
The short answer
Louis is a masculine name used in French and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne." It ranked #249 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, french form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. The entry lists its usage as French, English, Dutch.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Louis ranked #249 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #249 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (French) and that sit near Louis in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Louis mean?
Behind the Name does not give Louis a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: french form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig.
Is Louis a popular name?
Louis ranked #249 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Louis a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Louis appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Louis — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.