Lucy Overview
- Meaning: Lucy means ‘light.’
- Gender: Lucy is primarily a girl’s name.
- Origin: The origin of Lucy is Latin. It is derived from the Latin word ‘lux.’
- Pronunciation: Lucy is pronounced LOO-see.
- Popularity: Lucy has been popular in the United States for over a century. It is currently one of the top 50 names.
- Nicknames: Laci, Lu, Luce, Lulu, Luxe.
- Variations: Lucette, Lucie, Lucita, Luca, Luzia.
- Namesakes: Lucy Atkinson, explorer; Lucy Evangelista: 2005 Miss Northern Ireland; Lucy Stone: abolitionist and suffragist.
What Does Lucy Mean?
Lucy means ‘light’ and is primarily used as an English or French name.
What Is the Origin of the Name Lucy?
The name Lucy is of Latin origin. Lucy is based on the Roman name Lucia. The Latin word, ‘lux,’ meaning ‘light,’ was the basis for Lucia.
How Popular Is the Name Lucy?
Lucy was very popular throughout the first quarter of the 1900s, and the popularity of the name decreased for years. Just before 2000, the United States saw an increase in the use of the name.
Since 2010, it has remained popular. At present, it falls within the top 50 girls’ names (1).
In the United States, Lucy only fell within the top 1,000 baby boy names for two years since 1900. In 1901, Lucy ranked at number 823 and was ranked at number 974 in 1906 (2).
How Do I Pronounce Lucy?
Lucy is pronounced LOO-see.
Is Lucy a Boy or Girl Name?
Lucy is primarily a girl’s name. It has been popular as a girl’s name in the United States but rare as a boy’s name. Its male counterpart is Lucius.
Variations of Lucy
There are 60 different versions of Lucy across the world. If you are looking for a name that is a bit less common than Lucy but still very similar, consider these options:
- Lucette (English)
- Lucianna (Latin)
- Lucie (French)
- Lucija (Latin)
- Lucila (Spanish)
- Lucita (Spanish)
- Lucja (Latin)
- Luca (Italian)
- Lleucu (Welsh)
- Luzia (Latin)
Nicknames
We all know that most children, even those with the most beautiful names, will want to shorten it or make it more unique. Many girls named Lucy prefer nicknames such as:
- Laci
- Leecy
- Lilac
- Lu
- Luc
- Luce
- Lucia
- Lulu
- Luxe
- Luz
Similar Names to Lucy
Do you like the meaning, origin, or sound of Lucy? If the name itself does not seem perfect, but there is something about it that you like, check out these similar names.
Meaning
- Aleena
- Dawn
- Elaina
- Ilona
- Lenora
- Meira
Origin
- Aelia
- Gaia
- Marina
- Theodora
Sound
- Lucetta
- Lucia
- Lucienne
- Lucille
- Lucita
- Lucza
- Luz
Middle Names for Lucy
Is Lucy a frontrunner on your list of names? If so, you will probably want to find a middle name that pairs well and sounds pleasant. Here are some popular middle name pairings:
Sibling Names for Lucy
Perhaps you already know that you will want to have more children down the road, or you already have a child named Lucy and you are expecting. Consider these sibling names that complement Lucy:
For a Brother
For a Sister
Famous Namesakes
Many parents choose to name their children after famous idols. Below you will find some of the most famous people named Lucy.
- Lucy Atkinson: British explorer.
- Lucy Clifton: American educator, poet, and writer.
- Lucy Greely: Irish-American memoirist and poet.
- Lucy Evangelista: 2005 Miss Northern Ireland.
- Lucy Liu: American actress.
- Lucy Rose: English singer-songwriter.
- Lucy Stone: political advocate for abolition and suffrage.
- Lucy Torres: Filipina politician and actress.
- Lucy Walker: English film director.
- Lucy Watson: British journalist and newsreader.
Lucy in Pop Culture
Pop culture can be just as influential as celebrities. If you choose to name your child Lucy, she will share her name with characters and songs such as these:
- Lucy: Character in the TV series “The Big Bang Theory.”
- Lucy Barker: Character in the musical “Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
- Lucy Coe: Character in the TV series “General Hospital.”
- “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”: Song by The Beatles.
- Lucy Messer: Character in the TV series “CSI: NY.”
- Lucy Pevensie: Character in “The Chronicles of Narnia” novels and movie adaptations.
- Lucy Ricardo: Character in the TV series “I Love Lucy.”
- Lucy van Pelt: Character in the Peanuts series.
Lucy FAQs
Do you want to know more? Here are some additional facts about the name Lucy.
What is the Festival of Lights?
The Festival of Lights is a celebration held in Sweden, Norway, and part of Finland. On December 13, Christians join this celebration in honor of St. Lucia, also known as St. Lucy.
In 304 AD, St. Lucy died a martyr at the hands of the Romans, making her one of the first Christian martyrs.
Each location designates someone to be St. Lucy, who leads a procession of young boys and girls dressed in white. The oldest daughter serves coffee and baked goods at home while dressed in white.
In Scandanavia, the Festival of Lights is the beginning of the Christmas season (3).
Who is Lucina in Roman mythology?
Roman goddesses Juno and Diana were known as Lucina. Because Lucina means light, this title relates the goddesses to the moon’s light.
Juno and Diana are the goddesses of childbirth, and ancient Romans used the moon to track female fertility and the length of a pregnancy.
However, this title may have been derived from lucus, meaning grove. Lucia may have referred to a grove of lotus trees on Esquiline Hill. Later, Juno’s temple was built in this grove (4).
What Is the Lucy Fossil?
A hominin skeleton from 3.2 million years ago is nicknamed Lucy. Donald Johanson found this fossil 40 percent intact, despite its age.
Lucy is classified as Australopithecus afarensis. She has short legs but long arms, like an ape. Her chest and jaw also resemble those of an ape. However, her pelvis is similar to those of humans.
Lucy was approximately 3 feet, 7 inches tall and weighed about 60 pounds (5).
