Lal
Lal is an Indo-Iranian surname and given name, which means "darling", "precious", or "beloved", from the Sanskrit lala ("cajoling"). In addition, Lal means "garnet" or "ruby" in Persian, "ruby" in Pashto, and "red" in Hindustani and Bengali. The name Lal may refer to mainly Kayastha as well as used by other communities:
- Hindi
- Nepali
Meaning & Origin of Lal
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lal is an Indo-Iranian surname and given name, which means "darling", "precious", or "beloved", from the Sanskrit lala ("cajoling"). In addition, Lal means "garnet" or "ruby" in Persian, "ruby" in Pashto, and "red" in Hindustani and Bengali. The name Lal may refer to mainly Kayastha as well as used by other communities:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hindi
- Nepali
The Story of Lal
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Lal as a girl name dates back to 2013, when 5 babies received it. 2013 was its biggest year on record, with 5 newborns named Lal — #16,544 in the national rankings. Lal last appeared in the published SSA data in 2018, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 15 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Lal on the record books as a boy name in 2010, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2012, when 7 Lals were born — ranking #9,708 that year. Lal last appeared in the published SSA data in 2013, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 18 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Lal
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Akash Lal (born 1940), Indian cricketer
- Amrit Lal (1940s Southern Punjab cricketer)
- Amrit Lal (1960s Southern Punjab cricketer)
- Ananda Lal (born 1955), Indian theatre critic
- Arun Lal (born 1955), Indian cricketer
- B. B. Lal (1921–2022), Indian archaeologist
- Bansi Lal (1927–2006), Indian politician and two-time chief minister of Haryana
- Bhai Nand Lal (1633–1713), Persian poet
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Lal
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lal is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lal
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About the name Lal
Lal is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2010 and has accumulated 18 births in the dataset. Lal's peak popularity came in 2012 when it ranked #9,708. Use the chart and map above to compare Lal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2012 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.