Given name & surname
Love
“one who is full of affection”
Love is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “one who is full of affection.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “one who is full of affection.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
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.
From dated birth records
Love through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,785
- 988 boys · 4,797 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 418 babies
- 2025
- 290
- #957 for girls · #4,804 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +120%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 7% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 269 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 957 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 117.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 21 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (36). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,247 as a first name in 2020; 83,691 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.
Love’s family of names
Love has a related form in Lovie. Love has a related form in Lovette. Love has a related form in Lovey.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 15
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Show 7 moreShow fewer
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Love
- Love ArrhovSwedish association football playerborn 2008
- Love LarsonSwedish make-up artist and hair stylistborn 1978
- Love AblishIndian cricketerborn 1982
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Love, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Leighton
“from the town near the meadow”
26% boys · 74% girls
Lune
Lune is a feminine given name from English. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Lennon
“daughter of love” · “son of love”
26% boys · 74% girls
Romee
Romee is a feminine given name from English. It is used in French.
1% boys · 99% girls
London
“from the captial of England”
14% boys · 86% girls
Sage
“wise one; type of spice”
32% boys · 68% girls
Liana
“The Lord answers our prayers”
>99% girls
Winter
“born during the winter season”
6% boys · 94% girls