Given name & surname · also Gaelic, Old French
Lucy
“light”
Lucy has a medieval French route into English and a traditional connection with the Latin word for light.
Original LatinLucia
Meaning & origin
What it means
Its Latin name family is probably connected with lux, meaning “light.” The derivation is traditional rather than completely certain.
Where it comes from
The English name Lucy developed from Old French Lucie, a spoken form of Latin Lucia.
How it developed
Lucia is the feminine form of Lucius, which is probably derived from lux. Lucy came through French Lucie; its origin is not explained by treating it as a pet form of Lucinda.
The story
Lucy was used fairly widely in medieval England and grew much more popular in the eighteenth century.
Lucy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 237,613
- 644 boys · 236,969 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 6,184 babies
- 2025
- 6,184
- #25 for girls · #9,392 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +13%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6,176 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 25 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 13.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 8 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (472). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 130,370 as a first name in 2020; 2,875 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.
Lucy’s family of names
In Cebuano usage, Lucy is a diminutive of Lucia. Lucy is a feminine form of Lucius. Lucy has a related form in Luz.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lucy has relatives in 23 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
Latinwhere Lucy comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 30
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Luciavariant · English, ceb
- Lucianavariant
- Luzvariant
- Lucievariant · English, French
- Lucindavariant
- Lulanickname · English
- Luciannavariant
- Lucivariant · English
Show 22 moreShow fewer
- Luludiminutive · English
- Lucinavariant
- Luciennevariant
- Lucillafull form · ceb
- Lucettevariant
- Lucinevariant
- Luceevariant
- Luclipped form · English
- Lucevariant
- Lucettavariant
- Luceavariant
- Lucynavariant
- Lucitavariant
- Luccylikely variant
- Lusingdiminutive · ceb
- Liusaidhvariant
- Lucinnavariant
- Luzijavariant
- Lusitavariant
- Luczavariant
- Lucyjavariant
- Lucidavariant
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 23
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 Lucy
- Lucy LiuAmerican actress (born 1968)
- Lucy LawlessNew Zealand actressborn 1968
- Lucy Maud MontgomeryCanadian writer (1874–1942)
- Lucy StoneAmerican abolitionist and suffragist (1818-1893)
- Lucy Webb HayesFirst Lady of the United States from 1877 to 18811831–1889
- Lucy BronzeEnglish footballer (born 1991)
- Lucy BoyntonBritish actressborn 1994
- Claude CahunFrench artist (1894–1954)
- Kate JacksonAmerican actress, producer, and director (born 1948)
Characters named Lucy: Lucy Pevensie (fictional English girl, a lead character in the first three Narnia books), Lucy Van Pelt (the Peanuts media franchise), Lucy Westenra (Bram Stoker's Dracula), Lucy Heartfilia (Fairy Tail).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lucy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Sylvie
Sylvie is used as a given name and a surname. Sylvie is connected with Silvia.
>99% girls
Gianna
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Juliet
“one who is youthful; daughter of the sky”
>99% girls
Sophie
“having great wisdom and foresight”
>99% girls
Imogen
“a maiden” · “one who is innocent and pure”
>99% girls
Greer
“one who is alert and watchful” · “watchful”
20% boys · 80% girls
Roslin
“a little red-haired boy”
>99% girls
Lyla
“night” · “born at night”
>99% girls