home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Parenting - Prenatal to preschool
/
Parenting_PrenatalToPreschool.bin
/
dp
/
0037
/
00379.txt
< prev
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-06-25
|
26KB
|
819 lines
$Unique_ID{PAR00379}
$Font{NP}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Names for Girls: L}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Harder, Kelsey}
$Subject{Names Girls L}
$Log{}
The Ultimate Baby Name Book
Names for Girls: L
La Verne (see Laverne)
Laetitia (see Letitia)
Lakeisha Origin unknown. This name is very popular with
Black-Americans. It may be derived by adding La- to the
name Keisha. Other popular La- names include Lashawn,
Latanya, Latasha, Latonya, Latisha, Latoya, and Latrice
that seem to have been formed by adding the prefix to a
popular name.
Lala Slavic "tulip."
Lalia Feminine form of Latin Laelius, "fair speech"; also,
variation of Hebrew Laila.
Variations: Laelia, Leha, Lelah, Lelia (Greek)
Lana Variation of Alana, Alanna, or Helen.
Famous names: Lana Turner (actress)
Lana Wood (actress)
Other spelling: Lanna
Variation: Alana
Lanette (see Linette)
Lanna (see Alana, Alanna, Lana)
Lara Latin "shining." This has long been a popular name for
girls in Russia. Actress Julie Christie played Lara in the
movie version of Boris Pasternak's Dr. Zhivago. The
popular song from the movie "Lara's Theme" brought this
name to the attention of parents in the United States.
Variation: Clara
Laraine Form of Lorraine.
Famous name: Laraine Day (actress)
Variations: Larina, Larine
Larina (see Laraine)
Larine (see Laraine)
Latoya Origin unknown. Like Lakeisha, this name seems to be a
new name that was made by adding La- to another name.
Famous name: LaToya Jackson (singer)
Laura Feminine form of Lawrence, Latin "laurel." The Romans
believed that a laurel wreath could protect them from
lightning. They also used it as a symbol of victory.
Laura was a familiar name in England by the twelfth century
and inspired many variations, most of which are unused
today, including Laurinda and Lorinda. In 1327, Petrarch
caught sight of Laure de Noves in a church in Avignon. He
maintained that seeing her made him a poet, and the famous
sonnets Petrarch wrote for his beloved Laura immortalized
the name. In the movie Laura, Dana Andrews is mesmerized
by the portrait of Gene Tierney. Laura is also the name of
Amanda's daughter in Tennessee Williams' The Glass
Menagerie.
Famous names: Laura Branigan (singer)
Laura Dern (actress)
Laura Ingalls Wilder (writer)
Nicknames: Laurie, Lori, Lorie, Lorrie
Variations: Laure (French), Laurel, Laurella, Laureen, Laurelle,
Lauren, Laurena, Laurentia (Latin), Lauretta, Laurette
(French), Laurice, Laurinda, Lauvelle, Lawrena, Lora,
Loralie, Lorelle, Loreen, Loren, Lorena, Lorene, Lorenza
(Italian), Loretta, Lorette, Lorine, Lorita, Lorna, Lorry,
Loulou (French)
Laure (see Laura)
Laureen (see Laura)
Laurel Feminine form of Lawrence, Latin "laurel." The ancient
Greeks crowned the winners of certain games, as well as
some office holders, with laurel wreaths.
Famous name: Laurel Hurley (soprano)
Variation: Laura
Laurella (see Laura)
Laurelle (see Laura)
Lauren Feminine form of Lawrence.
Famous names: Lauren Bacall (actress)
Lauren Hutton (actress)
Laurena (see Laura, Lorena)
Laurentia (see Laura)
Lauretta (see Laura)
Laurette Variation of Laura.
Famous name: Laurette Taylor (actress)
Laurice (see Laura)
Laurie Form of Laura.
Famous name: Laurie Anderson (performance artist)
Laurinda Form of Laura.
Lauvelle (see Laura)
Laverine (see Laverne)
Laverne French "person from Vernon"; also, French vernis,
"springlike."
Variations: Laverine, La Verne, Lavina, Vern, Vina, Vinya
Lavetta (see Lavinia)
Lavette (see Lavinia)
Lavina (see Laverne, Lavinia)
Lavine (see Lavinia)
Lavinia Lavinia is the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas in Vergil's
Aeneid. The town of Lavinium was said to be named in her
honor. In literature, George Bernard Shaw made Lavinia his
heroine in Androcles and the Lion, and Lavinia Mannon is
the heroine of playwright Eugene O'Neill's tragedy Mourning
Becomes Electra.
Famous name: Lavinia Fontana (artist)
Nicknames: Vinnie, Vinny
Variations: Lavetta, Lavette, Lavina, Lavine
Lawrena (see Laura)
Layla (see Leila)
Lea Old English "meadow"; also, a variation of Leah.
Famous name: Lea Thompson (actress)
Other spellings: Lia, Liah
Variations: Lee, Leigh, Lelia
Leah Hebrew "weary." In the Bible, Leah is the sister of Rachel
and the first wife of Jacob.
Other spellings: Lea, Lia, Liah
Variations: Lee, Leigh
Leana (see Liana)
Leandra Latin "like a lioness."
Variations: Leoarrie, Leodora, Leoine, Leoline, Leona, Leonelle
Leanne Combination of Leah and Anne
Leanor (see Eleanor)
Leda Form of Letitia. In Greek mythology, Leda is the mother of
four famous children: Helen of Troy, Castor, Pollux, and
Clytemnestra. Helen was the child of Leda and Zeus, who
seduced her by appearing to her as a swan. The Irish poet
William Butler Yeats wrote the stunning poem "Leda and the
Swan" about this mythological event.
Lee Variation of Lea and Leah. Lee can be used as a nickname
for most names beginning with L-.
Famous names: Lee Grant (actress and director)
Lee Remick (actress)
Lee Radziwill Ross (celebrity)
Variations: Ashley, Aurlia, Beverley
Leesa (see Lisa)
Leetice (see Letitia)
Leia (see Leila)
Leigh Variation of Lea or Leah.
Famous name: Leigh Taylor-Young (actress)
Leila Persian Layla, "dark night." This is a very popular name
in Middle Eastern countries, most likely because of its
roots in Arabian romance literature. The English poet
George Gordon, Lord Byron, who had a propensity for using
unusual names, chose it for two of his works, Don Juan and
The Giaour. Actress Carrie Fisher played Princess Leia in
the Star Wars trilogy.
Famous name: Leila Hyams (actress)
Variations: Layla, Leia, Leilah (Arabic), Lela, Lelah, Lelia, Lila
Leilah (see Leila)
Leilani Hawaiian "heavenly sky."
Lela, Lelah (see Leila)
Lelia (see Lea, Leila)
Lena Greek "light" or Hebrew "sleep"; also, a variation of
Adeline, Arlene, Helen, or Madeline.
Famous names: Lena Horne (singer)
Lena Olin (actress)
Lina Wertmuller (movie director)
Other spelling: Lina
Variations: Lenis, Magdelena
Lene (see Arlene)
Lenis (see Lena)
Lenka (see Helen)
Lenora (see Helen, Leonora)
Lenore Variation of Eleanor, Helen, and Leonora. Edgar Allan
Poe uses this name in his often-memorized poem "The Raven."
Famous names: Lenore Cox (writer)
Lenore Kandel (poet)
Leoarrie (see Leandra)
Leocadia (see Leona)
Leodora (see Leandra)
Leoine (see Leandra, Leona)
Leola (see Leona)
Leoline (see Leandra, Leona)
Leolyn (see Leona)
Leona Feminine form of Leon, Latin "lion."
Variations: Leandra, Leocadia (Spanish), Leoine, Leola, Leoline,
Leolyn, Leone, Leonella, Leonelle, Leonie (French),
Leontine, Leontyne
Leone (see Leona)
Leonella (see Leona)
Leonelle (see Leandra, Leona)
Leonie (see Leona)
Leonora Form of Eleanor and Helen. In Beethoven's opera
Fidelio, Leonora assumes the name Fidelio. Beethoven
wrote four different overtures for this opera, and three
are entitled Leonora. The third Leonora Overture is the
best known.
Famous name: Leonora Carrington (writer)
Variations: Lenora, Lenore, Leonore
Leonore (see Helen, Leonora)
Leontine (see Leona, Leontyne)
Leontyne Feminine form of Leo, Latin "lion."
Famous name: Leontyne Price (soprano)
Variations: Leona, Leontine
Leora (see Helen)
Lesley Feminine form of Leslie, Old English "from Leichester."
Robert Burns wrote a poem about a bonny Scottish lass named
Lesley, but this name was not used for girls in England and
the United States until recently.
Other spellings: Lesli, Leslie, Lesly
Variation: Lezlie
Lesli (see Lesley)
Leslie Variation of Lesley, formerly a masculine spelling.
Famous name: Leslie Caron (actress)
Lesly (see Lesley)
Leta (see Letitia)
Letice (see Letitia)
Leticia (see Letitia)
Letitia Latin laetitia, "gladness." While this version of Laetitia
is only a few centuries old, an earlier version, Lettice,
belonged to a woman who caused a scandal in Elizabethan
England. Lord Robert Dudley, later the earl of Leicester,
had long been the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. When she
discovered that Robin, as she called him, had secretly
taken a second wife, Lettice Knollys, it nearly broke her
heart, and he nearly lost his head.
Famous name: Letitia Baldrige (hostess)
Other spelling: Leticia
Nicknames: Lettie, Letty, Tish, Tisha, Titia
Variations: Laetitia, Leda, Leetice (French), Leta, Letice, Letizia
(Italian), Lettice, Tisa
Letizia (see Letitia)
Lettice (see Letitia)
Lettie (see Letitia, Letty)
Letty Variation of Letitia; also, a form of Alice.
Famous name: Letty Cottin Pogrebin (writer)
Other spelling: Lettie
Lexi, Lexie (see Alexandra)
Lexine (see Alexandra)
Lezlie (see Lesley)
Lia (see Aurelia, Leah)
Lia (see Lea)
Liah (see Lea, Leah)
Liana From the French Liane, "climbing vine." In the United
States, this is a very unusual name, although filmmaker
John Sayles used it for the title character of his movie
Lianna.
Other spelling: Lianna
Variations: Leana, Liane (French), Lianne
Liane (see Liana)
Lianna (see Liana)
Lianne (see Liana)
Libby Variation of Elizabeth.
Famous name: Libby Holman (actress)
Licia (see Alicia)
Liddy (see Lydia)
Lidia (see Lydia)
Lidija (see Lydia)
Lil (see Lillian, Lilith, Lily)
Lila Form of Delilah, Leila, or Lillian.
Famous name: Lila Kedrova (actress)
Other spelling: Lilah
Lilah (see Delilah, Lila)
Lilas (see Lillian)
Lili (see Lillian)
Lilia, Liliah (see Lillian)
Lilian (see Lillian)
Liliana (see Lillian)
Liliane (see Lillian)
Lilias (see Lillian)
Lilie, Lilli (see Lillian)
Lilies (see Lillian)
Liliola (see Lillian)
Lilith Hebrew "spirit of the night" or "snake." In Eastern
mythology, Lilith was the first woman.
Nickname: Lil
Lillian Greek leirion, Latin lilium, and Old English lilie, "lily";
also, Old German variation of Elizabeth. The origins of
this name are uncertain. It seems to be older than Lily.
But this name has long been associated with the lily, which
is a symbol for purity in Christian art. Lillian used to
be a very popular name, going back to at least
Shakespeare's time in the sixteenth century, but it isn't
chosen very often today.
Famous names: Lillian Gish (actress)
Lillian Hellman (playwright)
Lillian Vernon (entrepreneur)
Other spelling: Lilian
Nicknames: Lil, Lilie, Lillie, Lilly, Lily
Variations: Lila, Lilah, Lilas, Lili (German), Lilia, Liliana,
Liliane, Lilias (Scottish), Lilies (Scottish), Liliola
(Italian), Lilli (German), Lillis (Latin), Lilyan, Lis
(French)
Lillie, Lily Variations of Lillian.
Famous names: Lillie Langtry (actress)
Lily Pons (opera star)
Lily Tomlin (actress and comedienne)
Lillis (see Lillian)
Lilyan (see Lillian)
Lin (see Linda)
Lina (see Arlene, Carol, Caroline, Erline, Helen, Lena, Linda, Madeline)
Lind (see Linnea)
Linda Spanish "beautiful"; German "serpent"; also, a variation of
Belinda or Melinda. This name may have been derived from
the Teutonic word Ethelind, "noble serpent." In the
seventeenth century in England, it was very popular to
create names by adding -inda to common names, such as
Dorinda and Lucinda. But if this name didn't originate
until the nineteenth century, which seems likely, then
Linda may have been borrowed from the Spanish adjective.
Whatever its roots, it has been a very popular name in the
twentieth century. In the late-1940s and the 1950s, Linda
was the most-popular name for girls.
Famous names: Linda Evans (actress)
Linda Gray (actress)
Linda Hamilton (actress)
Linda Hunt (actress)
Linda Ronstadt (singer)
Other spelling: Lynda
Variations: Lin, Lindy, Lynd
Lindsay Old English place name from lindon [lake] + eg [island].
This traditionally masculine name has little history as a
girls' name, but today it is one of the most-popular names
for girls in the United States.
Famous names: Lindsay Crouse (actress)
Lindsay Wagner (actress)
Other spelling: Lindsey
Variations: Lindsy, Linsey
Lindsey, Lindsy (see Lindsay)
Lindy (see Linda, Melinda)
Line (see Caroline)
Linet (see Linette)
Linetta (see Linette)
Linette Old French, "linnet bird." Linette is often thought of as
a modern variation of Linda or Lynn, but it's actually a
much older name. Tennyson uses the spelling Lynette in his
poem "Gareth and Lynette."
Other spellings: Lynette, Lynnette
Variations: Lanette, Linet, Linetta
Linn (see Lynda)
Linnea Teutonic "lime tree."
Other spelling: Lynnea
Variation: Lind
Linsey (see Lindsay)
Lis (see Lillian)
Lisa Variation of Elizabeth or Melissa. For the last twenty
years, this has been one of the most-popular names in the
United States.
Famous names: Lisa Bonet (actress)
Lisa Eichhorn (actress)
Lisa Hartman (actress)
Other spellings: Leesa, Lissa
Variations: Lise (French), Lisetta, Lisette (French)
Lisabeth (see Elizabeth)
Lisbet (see Elizabeth)
Lisbeth (see Elizabeth)
Lise (see Elizabeth, Lisa)
Lisenka (see Elizabeth)
Lisetta (see Elizabeth, Lisa)
Lisette (see Elizabeth, Lisa)
Lisha (see Alicia)
Lissa (see Alice, Alicia, Lisa, Melissa, Millicent)
Lissie, Lissy (see Alice, Alicia, Alison)
Lita (see Carmel)
Liusadh (see Lucy)
Liv Variation of Olivia.
Famous name: Liv Ullmann (actress)
Livia Variation of Olivia. Livia was the first empress of Rome.
Livvie (see Olivia)
Livy (see Olivia)
Liz (see Elizabeth)
Liza Variation of Elizabeth.
Famous names: Liza Cody (writer)
Liza Minnelli (actress)
Variations: Eliza, Lizette, Lizzie
Lizabeth (see Elizabeth)
Lizete (see Elizabeth)
Lizetta (see Elizabeth)
Lizette (see Elizabeth, Liza)
Lizzie, Lizzy (see Elizabeth, Liza)
Lois Feminine form of Louis; Old German "the sound of battle";
also, possibly Greek "the better." This name became
popular in the early part of this century. It's the name
of Superman's would-be girlfriend, Lois Lane.
Famous name: Lois Chiles (actress)
Variation: Louise
Lola Form of Carol, Caroline, Charlotte, Delores, or Louise.
Marlene Dietrich sings a bawdy cabaret tune called "Lola,
Lola" in the movie The Blue Angel.
Famous names: Lola Falana (singer)
Lola Montes (actress)
Lolanda (see Caroline)
Loleta (see Caroline, Charlotte)
Lolita Form of Carol, Charlotte, Delores, or Louise. This
unusual name is associated with Vladimir Nabakov's novel,
which was made into a controversial movie.
Lora (see Helen, Laura)
Lorain, Loraine (see Lorraine)
Loralie (see Laura)
Loreen (see Laura)
Lorelei German "the alluring." In German mythology, Lorelei
was a siren. Heinrich Heine wrote about her. In Anita
Loos' novel, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Lorelei is the
heroine who feels that "diamonds are a girl's best friend."
Variations: Lorlei, Lum, Lurah, Lurana, Lurel, Lurena, Luretta,
Lurette, Lurilla, Lurleen, Lurlene, Lurline, Lurlei
Lorelle (see Laura)
Loren (see Laura)
Lorena Variation of Laura.
Other spelling: Laurena
Variation: Lorna
Lorene (see Helen, Laura)
Lorenza (see Laura)
Loretta Variation of Laura.
Famous names: Loretta Lynn (singer)
Loretta Young (actress)
Lorette (see Laura)
Lori Variation of Laura and Lorraine.
Famous names: Lori McNeil (tennis player)
Lori Singer (actress)
Lorie (see Laura)
Lorine (see Laura)
Lorita (see Laura)
Lorlei (see Lorelei)
Lorna Variation of Laura or Lorena. This name is probably most
closely associated with the very popular nineteenth-century
novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore.
Lorraine French place name, derived from Louis, Old German "the
sound of battle."
Famous name: Lorraine Hansberry (playwright)
Variations: Laraine, Lorain, Loraine, Lori, Lorrayne
Lorrayne (see Lorraine)
Lorrie, Lorry (see Laura)
Lotta (see Carol, Charlotte, Lottie)
Lotte (see Caroline, Lottie)
Lottey (see Lottie)
Lotti, Lotty (see Carol, Caroline, Charlotte, Lottie)
Lottie Form of Charlotte. In the nineteenth century, this
nickname was so popular that it became an independent name,
but today few parents choose it for their baby daughters.
Famous names: Lotte Lehmann (opera singer)
Lotte Lenya (singer)
Other spellings: Lottey, Lotty
Variations: Lotte, Lotta
Lou (see Louise, Lucy)
Louella (see Louise)
Louisa (see Louise)
Louise Feminine form of Louis, Old German "the sound of
battle." This name has a lengthy history as a favorite
name of royal women in Europe but was seldom used in
England until the seventeenth century. Louisa of Lorraine
was the wife of Henry III of France, and Louisa of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the wife of Frederick William, was
the queen of Prussia in the eighteenth century. Americans
are most familiar with the name of Louisa May Alcott, the
author of Little Women.
Famous names: Louise Erdrich (writer)
Louise Fletcher (actress)
Louise Nevelson (sculptor)
Louise Rainer (actress)
Louise Ritter (high jumper)
Nicknames: Lola, Lolita, Lulu
Variations: Alice, Alison (Scottish), Allie, Allison, Aloisa, Aloyse
(French), Aloysia, Eloisa, Eloise, Heloise (French), Lois,
(Swedish), Lou, Louella, Louisa, Louisette, Louisine,
Louisseta, Loula, Lovisa, Luana (Polish), Ludoisia
(Polish), Ludovika, Ludvica, (Polish), Luisa (Italian and
Spanish), Luise (German)
Louisette (see Louise)
Louisine (see Louise)
Louissetta (see Louise)
Loula (see Louise)
Loulou (see Laura)
Lovisa (see Louise)
Lu (see Lucretia, Lucy)
Luana (see Louise)
Lucasta (see Lucy)
Luce (see Lucretia, Lucy)
Lucetta (see Lucy)
Lucette (see Lucy)
Lucia (see Lucy)
Luciana (see Lucy)
Lucida (see Lucy)
Lucie (see Lucy)
Lucienne (see Lucy)
Lucile (see Lucy)
Lucilia (see Lucile, Lucy)
Lucille Variation of Lucy.
Famous name: Lucille Ball (actress)
Variation: Lucilla
Lucina (see Lucy)
Lucinda (see Lucy)
Lucita (see Lucy)
Lucrece (see Lucretia)
Lucrecia (see Lucretia)
Lucretia Latin "bringer of light"; also, a variation of Lucy. In
the fifteenth century, Lucrezia di Borgia was a powerful
member of the Borgia family of Italy. She was accused of
poisoning her enemies.
Famous name: Lucrezia Bori (opera singer)
Nicknames: Lu, Luce
Variations: Lucrece (French), Lucrecia (Spanish), Lucrezia (Italian),
Lucy
Lucrezia (see Lucretia, Lucy)
Lucy Latin feminine form of Lucius, a Roman family name,
probably meaning "light." While it seems that Lucy ought
to be a derivative of Lucille, it's actually the other way
around. The name goes back to a Roman name, Lucia, the
name of three saints.
Famous name: Lucy Stone (suffragist)
Variations: Cinda, Cindie, Cindy, Cyndie, Cyndy, Liusadh (Scottish),
Lou, Lu, Lucasta, Luce, Lucetta, Lucette, Lucia (Greek,
Italian, Portuguese, and Swedish), Luciana, Lucida, Lucie
(Dutch, French, and German), Lucienne (French), Lucile,
Lucilia, Lucille (French), Lucina, Lucinda, Lucita
(Spanish), Lucretia, Lucrezia (Italian), Luighseach
(Irish), Lula, Lulita, Lulu, Luz (Spanish)
Ludmila (see Ludmilla)
Ludmilla Slavic "beloved."
Famous name: Ludmilla Tcherina (ballerina)
Variation: Ludmila (German)
Ludoisia (see Louise)
Ludovika (see Louise)
Ludvica (see Louise)
Luighseach (see Lucy)
Luisa (see Louise)
Luise (see Louise)
Lula (see Lucy)
Lulita (see Lucy)
Lulu Swahili "Pearl"; also, a form of Louise or Lucy.
Lura, Lurah (see Lorelei)
Lurana (see Lorelei)
Lurel (see Lorelei)
Lurena (see Lorelei)
Luretta (see Lorelei)
Lurette (see Lorelei)
Lurilla (see Lorelei)
Lurleen (see Lorelei)
Lurlei (see Lorelei)
Lurlene (see Lorelei)
Lurline (see Lorelei)
Luz (see Lucy)
Lyda (see Lydia)
Lydia Greek place name Lydios, an ancient country in Asia
Minor, which was once ruled by Croesus, a king who was
noted for his great wealth.
Other spelling: Lidia
Variations: Liddy, Lidija (Russian), Lyda, Lydie (Dutch and French)
Lydie (see Lydia)
Lyn (see Lynda)
Lynd (see Linda)
Lynda Form of Linda.
Lynelle (see Lynda)
Lynette (see Linette, Lynda)
Lynn, Lynne Old English hlynn, "stream." This name has little
history and was considered a masculine name in England
until the twentieth century. In the United States, the
spelling Lynn usually was a feminine name.
Famous names: Lynne Cohen (photographer)
Lynn Redgrave (actress)
Other spellings: Lin, Linn, Lyn
Variations: Lynelle, Lynette
Lynnea (see Linnea)
Lynnette (see Linette)
Lynn, Lin (see Lynda)