120 L Names for Boys, From Vintage Classics to Modern Picks

L is the letter of lions and legends, of names that roll off the tongue with a soft, lyrical lilt. Think Leo with its ancient swagger, Lorenzo carrying a little Italian romance, or Liam, which has been the number one name for American boys every year from 2017 through 2025 ⁽¹⁾. Names researcher Laura Wattenberg, talking to AARP about the 2025 rankings, said: “We like our names to be very light and very smooth, so Liam and Noah really exemplify that.” Soft consonants and open vowels are most of what this list is made of.

This list gathers 120 boy names that start with L, sorted so you can browse by mood. Nine of them sit in the current US top 100: Liam had 20,818 births in 2025, Lucas 10,219 and Levi 9,642, according to Social Security Administration counts ⁽²⁾. Eighteen others are so rare they do not appear in the federal data at all, which is its own kind of answer.

Scroll down, say a few out loud with your last name, and see which one clicks.

120 Legendary Names for Boys That Start with L

These 120 picks run from saints and kings to fresh modern coinages, with the meaning and origin behind every one.

1. Lachlan: A rugged Scottish Gaelic classic meaning “from the land of the lakes,” long a top choice for boys in Scotland and Australia.
2. Lad: An affectionate old British word for a young man or attendant, playful and unmistakably boyish as a first name.
3. Ladon: A rare mythological pick borne by the many-headed dragon who guarded the golden apples in Greek legend.
4. Lafayette: A dashing French surname meaning “beech tree grove,” tied to Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette.
5. Laine: A variant of Lane, this English name once described someone who lived beside a narrow path or country lane.
6. Lake: A calm, nature-loving pick that honors the still water itself, riding the wave of unisex outdoorsy names.
7. Lakshay: Meaning “target” or “goal,” this Indian name quietly urges a son to aim high.
8. Lalama: A melodic Hawaiian boy’s name said to describe a clever, fearless leader.
9. Lalit: A gentle Sanskrit name meaning “playful” or “lovely,” used across India for its soft, easy charm.
10. Lamar: A smooth, adventurous Latin boy’s name traditionally read as “of the sea.”
11. Lambert: From German roots meaning “bright land,” this earthy name works as both a surname and a sturdy given name.
12. Lan: Flower names are rare for boys, but this unisex Vietnamese “orchid” pick makes a delicate exception.
13. Lance: An Old German name meaning “land,” though its knightly ring calls to mind Sir Lancelot and jousting tournaments.
14. Landon: An Old English place-name meaning “long hill,” grounded and handsome, and a steady favorite on US charts.
15. Landry: A regal French surname-name meaning “ruler” or “powerful,” cool enough to feel fresh as a first name.
16. Langston: An English surname read as “long stone” or tall town, carried with pride by poet Langston Hughes.
17. Lanh: A Vietnamese name suggesting “goodness” and “cleverness,” a warm and wholesome wish for a son.
18. Lanzo: A trendier medieval German form of Lance, this name likewise traces back to “land.”
19. Laraib: A romantic pick among Arabic names for boys, meaning “undoubting” or “without question.”
20. Laramie: Also spelled Laramy, these earthy, French-rooted names evoke leafy woodlands and the American West.
21. Lark: Like the songbird, this unisex name feels sing-song and free-spirited.
22. Larkin: Rooted in “laurel,” this soft surname carries a literary nod to English poet Philip Larkin.
23. Larry: A friendly short form of Lawrence that still carries a comforting, mid-century warmth.
24. Lars: A crisp Scandinavian form of Laurence for a boy “crowned with laurel.”
25. Lashawn: A stylish African American elaboration of Shawn, keeping the Hebrew sense of “God is gracious.”
26. Lasta: A Quechua name meaning “snow,” a fitting choice for a winter-born baby.
27. Latimer: An occupational English surname for a clerk who translated documents into Latin, scholarly and distinguished.
28. Laurent: A polished French form of Laurence meaning “from Laurentum” or “laurel,” effortlessly sophisticated.
29. Laurie: A tender literary short form of Lawrence, best known as the romantic hero of the Louisa May Alcott novel Little Women.
30. Lawrence: A timeless name meaning “from Laurentum,” the city of laurels, with easy nicknames like Larry and Lars.
31. Lawson: An English surname meaning “son of Lawrence,” strong and understated as a modern first name.
32. Lazar: A trendy Slavic and Hebrew-rooted boy’s name meaning “God has helped.”
33. Lech: A Slavic name meaning “Pole,” borne by the legendary founder of Poland and, more recently, President Lech Walesa.
34. Led: Short and sharp, this Russian name is linked to the word for “ice.”
35. Ledimir: A grand, old Slavic name combining roots for “ice” and “peace” or “great.”
36. Lee: Hugely versatile as a first name, middle name, and surname worldwide, most often meaning “meadow” or “clearing.”
37. Legend: A bold modern virtue name lifted into the spotlight by singer John Legend, and the fastest riser on this list: births across the last ten recorded years run 761% above the ten before them, according to Social Security Administration data.
38. Legolas: A head-turning literary pick, the sharp-eyed elf archer of Tolkien Lord of the Rings.
39. Lei: Like the Hawaiian flower garland, this short name feels warm and celebratory.
40. Leif: A cool, affectionate Viking name meaning “heir” or “descendant,” famously worn by explorer Leif Erikson.
41. Leighton: A handsome, earthy English name meaning “meadow town,” polished by its unusual spelling.
42. Leland: An Old English name meaning “meadowland,” with a distinctly refined, upper-crust air.
43. Lemmitty: A rare, wholesome Finnish name for a baby boy, understood to mean “beloved.”
44. Len: A short, sturdy nickname for Leonard, keeping its sense of “lion” and quiet pride.
45. Lenni: A sweet Finnish short form tied to “brave lion,” small in size but big in spirit.
46. Lenno: A Native American name of the Delaware people, simply meaning “man.”
47. Lennon: Perfect for music fans, this Irish boy’s name means “little cloak” and honors Beatle John Lennon.
48. Lennox: A cool Scottish surname-name meaning “elm grove,” great if you love surnames as first names.
49. Leo: A punchy Latin name meaning lion, ideal for a summer baby born under the zodiac sign.
50. Leon: A classic name meaning “lion,” also carried by several historic cities in Spain and beyond.
51. Leonard: The most formal of the “brave lion” names, vintage and dignified with the friendly nickname Leo or Len.
52. Leonardo: A romantic Italian form of Leonard, worn by Leonardo da Vinci and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
53. Leonitus: A dramatic Latin-style name for a boy who is “like a lion,” close cousin to Leonidas.
54. Leopold: A stately German male name meaning “bold people,” even more old-world than Leonard.
55. Leroy: From the Norman French for “the king,” an elegant name with roots in medieval England.
56. Les: A masculine short form of Leslie, crisp and casual on its own.
57. Leslie: A soft Scottish name meaning “holly garden,” once a common choice for boys.
58. Lester: A smart-sounding name drawn from the English city of Leicester.
59. Lev: A Russian form of Leo meaning “lion,” a strong pick if you love 3-letter names for boys.
60. Levant: A French name meaning “rising,” also the historic term for the lands of the eastern Mediterranean.
61. Levi: Meaning “joined” or “united” in Hebrew, this melodic biblical name belonged to one of the twelve sons of Jacob.
62. Leviathan: A rare, dramatic name meaning “twisted” or “coiled” in Hebrew, borne by the mighty biblical sea creature.
63. Leviticus: A weighty biblical name taken from the third book of the Torah, which lays out the laws of the Levites.
64. Lewis: A popular English spelling of Louis meaning “renowned warrior,” now tied to racing champion Lewis Hamilton.
65. Li: About as short as a name can get, this Chinese pick pairs cleanly with almost any surname.
66. Liam: Meaning “resolute protector” and short for William, Liam has been the number one US boys’ name for nine years running, holding the top spot from 2017 through 2025, when 20,818 boys were given it, according to Social Security Administration data.
67. Liber: Inspired by the ancient Roman god of wine and freedom, this rare L name simply means “free.”
68. Liêm: From Vietnamese roots, this cool Liam alternative means “honest” and “upright.”
69. Likho: A striking Slavic boy’s name drawn from a mythical embodiment of bad luck and fate.
70. Lin: A graceful three-letter Asian male name read variously as “forest” or “fine jade.”
71. Lincoln: The most presidential of L names, meaning “lake colony” and honoring Abraham Lincoln, and still a top-100 pick at #69 in 2025, per the Social Security Administration.
72. Lindbergh: Spelled with or without the H, this German-rooted name means “linden tree mountain,” carried by aviator Charles Lindbergh.
73. Lindsay: A Scottish clan and place name meaning “Lincoln marsh,” worn comfortably by boys and girls alike.
74. Linh: A popular unisex Vietnamese name meaning “spirit” or “soul.”
75. Link: Short for Lincoln, or a cool, standalone 4-letter pick with a gamer-friendly ring.
76. Lintang: A touching Indonesian and Javanese name meaning “star,” bright and uncommon.
77. Linus: From Greek myth and the Peanuts gang, Linus means “flax” or “flaxen-haired.”
78. Lionel: A Latin name meaning “little lion,” now firmly linked to soccer great Lionel Messi.
79. Lisandro: A suave Spanish form of Lysander meaning “liberator” or “freer of men.”
80. Lisle: A breezy French name meaning “from the island,” also a variant of the surname Lyle.
81. Lister: An English occupational surname for a dyer, sharp and unexpected as a first name.
82. Livy: From the Latin Livius, this gender-neutral name is tied to the Roman historian and the sense of “bluish.”
83. Lloyd: Of Welsh origin, this color name means “gray” or “holy.”
84. Llywellyn: A tricky-to-spell Welsh name meaning “leader” or “lion-like,” borne by the medieval princes of Wales.
85. Lochan: A dreamy Sanskrit name meaning “the eye,” a fitting pick for a boy with a bright, watchful gaze.
86. Locke: A Germanic surname meaning “enclosure,” strong and clean as a one-syllable first name.
87. Logan: A widely popular Scottish surname-name meaning “little hollow,” warm and easy to wear, though it has cooled from a peak of #5 in 2017 to #53 in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
88. Loic: An unusually spelled French name meaning “famed warrior,” a Breton cousin of Louis.
89. Loki: Named for the shape-shifting Norse trickster god, this bold pick makes an instant statement.
90. Lonán: Uniquely handsome, this Gaelic boy’s name translates to “blackbird.”
91. London: A sophisticated place-name honoring the historic British capital, leaning unisex in modern use.
92. Long: From Chinese and Vietnamese roots, this bold name means “dragon,” a symbol of power and luck.
93. Lóngwěi: For a boy “as great as a dragon,” this traditional Chinese name is truly grand.
94. Lorcan: A Gaelic name meaning “little fierce one,” once worn by Irish kings and saints.
95. Lorenzo: A warm Italian and Spanish form of Lawrence meaning “from Laurentum,” rich and romantic.
96. Lorik: A cool European name with Albanian roots, linked to the songbird and to “laurel.”
97. Lornell: An uncommon elaboration of Lawrence with a smooth, invented-feel charm.
98. Lotar: A commanding Polish boy’s name meaning “famous warrior.”
99. Lou: A friendly three-letter nickname from the Louis family, casual and enduringly likable.
100. Louis: A confident royal name meaning “renowned warrior,” pronounced “loo-ee” in French or “loo-is” in English.
101. Lowell: A French surname meaning “little wolf,” refined and slightly literary as a given name.
102. Loyal: A rare virtue name for an honest, steadfast little one.
103. Luan: This name means “moon” in Portuguese and “lion” in Albanian.
104. Luca: An Italian form of Luke meaning “bringer of light,” soft, stylish, and rising fast.
105. Lucas: A gentle cousin of Luke meaning “bringer of light,” ranked #10 for US boys in 2025 with 10,219 births, according to Social Security Administration data.
106. Luciano: From the Latin lux, this romantic Italian name shines with the meaning “light.”
107. Lucifer: A polarizing name meaning “light-bringer” or “morning star,” heavy with mythology and history.
108. Lucius: A crisp Roman name meaning “light,” familiar from Harry Potter villain Lucius Malfoy.
109. Ludwig: A commanding German name meaning “famous warrior,” carried by composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
110. Luigi: A cheerful Italian male name meaning “renowned warrior,” and yes, a certain green-capped plumber.
111. Luis: A continental Spanish form of Louis meaning “renowned warrior,” smooth and widely loved.
112. Luke: A crisp biblical boy’s name meaning “light,” evergreen thanks to the Gospel and a certain Jedi.
113. Lumi: A radiant, gender-neutral Finnish name meaning “snow,” cool in every sense.
114. Luther: A sturdy German name meaning “army of the people,” tied to reformer Martin Luther.
115. Lux: A sleek, modern Latin name meaning “light,” for the brightest new addition to your family.
116. Lycus: One of the fiercer names from Greek mythology, meaning “wolf.”
117. Lyle: From the French for “the island,” a smooth, gentle option for a quiet little dreamer.
118. Lyndon: A polished English name meaning “linden tree hill,” borne by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
119. Lynx: A rare wildcat name with a sharp, adventurous edge that turns heads.
120. Lysander: A Shakespearean name of Greek origin meaning “liberator,” heroic and lyrical.

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