Fun Facts About the Name Lois
- Decades of popularity: Lois stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 52 consecutive years, from 1902 through 1953.
- More than 335 thousand babies named Lois: U.S. records list 335,598 babies given the name Lois from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,644 boys received the name Lois - about 1 boy for every 126 girls.
What Does the Name Lois Mean?
Lois comes from the Greek name Lōís (Λωΐς), which is known from the New Testament. The explanation most often given connects it to the Greek adjective lōiōn (λωΐων), a comparative form meaning "better" or "more desirable," related to lōos (λῷος), "good, advantageous." That is a literal etymological sense rather than a description of the woman who bears the name in the Bible.
The derivation is not certain. Because Lois appears in a Jewish family alongside the Greek name Eunice, some writers have proposed that it represents a Semitic name put into Greek form, but no such origin has been established, and the Greek explanation remains the standard one. The name has no separate Hebrew or Latin root of its own in English use; it reached English through the Greek of the New Testament and the Latin Bible.
Lois Name History & Origins
The earliest documented use of Lois is in the New Testament, in the second letter to Timothy, where Paul recalls the faith of Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. The passage shows a Greek name in use within a Greek-speaking Jewish family in the eastern Mediterranean. The name then passed through Latin Bibles into English translations, which is how most English speakers first encountered it.
From the Bible the name entered use as an English given name. In Greek the accent falls on the second syllable (lō-ís), while English speakers normally stress the first, giving the familiar LOH-is. In the twentieth century the name became widely familiar through Lois Lane, the newspaper reporter in the Superman stories, who first appeared in 1938; that is a famous later association, not the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Lois?
Lois remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1902 to 1953. Its highest annual birth count was in 1927, and people born that year turn 99 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,670 | 124 | 0.0077% |
| 2024 | #1,698 | 120 | 0.0074% |
| 2023 | #1,591 | 132 | 0.0082% |
| 2022 | #1,690 | 124 | 0.0076% |
| 2021 | #1,725 | 120 | 0.0073% |
| 2020 | #1,846 | 106 | 0.0066% |
| 2019 | #1,693 | 124 | 0.0074% |
| 2018 | #1,700 | 122 | 0.0072% |
| 2017 | #1,621 | 134 | 0.0078% |
| 2016 | #1,751 | 119 | 0.0067% |
| 2015 | #1,879 | 109 | 0.0061% |
| 2014 | #1,973 | 101 | 0.0057% |
| 2013 | #2,357 | 78 | 0.0044% |
| 2012 | #2,054 | 94 | 0.0053% |
| 2011 | #2,525 | 72 | 0.0041% |
| 2010 | #2,602 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 2009 | #2,412 | 80 | 0.0044% |
| 2008 | #2,307 | 85 | 0.0045% |
| 2007 | #2,341 | 82 | 0.0043% |
| 2006 | #2,219 | 87 | 0.0046% |
| 2005 | #2,616 | 65 | 0.0035% |
| 2004 | #2,614 | 64 | 0.0035% |
| 2003 | #2,312 | 73 | 0.0040% |
| 2002 | #2,042 | 85 | 0.0047% |
| 2001 | #2,026 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 2000 | #2,095 | 78 | 0.0043% |
| 1999 | #2,047 | 76 | 0.0043% |
| 1998 | #1,784 | 88 | 0.0050% |
| 1997 | #1,600 | 100 | 0.0057% |
| 1996 | #1,634 | 94 | 0.0054% |
| 1995 | #1,555 | 98 | 0.0056% |
| 1994 | #1,587 | 96 | 0.0054% |
| 1993 | #1,660 | 91 | 0.0050% |
| 1992 | #1,747 | 85 | 0.0046% |
| 1991 | #1,458 | 109 | 0.0058% |
| 1990 | #1,613 | 93 | 0.0049% |
| 1989 | #1,330 | 117 | 0.0063% |
| 1988 | #1,241 | 120 | 0.0067% |
| 1987 | #1,277 | 110 | 0.0063% |
| 1986 | #1,162 | 123 | 0.0072% |
| 1985 | #1,122 | 129 | 0.0075% |
| 1984 | #1,049 | 135 | 0.0080% |
| 1983 | #982 | 149 | 0.0089% |
| 1982 | #882 | 175 | 0.0103% |
| 1981 | #834 | 188 | 0.0113% |
| 1980 | #972 | 153 | 0.0092% |
| 1979 | #880 | 174 | 0.0108% |
| 1978 | #760 | 203 | 0.0133% |
| 1977 | #821 | 183 | 0.0119% |
| 1976 | #763 | 189 | 0.0129% |
| 1975 | #676 | 222 | 0.0152% |
| 1974 | #569 | 284 | 0.0194% |
| 1973 | #540 | 311 | 0.0213% |
| 1972 | #507 | 343 | 0.0225% |
| 1971 | #447 | 460 | 0.0276% |
| 1970 | #427 | 517 | 0.0296% |
| 1969 | #403 | 565 | 0.0335% |
| 1968 | #341 | 668 | 0.0407% |
| 1967 | #315 | 755 | 0.0457% |
| 1966 | #278 | 918 | 0.0542% |
| 1965 | #249 | 1,204 | 0.0682% |
| 1964 | #231 | 1,409 | 0.0744% |
| 1963 | #216 | 1,581 | 0.0820% |
| 1962 | #201 | 1,783 | 0.0907% |
| 1961 | #183 | 2,102 | 0.1041% |
| 1960 | #175 | 2,269 | 0.1122% |
| 1959 | #162 | 2,485 | 0.1228% |
| 1958 | #154 | 2,625 | 0.1305% |
| 1957 | #145 | 2,876 | 0.1406% |
| 1956 | #135 | 3,225 | 0.1606% |
| 1955 | #124 | 3,419 | 0.1749% |
| 1954 | #110 | 3,952 | 0.2035% |
| 1953 | #91 | 4,220 | 0.2243% |
| 1952 | #86 | 4,362 | 0.2352% |
| 1951 | #85 | 4,533 | 0.2517% |
| 1950 | #83 | 4,504 | 0.2629% |
| 1949 | #73 | 4,915 | 0.2873% |
| 1948 | #70 | 5,077 | 0.2990% |
| 1947 | #63 | 5,717 | 0.3225% |
| 1946 | #55 | 5,700 | 0.3628% |
| 1945 | #48 | 5,148 | 0.3939% |
| 1944 | #47 | 5,529 | 0.4166% |
| 1943 | #43 | 6,132 | 0.4395% |
| 1942 | #44 | 6,406 | 0.4743% |
| 1941 | #43 | 6,106 | 0.5054% |
| 1940 | #38 | 6,124 | 0.5355% |
| 1939 | #35 | 6,034 | 0.5502% |
| 1938 | #33 | 6,503 | 0.5893% |
| 1937 | #29 | 6,932 | 0.6515% |
| 1936 | #26 | 7,232 | 0.6951% |
| 1935 | #21 | 7,989 | 0.7619% |
| 1934 | #20 | 8,387 | 0.8032% |
| 1933 | #19 | 8,655 | 0.8587% |
| 1932 | #20 | 9,519 | 0.8920% |
| 1931 | #20 | 9,348 | 0.8780% |
| 1930 | #17 | 10,114 | 0.8983% |
| 1929 | #17 | 10,295 | 0.9220% |
| 1928 | #18 | 10,425 | 0.9039% |
| 1927 | #19 | 10,505 | 0.8810% |
| 1926 | #19 | 9,817 | 0.8282% |
| 1925 | #18 | 9,573 | 0.7864% |
| 1924 | #22 | 9,299 | 0.7446% |
| 1923 | #27 | 7,814 | 0.6477% |
| 1922 | #35 | 6,946 | 0.5784% |
| 1921 | #38 | 6,899 | 0.5595% |
| 1920 | #38 | 6,560 | 0.5474% |
| 1919 | #40 | 5,976 | 0.5288% |
| 1918 | #42 | 5,877 | 0.5077% |
| 1917 | #43 | 5,485 | 0.5073% |
| 1916 | #43 | 5,149 | 0.4930% |
| 1915 | #47 | 4,775 | 0.4853% |
| 1914 | #51 | 3,432 | 0.4506% |
| 1913 | #59 | 2,560 | 0.4099% |
| 1912 | #63 | 2,146 | 0.3845% |
| 1911 | #68 | 1,508 | 0.3605% |
| 1910 | #76 | 1,271 | 0.3206% |
| 1909 | #73 | 1,157 | 0.3332% |
| 1908 | #80 | 1,023 | 0.3060% |
| 1907 | #85 | 899 | 0.2822% |
| 1906 | #88 | 799 | 0.2706% |
| 1905 | #88 | 763 | 0.2616% |
| 1904 | #90 | 727 | 0.2640% |
| 1903 | #92 | 664 | 0.2535% |
| 1902 | #98 | 594 | 0.2249% |
| 1901 | #109 | 488 | 0.2039% |
| 1900 | #115 | 577 | 0.1925% |
| 1899 | #117 | 415 | 0.1781% |
| 1898 | #114 | 466 | 0.1801% |
| 1897 | #111 | 457 | 0.1951% |
| 1896 | #123 | 388 | 0.1631% |
| 1895 | #144 | 311 | 0.1331% |
| 1894 | #140 | 308 | 0.1382% |
| 1893 | #152 | 260 | 0.1221% |
| 1892 | #160 | 242 | 0.1140% |
| 1891 | #162 | 206 | 0.1111% |
| 1890 | #178 | 175 | 0.0919% |
| 1889 | #185 | 154 | 0.0863% |
| 1888 | #206 | 120 | 0.0672% |
| 1887 | #176 | 129 | 0.0884% |
| 1886 | #187 | 116 | 0.0803% |
| 1885 | #183 | 105 | 0.0789% |
| 1884 | #207 | 84 | 0.0651% |
| 1883 | #195 | 76 | 0.0677% |
| 1882 | #211 | 64 | 0.0593% |
| 1881 | #205 | 53 | 0.0576% |
| 1880 | #211 | 53 | 0.0582% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | #11,587 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #13,230 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2003 | #9,252 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #9,840 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #8,045 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #7,861 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #6,186 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #7,538 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #5,517 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #3,654 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #7,394 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #6,897 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #6,864 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #6,390 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #3,628 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #5,687 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #3,925 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #5,448 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1971 | #3,282 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #3,426 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #3,803 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #3,266 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #4,321 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #2,721 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #3,429 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #2,371 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1963 | #2,788 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #2,604 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #3,256 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #2,489 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1959 | #2,489 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #3,453 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #1,871 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1956 | #2,580 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #2,386 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1954 | #1,654 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1953 | #1,751 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1952 | #2,047 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1951 | #2,321 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1950 | #1,858 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1949 | #1,649 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1948 | #2,927 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #1,579 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1946 | #1,676 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1945 | #1,477 | 21 | 0.0016% |
| 1944 | #1,165 | 33 | 0.0024% |
| 1943 | #1,148 | 36 | 0.0025% |
| 1942 | #926 | 52 | 0.0038% |
| 1941 | #1,064 | 38 | 0.0031% |
| 1940 | #1,087 | 37 | 0.0032% |
| 1939 | #851 | 52 | 0.0047% |
| 1938 | #864 | 52 | 0.0047% |
| 1937 | #951 | 44 | 0.0041% |
| 1936 | #1,023 | 39 | 0.0038% |
| 1935 | #826 | 57 | 0.0055% |
| 1934 | #767 | 65 | 0.0063% |
| 1933 | #681 | 76 | 0.0077% |
| 1932 | #646 | 88 | 0.0084% |
| 1931 | #681 | 78 | 0.0075% |
| 1930 | #670 | 87 | 0.0079% |
| 1929 | #710 | 77 | 0.0072% |
| 1928 | #736 | 76 | 0.0069% |
| 1927 | #718 | 82 | 0.0073% |
| 1926 | #900 | 56 | 0.0050% |
| 1925 | #813 | 67 | 0.0060% |
| 1924 | #790 | 73 | 0.0064% |
| 1923 | #761 | 75 | 0.0068% |
| 1922 | #887 | 61 | 0.0056% |
| 1921 | #785 | 74 | 0.0067% |
| 1920 | #926 | 56 | 0.0053% |
| 1919 | #733 | 76 | 0.0078% |
| 1918 | #835 | 62 | 0.0061% |
| 1917 | #838 | 59 | 0.0064% |
| 1916 | #705 | 72 | 0.0081% |
| 1915 | #727 | 67 | 0.0079% |
| 1914 | #670 | 58 | 0.0089% |
| 1913 | #656 | 47 | 0.0092% |
| 1912 | #810 | 30 | 0.0070% |
| 1911 | #1,091 | 11 | 0.0049% |
| 1910 | #807 | 15 | 0.0077% |
| 1909 | #566 | 22 | 0.0134% |
| 1908 | #672 | 16 | 0.0104% |
| 1907 | #764 | 13 | 0.0089% |
| 1906 | #605 | 16 | 0.0120% |
| 1905 | #975 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1904 | #930 | 8 | 0.0062% |
| 1903 | #883 | 8 | 0.0067% |
| 1902 | #986 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1901 | #1,010 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1900 | #880 | 10 | 0.0066% |
| 1899 | #832 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1898 | #853 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1897 | #1,017 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1894 | #917 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1892 | #1,178 | 5 | 0.0041% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Lois
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Lois Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Lois's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lois's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.