Given name & surname
Lis
“resembling a rising salmon”·“God is my oath”·“my God is bountiful”
In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Lise. One Native American interpretation is “resembling a rising salmon.” In German use, Lis is a short form of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Lise. One Native American interpretation is “resembling a rising salmon.” In German use, Lis is a short form of Elisabeth. One interpretation is “God is my oath.” Lis is a variant of Lisa. In English use, Lisa carries the interpretation “my God is bountiful.” In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Elizabeth. “God is my oath” is the etymological interpretation given for Elisabeth, the same name in a different spelling. “My God is bountiful” is another recorded interpretation, but the two should be kept distinct rather than blended into one literal translation.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Lise. An origin associated with Lise is Native American. In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the usual English spelling of Elisabeth. The related biblical forms connect it with the Hebrew name Elisheba, borne by Aaron’s wife.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Lis is used as a spelling variant of Liz. In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Elizabeth. The shared background comes through Elizabeth: English generally uses Elizabeth with a z, where many European languages retain Elisabeth with an s. Elisabeth is connected with Elisheba; its final element may have been reshaped through association with Hebrew shabbath, “sabbath.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1953. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Danish use, Lis is a short form of Elizabeth. The history of Elizabeth gives this family its wider story. The New Testament Elisabeth is the mother of John the Baptist. English royal associations include Elizabeth I and, in the twentieth century, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and her daughter Elizabeth II. Elizabeth’s familiar forms developed along several paths, including Eliza, Beth, Bess, Betty, Libby and Lizzie.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lis through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 360
- 0 boys · 360 girls
- Most popular year
- 1961
- 13 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #9,221 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −22%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,221 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 21.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,268 as a first name in 2020; 2,246 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lis’s family of names
In Danish usage, Lis is a short form of Elizabeth. In Polish usage, Lis has a later derivative in LISS. Lis has a related form in Lisa.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lis has relatives in 5 languages.
8 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Lis
- Lis HartelDanish equestrian (1921-2009)
- Lis NilheimSwedish actress1944–2025
- Lis JacobsenDanish philologist, archaeologist and writer (1882-1961)
- Lis SørensenDanish singerborn 1955
- Lis Løwertactress (1919-2009)
- Lis VegaMexican ballet dancer and singerborn 1977
- Lis VerhoevenGerman actress (1931–2019)
- Lis GroesDanish social-democratic politician and women's rights activist1910–1974
- Lis JensenDanish politicianborn 1952
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lis, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Liesl
“my God is bountiful” · “God is my oath”
>99% girls
Liza
“my God is bountiful” · “God is my oath”
>99% girls
Bethie
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Sarita
“princess”
>99% girls
Buffie
“my God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Shary
“princess”
>99% girls
Betsie
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls
Elspeth
“God is my oath” · “My God is bountiful”
>99% girls