The letter “L” carries a lyrical, luminous, and noble quality in English names, evoking images of light, loyalty, and the natural world. Unique “L” names often draw from ancient Anglo-Saxon roots, Norman lore, pastoral landscapes, and literary corners, offering a blend of gentle strength and distinctive character. For parents seeking a name that is both sonorous and uncommon, the selection of unique English “L” names provides a wealth of rare and resonant choices.
This curated list showcases over 120 unique English baby boy names starting with L. Each name has been selected for its distinctive sound, rich etymology, and relative rarity, ensuring your son carries a name with deep roots and a memorable presence.
The Ultimate List of Unique “L” Names for English Boys
Page Contents
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Lachlan – “From the land of lakes” – A strong, melodic Scottish clan name.
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Laird – “Lord, landowner” – A Scottish title name, denoting authority.
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Lamar – “Of the sea” or “famous land” – A surname with French and Germanic roots.
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Lambert – “Bright land” – A distinguished, vintage Norman name.
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Landon – “Long hill” – A popular but still distinctive surname-name.
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Lane – “Path, roadway” – A simple, cool, topographic name.
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Langdon – “Long hill” – A more formal variant of Landon.
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Langley – “Long meadow” – A gentle, place-based surname.
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Langston – “Long stone” – A literary surname (Langston Hughes).
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Lark – “Songbird” – A cheerful, unisex nature name.
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Larkin – “Fierce” – An English medieval diminutive of Laurence.
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Larry – The friendly short form of Laurence, now a standalone vintage name.
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Lars – The Scandinavian form of Laurence, cool and continental.
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Laurence – “From Laurentum” – The classic, scholarly English spelling.
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Lawson – “Son of Lawrence” – A crisp, modern surname-name.
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Layton – “Settlement with a leek garden” – A sturdy English place-name.
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Leander – “Lion-man” – A romantic, mythological name.
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Lee – “Meadow, clearing” – A simple, unisex classic with a gentle strength.
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Leif – “Heir, descendant” – A strong Norse explorer’s name.
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Leigh – “Meadow” – The softer, alternative spelling of Lee.
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Leland – “Meadow land” – A gentle, aristocratic surname-name.
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Lemuel – “Devoted to God” – A rare and gentle biblical name.
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Lennon – “Lover” or “cloak” – A melodic Irish surname, famous from John Lennon.
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Lennox – “Elm grove” – A sleek, Scottish clan and place-name.
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Lenny – The affectionate short form of Leonard.
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Leo – “Lion” – A bold, zodiac name, short and powerful.
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Leon – “Lion” – The continental form, slightly longer than Leo.
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Leonard – “Brave lion” – A strong, vintage name.
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Leopold – “Brave people” – A royal, vintage name with gravitas.
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Leroy – “The king” – A friendly, mid-century name.
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Leslie – “Garden of holly” – A unisex Scottish surname-name, classic for boys.
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Lester – “From Leicester” – A gentle, vintage place-name.
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Levi – “Joined, attached” – A biblical name that’s popular but retains a unique, earthy feel.
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Lewis – “Renowned warrior” – The classic English spelling of Louis.
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Lex – “Defender of mankind” – A cool, modern short form of Alexander.
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Leyton – A variant spelling of Layton.
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Liam – “Resolute protector” – The hugely popular Irish short form of William, its commonness makes other L names more unique by contrast.
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Lincoln – “Lake colony” – A presidential place-name with a noble sound.
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Linden – “Linden tree hill” – A soft, nature-inspired name.
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Lindsay – “Lincoln’s wetland” – A unisex Scottish surname-name.
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Link – A short, modern nickname for Lincoln or a standalone name.
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Linus – “Flax” – An ancient name, saintly and intellectual.
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Lionel – “Young lion” – A dignified, vintage name.
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Lisbon – The Portuguese capital as a rare place-name.
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Lisle – “From the island” – A rare, French-derived surname.
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Litton – “Settlement on a hill” – A rare English place-name.
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Livingston – “Leif’s settlement” – A distinguished Scottish surname.
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Lloyd – “Grey” – A concise, vintage Welsh surname-name.
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Lochlan – A variant spelling of Lachlan.
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Locke – “Forest, enclosure” – A strong, single-syllable philosophical surname.
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Lodge – “Small house” – A cozy, topographic surname.
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Logan – “Little hollow” – A friendly Scottish surname-name.
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Loman – “Bare, small” – A rare Irish surname.
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London – “Fortress of the moon” – A bold, cosmopolitan place-name.
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Lonnie – A diminutive of Alonzo or a standalone name.
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Lorcan – “Little fierce one” – A rare and strong Irish name.
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Loren – A unisex short form of Laurence.
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Lorenzo – “From Laurentum” – The passionate Italian and Spanish form of Laurence.
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Loris – A rare name, possibly from the animal.
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Lothar – “Famous army” – A strong, ancient Germanic name.
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Louis – “Renowned warrior” – The classic French and royal form.
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Lowell – “Young wolf” – A distinguished, vintage surname-name.
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Lucas – “From Lucania” – The Latin form of Luke, popular but timeless.
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Lucian – “Light” – An ancient, literary name.
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Lucius – “Light” – An ancient Roman name, noble and rare.
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Ludo – A cool, short form of Ludovic.
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Ludovic – “Famous warrior” – The learned form of Louis.
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Luis – The Spanish and Portuguese form of Louis.
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Lukas – The German and Scandinavian spelling of Lucas.
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Luke – “From Lucania” – A clean, strong biblical classic.
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Luther – “Army people” – A strong, reformist name.
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Lyle – “The island” – A sleek, single-syllable surname-name.
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Lyndon – “Linden tree hill” – A presidential surname (Lyndon B. Johnson).
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Lynn – “Lake” – A unisex name, historically masculine.
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Lynton – “Flax settlement” – A rare English place-name.
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Lysander – “Liberator of a man” – A noble, Shakespearean name.
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Labhrainn – The Scottish Gaelic form of Laurence.
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Lachlann – The original Scottish Gaelic form of Lachlan.
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Lael – “Belonging to God” – A short, rare biblical name.
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Laidlaw – “Servant’s hill” – A rare Scottish surname.
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Lamberto – The Italian and Spanish form of Lambert.
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Lammert – A Dutch and Low German form of Lambert.
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Lancaster – “Roman fort on the Lune river” – A historic English place and surname.
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Lancelot – “Servant” – The most famous Arthurian knight.
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Landry – “Ruler” – A French name that entered English use.
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Lane – Repeated for its simple, open-road cool.
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Lang – “Tall, long” – A short, strong surname.
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Langford – “Long ford” – An English place-name.
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Langworth – “Long enclosure” – A rare English surname.
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Lann – A short, modern name (from fictional worlds like Game of Thrones).
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Larrington – A very rare English surname.
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Lascelles – A noble Norman surname.
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Latimer – “Interpreter” – An ancient occupational surname.
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Launce – An archaic variant of Lance.
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Launcelot – A variant spelling of Lancelot.
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Laureano – The Spanish and Italian form of Laurence.
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Laurent – The French form of Laurence.
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Lavon – A variant of Levi or a modern name.
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Law – A short, impactful surname.
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Lawford – “Ford on a hill” – An English place-name.
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Lawler – “Mumbling one” – An Irish surname.
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Lawley – “Mound or hill meadow” – A rare English place-name.
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Lawren – A variant of Lauren.
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Lawrie – A Scottish diminutive of Laurence.
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Lay – A short, rare name.
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Layland – A variant of Leyland.
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Lazar – A form of Lazarus.
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Lazarus – “God has helped” – A dramatic biblical name.
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Leaf – A nature name variant of Leif.
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Leamon – A rare variant of Leman or Lemon.
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Leander – Repeated for its romantic, heroic sound.
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Leary – “Calf herder” – An Irish surname.
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Leath – “Half” – A rare surname.
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Leighton – “Herb garden settlement” – The more common spelling of Layton.
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Lelund – A rare variant of Leland.
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Leman – “Sweetheart, lover” – An archaic English word-name.
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Lemmie – A diminutive of Lemuel.
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Lennard – A variant of Leonard.
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Lennel – A rare surname.
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Lennie – A variant of Lenny.
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Lenton – “Settlement by the slow stream” – An English place-name.
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Leod – The Scottish Gaelic form of Old English names, ancestor of names like MacLeod.
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Leodhas – The Scottish Gaelic name for the Isle of Lewis.
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Leonides – “Son of the lion” – An ancient Greek name.
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Leontes – A Shakespearean variant of Leontius.
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Leopold – Repeated for its royal, vintage grandeur.
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Lerwick – The main town of Shetland, a rare place-name.
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Lesath – A star name in the constellation Scorpius.
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Lester – Repeated for its gentle, vintage charm.
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Leven – A Scottish river and place-name.
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Levent – A Turkish name meaning “handsome, brave.”
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Levie – A variant of Levi.
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Lew – A short form of Lewis or a standalone name.
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Lewin – “Dear friend” – An ancient English name.
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Lewys – The Welsh spelling of Lewis.
Why Choose a Unique “L” Name for Your Son?
“L” names often have a lyrical, flowing quality that is both strong and gentle. A unique “L” name provides a sonorous and luminous identity, connecting to English history through landscape (Landon, Lane), literature (Langston, Lysander), and ancient roots (Leander, Lucius). These names are distinctive without being difficult, offering a rare blend of elegance, strength, and deep-rooted character.
Final Thoughts
When selecting a unique name, consider its melody, its historical echoes, and the image it evokes. A name like Lysander suggests romantic heroism, Leland implies tranquil, landed grace, and Locke conveys philosophical strength. Whether drawn to the Scottish resonance of Lachlan, the gentle nature of Linden, or the noble antiquity of Lucius, a unique “L” name is a distinctive and meaningful choice for your son.

