Lars
Lars is a common male name in Scandinavian countries and Germany.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Finnish
Meaning & Origin of Lars
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lars is a common male name in Scandinavian countries and Germany.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Finnish
- Dutch
- German
Origin & history
The Story of Lars
The earliest SSA record of Lars as a baby boy name dates back to 1883, when 7 babies received it. 2000 was its biggest year on record, with 127 newborns named Lars — #1,106 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,240 among baby boy names with 65 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 7K Larss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Lars
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Lars I [ sv ] , bishop of Linköping (1236–1258)
- Lars II [ sv ] , bishop of Linköping (1292–1307)
- Lars (archbishop of Uppsala) (1255–1267)
- Lars Kristian Abrahamsen (1855–1921), Norwegian politician
- Lars Ahlfors (1907–1996), Finnish Fields Medal recipient
- Lars Amble (1939–2015), Swedish actor and director
- Lars Herminius Aquilinus , ancient Roman consul
- Lars Bak (born 1980), Danish road bicycle racer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Lars
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lars is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Larz
- Laars
- Lours
- Layers
- Liars
- Lawyers
- Lures
- Lowers
- Lairs
- Leers
- Lears
- Lyres
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lars
What does the name Lars mean?
What is the origin of the name Lars?
How popular is Lars in 2026?
When was Lars most popular?
In which U.S. states is Lars most popular?
Is Lars a unisex name?
What names go well with Lars?
About the name Lars
Lars is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1883 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Lars's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #720. Use the chart and map above to compare Lars's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2000 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.