Boy · #12,490 in 2026

Lute

A lute is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.

Current Rank
#12,490
Peak Rank
#3,780 (1927)
Total Babies
21
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1883
First Year
2009
Last Year
1927
Peak Year
#3780
Peak Rank
21
Total Count
4
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Lute

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A lute is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The words lute and oud possibly derive from Arabic al-ʿoud ( العود - literally means "the wood"). It may refer to the wooden plectrum traditionally used for playing the oud, to the thin strips of wood used for the back, or to the wooden soundboard that distinguished it from similar instruments with skin-faced bodies. Many theories have been proposed for the origin of the Arabic name. Music scholar Eckhard Neubauer suggested that oud may be an Arabic borrowing from the Persian word rōd or rūd , which meant string. Another researcher, archaeomusicologist Richard J. Dumbrill , suggests that rud c

The Story of Lute

Lute first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1883, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1927, when 6 Lutes were born — ranking #3,780 that year. As of 2026, Lute ranks #12,490 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 21 Lutes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Lute

Phonetically similar names — useful when Lute is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Loot
  • Leute
  • Lwt
  • Luit
  • Lieut
  • Leut
  • Luette
  • Light
  • Late
  • Lit
  • Let
  • Lite

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lute

What does the name Lute mean?
A lute is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.
How popular is Lute in 2026?
In 2026, Lute ranks #12,490 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Lute most popular?
Lute reached its peak popularity in 1927, ranking #3,780 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Lute a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Lute is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Lute?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Lute include Hillie, Arvy, Emilien. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Hillie
Peak #3780
👦
Arvy
Peak #3780
👦
Emilien
Peak #3780
👦
Nebraska
Peak #3780
👦
Bronko
Peak #3780
👦
Oza
Peak #3780
👦
Hildon
Peak #3780
👦
Orvid
Peak #3780

About the name Lute

Lute is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1883 and has accumulated 21 births in the dataset. Lute's peak popularity came in 1927 when it ranked #3,780. Use the chart and map above to compare Lute's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.