Holding steady, #6,143 for boys today.
Popularity of Luay since 1979
Babies named Luay per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2016, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Luay's real moment was 2025.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 35 |
| 2010s | 70 |
| 2020s | 53 |
Meaning & origin
Luay is a rare Arabic name that has maintained a quiet presence in the United States since first appearing in Social Security records in 1979. In the most recent year (2025), the name ranked 6,143rd, with roughly 1 in every 122,005 boys receiving the name, approximately the same frequency as in prior years. Its trajectory is stable, meaning it has not experienced a surge or sharp decline. The name is almost exclusively given to boys, and it has not been recorded in any single state with sufficient frequency to identify a regional concentration. Luay remains an uncommon choice, favored by families seeking a distinctive name with authentic Arabic heritage.
Luay is most often regarded as a name of Arabic origin, though its precise meaning is debated. Some lexicographers connect it to the root L-W-Y, carrying associations of protection or shelter, while others treat it as a pre-Islamic name of uncertain etymology. It has been used across Arabic-speaking communities for generations, appearing in historical records from the early Islamic period.
“Luay” around the world
Where Luay lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Luwai, Louay
Sibling names for Luay
Names that share Luay's style, for a brother or sister.
