boy's name
Ludovic
loo-doh-VEEK
- Origin French
- Gender Boy
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 131,146
Canada
#395
2024 births
Ludovic means famous in battle, and it is the same name as Louis and Ludwig — eighteen French kings and the composer all carry one Germanic compound in different national dress. It peaked in 1977 and has 127,460 lifetime births behind it.
- Ludovic is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1977, when 6,730 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 58,952 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
Ludovic over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 960 |
| 1910s | 735 |
| 1920s | 775 |
| 1930s | 415 |
| 1940s | 270 |
| 1950s | 925 |
| 1960s | 11,480 |
| 1970s | 48,365 |
| 1980s | 43,150 |
| 1990s | 15,350 |
| 2000s | 4,035 |
| 2010s | 650 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 100 |
What Ludovic means
Ludovic means famous in battle, or renowned warrior. The Germanic joins a word for fame to one meaning battle, so the compound describes reputation won in war.
Where Ludovic comes from
Ludovic is the French form of the Latin Ludovicus, itself rendering the Germanic Hlodowig — hlod, fame or loud, joined to wig, battle. That one compound produced Louis in French, Ludwig in German, Luis in Spanish, Lodovico in Italian and Lewis in English, and it named eighteen French kings from Clovis onward — Clovis being the same name at an earlier stage of the same language. Ludovic is the learned French form, taken from the Latin rather than inherited through speech, which is why it looks less worn than Louis.
Ludovic in use
Ludovic peaked in France in 1977, when 6,730 babies were registered, and is falling in our data. It charts in three of the seven markets we track — 395th in Canada, 2575th in England and Wales on 9 births and 2914th in France on 10 — across 131,146 lifetime births. England ranking it above France is unexpected for a name with no English tradition behind it.
How popular is Ludovic?
In 2025, Ludovic was given to 10 babies in France. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Ludovic is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Ludovic
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ludovic also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ludovic over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Ludovic
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Ludovic in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ludovic
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ludovic — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ludovic
What does the name Ludovic mean?
Famous in battle — the Germanic hlod, fame, joined to wig, battle.
Is Ludovic the same as Louis?
Yes, and as Ludwig, Luis, Lodovico and Lewis. One Germanic compound in different languages.
Is Clovis related?
It is the same name at an earlier stage — Clovis and Louis are the first and last forms of one word.
How popular is Ludovic?
2914th in France and 2575th in England and Wales.
Is Ludovic a girl's or a boy's name?
Ludovic is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
What are the nicknames for Ludovic?
Ludovic is usually shortened to Ludo.
Is Ludovic a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ludovic currently ranks #395 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.