unisex name
Lux
LUKS (English)
- Origin Latin
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 3,735
Lux is a unisex name meaning "light," taken directly from the Latin word lux. It's short and bright, used in the United States for both girls and boys, and it shares its root with Lucy, Lucas and Lucius.
- Lux is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 2022, when 334 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 14,108 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 2001.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Lux Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 2000s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 176 |
| 2010s | 1,382 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,623 |
What Lux Means
Lux means light. In Latin it's the plain word for daylight and brightness, and in modern English it also brings a hint of luxury, which adds to its appeal.
Where Lux Comes From
Latin lux, light, comes from an old root that also produced lucere, to shine, lucidus, clear, and lunar words for the moon. Roman names built on it include Lucius and Lucia, while Christian Latin gave it weight through the phrase fiat lux, let there be light, in the Genesis creation story. Use as a stand-alone name is modern. In physics a lux is a unit of illumination, so the word has remained in everyday scientific use for more than a century.
Lux in Use
Literary readers know Lux Lisbon, one of the five sisters in Jeffrey Eugenides's novel The Virgin Suicides, played by Kirsten Dunst in the film. The university motto Lux et Veritas, light and truth, belongs to Yale.
How Popular Is Lux?
In 2025, Lux was given to 235 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Lux Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Lux
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Lux Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Lux over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Lux
- English LUKS
Lux 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 Lux
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Lux — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Lux
What does the name Lux mean?
Light, from the Latin word lux.
Is Lux a boy's or a girl's name?
It's used for both in nearly equal numbers.
Is Lux short for anything?
It can be short for Lucius or Lucas, though it's usually a full name.
How popular is the name Lux?
In 2025, Lux was given to 235 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Lux?
Lux has 1 syllable.
When was Lux most popular?
Lux peaked in 2022, when 334 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Lux a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Lux currently ranks #1,166 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.