Lucien Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity, & Nicknames

What Does Lucien Mean?

Lucien is a boy’s name that means “light” in French. It has the same meaning in Latin but can also mean “bringer of light” or “from Lucanus.” Other meanings for Lucien include “glowing” and “the one that gives light.”

It’s associated with the Greek Loukas, which referred to someone “from Lucania,” located in southern Italy. Lucien was initially composed of the Latin “lux” and “lucere,” both meaning “to shine.”

What Is the Origin of the Name Lucien?

Lucien is the French spelling of the Latin Lucian, meaning “light.” Other variations include the Spanish Luciano and the Latin Lucius. When spelled as Lucian, it relates to the original Roman family name Lucianus. Lucius is one of the oldest male names, used by prominent kings and noblemen in ancient Rome. Additionally, it became popular among both popes and saints.

Its many forms, including the French Lucien, became known throughout medieval Europe and grew in popularity throughout the Renaissance. It continues to be a traditional male name in France today.

How Popular Is the Name Lucien?

Lucien ranked in the top 1,000 boys’ names in the last few years in the U.S. Some report its current U.S. popularity in the top 2,000 names.

At the beginning of the 20th-century, Lucien wasn’t used often in the U.S. outside of French-speaking immigrant populations. Its popularity decreased as the 20th-century moved along and hit a low point in the mid-century. It fell off the U.S. charts in the 1950s until it returned in 2005.

Lucien is considered a less common boy’s name today and stands out because of its Euro-centric feel.

How Do I Pronounce Lucien?

Lucien is pronounced “LOO-Shehn” in English. It’s also pronounced “LUW-siy-Ahn” in French.

Is Lucien a Boy or Girl Name?

Lucien is a boy’s name based on the Latin Lucius, so it’s not typically used for girls.

Variations of Lucien

There are loads of international equivalents to the French Lucien ahead.

• Loukianos (Greek)
• Lucian (English/Spanish)
• Luciano (Italian)
• Lucianus (Roman)
• Lucijan (Croatian)
• Łucjan (Polish)
• Luken (Basque)
• Lukyan (Russian)

Nicknames for Lucien

Here you’ll see some quirky nicknames for Lucien.

• Cian
• Lou
• Lu
• Luc
• Luca
• Luci
• Luka

Similar Names to Lucien

These boy’s names include a lot of Latin-influenced monikers similar to Lucien.

• Ambrose
• Atticus
• Caspian
• Cedric
• Dimitri
• Lucas
• Lucius
• Lux
• Nathaniel
• Phineas
• Raphael
• Rowan
• Sebastian
• Silas
• Silus
• Victor
• Xavier

Middle Names for Lucien

Lucien works well when alongside these middle names.

• Alastair
• Benedict
• Callum
• Cooper
• Dean
• Elliot
• Emil
• Felix
• Gabriel
• Genesis
• Isaiah
• Leeroy
• Leroy
• Liam
• Lysander
• Oliver
• Philip
• Rene
• Troy
• Vincent

Sibling Names for Lucien

Lucien needs a sibling boasting one of these super cool names.

• Aldric
• Anton
• Antonia
• Artemis
• Arthur
• Aurelia
• Casper
• Cassius
• Cora
• Edward
• Edwin
• Felix
• Fineas
• Francis
• Genesis
• Genevieve
• Magdeline
• Oscar
• Xavier
• Zola

Famous People Named Lucien

There is no shortage of famous Luciens, from ancient to modern times.

• Lucien: French politician and Prince of Pontecorvo.
• Lucien: Member of the Christian band Delta-S.
• Lucien Bonaparte: Brother of Napoleon.
• Lucien Bouchard: French-Canadian politician.
• Lucien Bourjeily: Lebanese writer.
• Lucien Carr: Member of the Beat Generation, a post-World War II literary movement.
• Lucien Dahdah: Lebanese politician.
• Lucien Ginsburg: Birth name of Serge Gainsbourg.
• Lucien Lagrange: French-American architect.
• Lucien Littlefield: American silent film actor.
• Lucien Macull Dominic de Silva: Sri Lankan member of the Privy Council.
• Lucien of Beauvais: Christian saint
• Lucien Reeberg: American football player.
• Lucien Revolucien: French hip-hop artist.
• Lucien Schmikale: German basketball player.
• Lucien Sciuto: Jewish-Ottoman journalist.
• Lucien Van Impe: Belgian cyclist.

Lucien in Popular Culture

Lucien proves to be one of the coolest names used in popular culture.

• Lucien: Character appearing in the Frank Margerin comic book series.
• Lucien: Character in the film “Amélie.”
• Lucien: Character in the game Brawlhalla.
• Lucien: Character in the online game RuneScape.
• Lucien: Character in “The Sandman” comic books.
• Lucien Antoine Hector Savinien de Ladon: Character in two Horatio Hornblower novels.
• Lucien Blake: Character in the series “Doctor Blake Mysteries.”
• Lucien Castle: Character in “The Originals” series.
• Lucien Cramp: Character in “The Cramp Twins” animated series.
• Lucien Debray: Character in “The Count of Monte Cristo” novel.
• Lucien Fairfax: Main character in the video game Fable II.
• Lucien Lachance: Character in the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
• Lucien Lacombe: Character in the film “Lacombe.”
• Lucien Mulholland: Character in Mary Hoffman’s “Stravaganza” series.
• Lucien Vanserra: Character appearing in Sarah J. Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” book series.
• Lucien Wilbanks: Character in John Grisham’s “A Time to Kill” book.
• Lucien Xu: Main character in the visual novel “Mr Love: Queen’s Choice.”

Lucien FAQs

There is more to discover when it comes to the boy’s name, Lucien.

Is Lucien a Biblical Name?

Lucien has existed since ancient times. It appears in the New Testament in its original form, as the Roman Lucius. Lucius of Cyrene is known for establishing the Christian Church in Antioch. Since it only appears once in the Bible as Lucius, Lucien is not itself considered a biblical name.

What Is the English Name for Lucien?

Lucien is the French variation of the Latin Lucianus and Lucius, both meaning “light.” Its modern-day equivalent is Laurence or Lawrence in English. All these forms of Lucien mean “light” or “man from Lucania.” Somewhere in between Lawrence and Lucius, Luke and Lucas are also English forms of the French Lucien.

Who Is Lucien in Mythology?

Lucien (spelled as the original Latin Lucian) was a prominent ancient figure dating back to the 2nd-century CE. He came from Samosata, Commagene, which is in modern-day Syria. Lucian was an ancient Greek rhetorician and satirist who is less of a mythological figure than a notable one in history.