Lowell

Meaning & origin

Lowell has a distinguished history as an American given name, first recorded in official U.S. data in 1881. Its peak year came in 1931, when it ranked 3240, reflecting a broader era of surname-style first names. Currently, the name is given to about 1 in every 47,447 newborns, a relatively rare choice that has held stable in usage. The name is most popular in California among the top states. Lowell carries the appealing meaning 'little wolf,' a derivation from an old English surname linked to the Norman French pet form of Laurence. The name's usage was bolstered by the prominence of the Lowell family in Massachusetts, including the poet and critic James Russell Lowell. While not a common choice today, Lowell offers a classic, literary feel that fits with other underused vintage names.

Lowell is derived from an Old English surname, itself from a diminutive of the Norman French name Lou (or Low), a pet form of Laurence, combined with the diminutive suffix -ell. It thus carries the sense of 'little Laurence' or 'little wolf', as Laurence itself derives from the Latin Laurentius meaning 'from Laurentum' (associated with laurel). The name Lowell came into use as a given name in the 19th century, partly in honor of the influential Lowell family of Massachusetts, notably the poet James Russell Lowell.