An old male first name is resisting in French maternity wards. More than 11,000 babies already wore it in 1920 according to INSEE, and a century later, it is still slipping into the top 5 boy’s first names in 2025. In a landscape where 643,900 babies have received 65,940 different first names, again according to INSEE, this consistency is surprising. For many parents-to-be, this name sounds familiar, chic and incredibly strong all at the same time.
This first name is Louis. Already given 11,590 times in 1920, it will still appeal to just over 3,260 families in 2025, variants like Louïs included. Louis plays in the same league as Gabriel, Noah, Léo or Raphaël, the other darlings of the 2025 men’s ranking published by INSEE. Understanding why he keeps the distance so well helps a lot when you’re hesitant about your baby’s name.
Louis in 2025: a vintage first name still in the top 5
According to INSEE, Louis occupies fifth place in
boy names in 2025. A little more than 3,260 little boys born that year have this first name, in a context where each choice remains a minority in the face of the multitude of possible first names. This rank places it just behind Gabriel, Noah, Léo and Raphaël, confirming its status as a sure bet in the lists that parents draw up on their phones or pregnancy diaries.
What is striking is the difference with 1920, when 11,590 newborns received Louis. At the time, a few first names accounted for a very large share of births. Today, INSEE lists 65,940 different first names given in a single year. Being fifth in this ultra-diverse landscape proves that Louis is not content with just surviving: he remains one of the first reflexes when looking for a
classic first name.
Why the first name Louis still appeals to parents
The reason it holds up so well is because Louis ticks a lot of boxes at once. The first name is short, easy to pronounce, without a complicated diminutive, and it ages well: a baby, a teenager or a grandfather can be called Louis without any delay. It crosses generations, which reassures parents who fear that an overly original choice will lock their child into a passing fashion.
Its image matters too. Louis remains associated with the French Monarchy and eighteen kings, but this royal aura has become above all cultural. With the variants Lewis, Ludwig or Luigi, it works well in an international context. Many appreciate its meaning from the Germanic Hlodowig, a mixture of “glory” and “fight”: an idea of a solid child, capable of facing life, without too strong a message.
An old French first name, from Clovis to Saint Louis
Louis’ roots go deep into history. The first name comes from Hlodowig, which gave Clovis, then the Latin form Ludovicus before becoming Louis in French. It was worn by eighteen kings of France, which caused it to decline significantly just after the French Revolution, due to this strong monarchical color. His feast day takes place on August 25, in homage to Louis IX, or Saint Louis, 13th century king who died in Tunis during the Eighth Crusade and canonized in 1297.