Louis
Boy name · #249 in 2025 · Uniqueness 48/100
Louis is currently the #249 boy name in the United States — 1,391 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #296, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,294 boys born in 2025 was named Louis.
Babies named Louis per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Louis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 828 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 7,247 boys were named Louis — good for #29 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Louis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Louis in class?
Louis scores 48 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Louis is most common
Geography matters for names, and Louis is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Louiss were CA (145), NY (105), TX (83), MI (68), OH (64). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Louis
Statistically, parents drawn to Louis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lewis, Francis, Warren, Otis, and Walter.
LewisFrancisWarrenOtisWalterEdwardGeorgeEdwin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Louis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,391 | #249 |
| 2024 | 1,510 | #236 |
| 2023 | 1,478 | #238 |
| 2022 | 1,442 | #245 |
| 2021 | 1,422 | #251 |
| 2020 | 1,334 | #260 |
| 2019 | 1,475 | #248 |
| 2018 | 1,388 | #260 |
| 2017 | 1,302 | #277 |
| 2016 | 1,242 | #290 |
| 2015 | 1,210 | #296 |
| 2014 | 1,229 | #289 |
| 2013 | 1,070 | #315 |
| 2012 | 1,057 | #312 |
| 2011 | 921 | #332 |
| 2010 | 921 | #342 |
| 2009 | 885 | #353 |
| 2008 | 909 | #350 |
| 2007 | 937 | #345 |
| 2006 | 1,001 | #320 |
| 2005 | 1,002 | #323 |
| 2004 | 1,051 | #302 |
| 2003 | 1,103 | #283 |
| 2002 | 1,143 | #272 |
| 2001 | 1,096 | #279 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Louis a popular boy name?
Louis ranked #249 among boys in 2025 with 1,391 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #296.
When was the name Louis most popular?
Louis peaked in 1921, when 7,247 American boys received the name (ranked #29 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Louis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,294 newborn American boys was named Louis. It scores 48/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.