on 8 lists.
“From Latin lux, meaning light; sweet and timeless”
From Cat names, popular cat names
“Short for Lucy Goosey, which everyone will guess”
From Porch goose names, girl porch goose names
“From Latin lux, light. No. 8 in U.S. News 2026”
From Female cat names, most popular girl cat names
“From Latin for light, sweet and easy to say”
From Girl dog names, popular girl dog names
“Light; Latin. Sunny and sweet”
From Girl middle names, classic girl middle names
“Light, brightness; Latin. Martyr of Syracuse, honored at midwinter on 13 December”
From Medieval names and surnames, saints' names popular in medieval Europe
“Light; English form of Lucia, from Latin lux”
From Names that mean light, girl names that mean light
“Light; Latin. The first of the four children to find Narnia”
From Vintage girl names, royal and literary vintage names
How popular is Lucy?
- US rank in 2025
- #25
- 6,176 babies, 3,843 per million girls
- Best rank
- #25 in 2025
- 6,176 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 236,969
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 5,729 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 4,647 per million |
| 1900s | 3,764 per million |
| 1910s | 2,834 per million |
| 1920s | 2,295 per million |
| 1930s | 1,539 per million |
| 1940s | 906 per million |
| 1950s | 709 per million |
| 1960s | 475 per million |
| 1970s | 239 per million |
| 1980s | 275 per million |
| 1990s | 338 per million |
| 2000s | 1,050 per million |
| 2010s | 2,401 per million |
| 2020s | 3,059 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #55 | #52 | #51 | #48 | #50 | #48 | #48 | #40 | #34 | #25 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Lucy
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Lulucommon English nickname
- Lucommon English nickname
Other forms of Lucy
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Lucy
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- LucianoLight, brightness (Latin, boy)
- NoorLight, radiance (Arabic, unisex)
- UrielGod is my light (Hebrew, boy)
- AbnerMy father is light (Hebrew, boy)
- LucilleLight (Latin, girl)
- NuriMy light (Arabic, boy)
- RoshanLight, bright (Persian, unisex)
- UriahGod is my light (Hebrew, boy)
- ZiyaLight, splendor, glow (Arabic, boy)
- AberashShining, giving off light (Amharic, girl)
Middle names for Lucy
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- AbigailMy father is joy (Hebrew, girl)
- AdelineNoble one (Germanic, girl)
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- AoifeBeauty, radiance (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- ClaireClear, bright (Latin, girl)
- CosimaOrder, decency (Greek, girl)
- HollyHolly tree (Old English, girl)
- MercyCompassion, forgiveness (Latin, girl)
More girl names from Latin
- LauraLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
- OliviaOlive tree (Latin, girl)
- CarinaDear, beloved (Latin, girl)
- EmiliaRival, striving to equal (Latin, girl)
- FloraFlower, blossom (Latin, girl)
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- ClaraClear, bright (Latin, girl)
Lucy: common questions
What does the name Lucy mean?
Lucy comes from Latin and means "light, brightness".
Is Lucy a boy or girl name?
Lucy is mainly a girl's name. In 2025, 6,176 girls and 8 boys in the US were named Lucy, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Lucy?
Common nicknames for Lucy include Lulu and Lu.
How popular is the name Lucy?
Lucy ranked #25 in the US in 2025, with 6,176 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Lucy?
Forms of Lucy with the same meaning and origin include Luce (Italian), Lucia (English), Luciana (Italian), Lucie (French) and Lucienne (French).
What middle names go with Lucy?
Middle names that flow well with Lucy include Abigail, Adeline, Amelia, Aoife and Claire. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.