Nigel vs Lou

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Nigel

Boy #2,190 Most Popular 2 Syllables

"champion (from Old Irish Niall)"

Origin: Old Irish via Norman Latin

English British Australian Irish

✓ All Clear

Boy #2,123 Most Popular 1 Syllable

"famous warrior"

Origin: Germanic via French Louis

French English American

24 High Risk

{:type=>:nickname, :severity=>:medium, :message=>"'Lou' can be twisted to 'poo'"}

Nigel Rank #2,190

Lou Rank #2,123

Lou is more popular, ranked #2123 vs #2190 for Nigel.

Is Nigel or Lou more popular?

Lou is more popular, ranked #2123 compared to Nigel at #2190 in the United States.

What do Nigel and Lou mean?

Nigel means "champion (from Old Irish Niall)" (Old Irish via Norman Latin origin). Lou means "famous warrior" (Germanic via French Louis origin).

Are Nigel and Lou boy or girl names?

Nigel is primarily a boy name. Lou is primarily a boy name.