Given name
Lucille
“one who is illuminated”
In French use, Lucille carries the interpretation “one who is illuminated.”
Original FrenchLucius
Meaning & origin
What it means
In French use, Lucille carries the interpretation “one who is illuminated.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
How it developed
In French use, Lucille is used as a form of Lucilla. Lucille is used as a form of Lucy.
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. Lucille is a form of Lucilla. The history of Lucilla gives this family its wider story. Lucilla’s historical associations include various early saints, including one martyred at Rome in circa 258.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lucille through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 233,321
- 750 boys · 232,571 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 8,006 babies
- 2025
- 1,314
- #239 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,314 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 239 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 7,989 in 1920. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (96). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 58,884 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lucille’s family of names
In English usage, Lucille has a short form in Lu. Lucille is a form of Lucy. In French usage, Lucille has a conventional equivalent in the German form Lucia.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 17
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Lucille
- Joan CrawfordAmerican actress (1908–1977)1905–1977
- Lucille BallAmerican actress (1911–1989)
- Lucy LawlessNew Zealand actressborn 1968
- Lucille La VerneAmerican actress (1872–1945)
- Lucille RicksenAmerican child actress (1910-1925)
- Lucille Teasdale-CortiCanadian medical doctor and surgeon who worked in Uganda (1929–1996)
- Lucille BlissAmerican actress (1916–2012)
- Lucile WheelerCanadian alpine skierborn 1935
- Lucille OpitzGerman speed skaterborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lucille, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Marietta is used as a given name and a surname. Marietta is connected with Maria and Mary.
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