Given name & surname
Lula
“from the place of healing and miracles”·“a calm, peaceful woman”·“as precious as a pearl”
In Spanish use, Lula is a diminutive of Lourdes. One French interpretation is “from the place of healing and miracles.” Lula is a variant of Lulu. Interpretations include “a calm, peaceful woman” and “as precious as a pearl”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Lula is a diminutive of Lourdes. One French interpretation is “from the place of healing and miracles.” Lula is a variant of Lulu. Interpretations include “a calm, peaceful woman” and “as precious as a pearl”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Spanish use, Lula is a diminutive of Lourdes. An origin associated with Lourdes is French.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Spanish usage, Lula is a diminutive of Lourdes. In Portuguese usage, Lula is a diminutive of Luiz.
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
Lula through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 85,587
- 339 boys · 85,248 girls
- Most popular year
- 1924
- 1,792 babies
- 2025
- 100
- #1,937 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 100 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,937 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 4.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,778 in 1921. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 13,248 as a first name in 2020; 284 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.
Lula’s family of names
In English usage, Lula is a nickname for Lucy. In English usage, Lula has a related form in Lulu. In Spanish usage, Lula is a diminutive of Lourdes.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lula has relatives in 3 languages.
8 related names in 3 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.
- Lucyfull form · English
- Louisafull form · English
- Lourdesfull form · Spanish
- Luluvariant · English
- Luizfull form · Portuguese
- Lullalikely variant
- María de Lourdesfull form · Spanish
- Luísfull form · Portuguese
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Lula
- LulaBrazilian association football player (1922-1972)
- Lula Ali IsmaïlDjibouti-Canadian filmmaker (* 1978)
- LulaBrazilian footballer (1946–2022)
- Lula PenaFado and World music singer, composer and poet from Lisbon, Portugalborn 1974
- Lula Mysz-Gmeinerconcert contralto and academic voice teacher (1876–1948)
- Lula ReedAmerican singer (1926–2008)
- Lula Greene RichardsAmerican print editor1849–1944
- Lula FerreiraBrazilian basketball coachborn 1951
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lula, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Leola
“one who is faithful; loyal” · “having the strength of a lion”
>99% girls
Nella
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Una
“one who is pure; chaste”
>99% girls
Lelah
“a beauty of the night; born at nightfall”
>99% girls
Zula
“one who is brilliant; from the town of Zula”
>99% girls
Lera
“refers to the Virgin Mary”
>99% girls
Zella
“one who resists”
>99% girls
Carmella
“garden” · “of the fruitful orchard”
>99% girls