Given name & surname
Louisa
“a famous warrior”
Louisa is a variant of Louise. In German use, Louise carries the interpretation “a famous warrior.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Louisa is a variant of Louise. In German use, Louise carries the interpretation “a famous warrior.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Louisa is a feminine form of Louis. An origin associated with Louis is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Louisa is used as a feminine counterpart of Louis.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Louisa is a feminine form of Louis. The history of Louis gives this family its wider story. Louis has a history of use among French royal or aristocratic families.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Louisa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 21,937
- 5 boys · 21,932 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 424 babies
- 2025
- 407
- #697 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- 0%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 407 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 697 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 0.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (34). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 13,130 as a first name in 2020; 110 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.
Louisa’s family of names
In English usage, Louisa has a diminutive in Lou. Louisa is a feminine form of Louis. Louisa has a related form in Louise.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Louisa has relatives in 8 languages.
12 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Louisevariant
- Louiediminutive · English
- Loudiminutive · English
- Lulanickname · English
- Luludiminutive · English
- Lulydiminutive · English
- Luisevariant · German
- Louissalikely variant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Across languages 14
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Louisa
- Louisa May AlcottAmerican novelist (1832–1888)
- Louisa AdamsFirst Lady of the United States from 1825 to 18291775–1852
- Princess Louise, Duchess of ArgyllViceregal consort of Canada (1848–1939)
- Louisa Ulrika of PrussiaSwedish queen (1720-1782)
- Louise of Great Britaindaughter of George II of Great Britain; Queen consort of Denmark and Norway1724–1751
- Louisa CadamuroFrench footballerborn 1987
- Louisa HanouneAlgerian politicianborn 1954
- FoxesBritish singerborn 1989
- Louisa Maria StuartBritish princess (1692-1712)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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