How to say it
LO · la
/ˈloʊ.lə/
Feminine
Lola
Sorrows
What it means
A Spanish pet form of Dolores, from María de los Dolores, 'Mary of the Sorrows.' The bright nickname for a solemn name.
Lola is the playful Spanish short form of Dolores, which comes from a title of the Virgin Mary, María de los Dolores, 'Mary of the Sorrows.' It broke free as its own name long ago and now reads bouncy and vintage rather than mournful. The 19th-century dancer Lola Montez gave it a whiff of scandal, and the Kinks' 1970 'Lola' made it pop forever. Short, round, and easy to say in any language.
Popularity over time
peaked at #99 in 1904, currently #275 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Originally the short for Dolores; now used on its own far more often than the full name.
- Pop culture
The Kinks' 'Lola' (1970) is the enduring reference; the diminutive Lolita carries heavy Nabokov baggage best avoided.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Lola Montez 19th-century Irish-born dancer and courtesan
- Lola the subject of the Kinks' 1970 hit single
Spelling variants
- Lolita
Names with the same feeling
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