Lola

What does Lola mean?

Lola is a familiar, warm form that comes from the Spanish name Dolores, which itself comes from the Latin word for sorrow. As a given name, Lola has become detached from the original sadness of its root and now reads as a bright, affectionate name.

In tone, Lola feels playful and slightly vintage. It carries a sense of easy charm and confident personality, often associated with creative or expressive characters. While it hints at a religious origin through Dolores, in modern usage Lola is largely secular and beloved for its simple sound and lively presence.

Historical Context

The name Lola developed as a pet form of the Spanish Marian name Dolores, which refers to the Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Sorrows. In Spanish usage, it is common for longer devotional names to produce affectionate short forms, and Lola emerged in this way. The Latin root dolor means sorrow or grief, which explains the original religious sentiment behind Dolores.

Over the 19th and 20th centuries Lola moved from a regional pet form into wider use, aided by its appearance in songs, theatre and popular culture. Through these cultural references, the name shed much of its original solemn meaning and gained associations of charisma and theatricality. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries Lola saw revival as parents looked to short, friendly names with vintage charm. While its origin is clear, the contemporary sense of Lola is shaped more by culture and sound than by the original devotional context.

Popularity of Lola over time

In 2025, Lola was given to 524 girls in the UK and 1,132 girls in the US. Lola has remained fairly steady over the last 20 years, and remains a well-used girls' name in both the UK and the US.

What do parents think of Lola?