 Rembrandt, Timothy and his Grandmother, 1648 | |
| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | uncertain; allegedly "desirable, agreeable" |
| Other names | |
| Derived | From the original Greek Λωΐς |
| Related names | Louis |
Lois is a common English name from the New Testament. Paul the Apostle mentions Lois, the pious grandmother of Saint Timothy in the Second Epistle to Timothy (commending her for her faith in 2 Timothy 1:5). The name was first used by English Christians after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular, particularly in North America, during the first half of the 20th century.
Notable women
- Lois Bewley (1934–2012), dancer and choreographer
- Lois Bryan Adams (1817–1870), American writer, journalist, newspaper editor
- Lois McMaster Bujold, author
- Lois Capps, congresswoman
- Lois Chiles, actress
- Lois Collier, actress
- Lois Cox, New Zealand writer
- Lois Ehlert, writer
- Lois Frankel, American politician
- Lois Hole, lieutenant governor of Alberta (2000–2005)
- Lois Johnson (1942–2014), American country music singer
- Lois Kolkhorst, American politician
- Lois M. Leveen, author
- Lois Lenski, Newberry Award–winning children's books author/illustrator
- Lois Lilienstein, singer
- Lois Long, writer for The New Yorker
- Lois Lowry, author
- Lois Maffeo (Lois), musician
- Lois Maxwell, actress
- Lois McCallin, athlete
- Lois McConnell, lead singer of European EDM group N-Force
- Lois McDonall, opera singer
- Lois McIvor (1930–2017), New Zealand painter
- Lois Meredith, actress
- Lois Miriam Wilson, minister
- Lois Moran, actress
- Lois Roberts, murder victim
- Lois Roisman, activist/playwright/poet
- Lois Smith, actress
- Lois Wilde, actress
- Lois Wilson, American silent film actress
- Lois V. Vierk, composer
Fictional women
- Lois the Balloon Fairy, a character in Rainbow Magic.
- Lois the Blue Footed Booby, a character on Bear in the Big Blue House.
- Lois Flagston (née Bailey), a character in the comic strip Hi and Lois.
- Lois Griffin (née Pewterschmidt), a main character in the animated TV series Family Guy.
- Lois Habiba, a character in the TV series Torchwood: Children of Earth.
- Lois Lane, the Daily Planet reporter in DC Comics.
- Lois Lane, who plays Bianca in the play within the play Kiss Me, Kate.
- Lois Morgan, a character in the TV series Ellen.
- Lois Wilkerson, a character in the TV series Malcolm in the Middle.
As male name
In French, Loïs is a male name, as in the fictional comic strip adventures of Loïs Lorcey by Jacques Martin.
The name Loïs is derived from the name Louis, itself derived from Clovis which is derived from the Germanic root, Hlodowig, which can be interpreted in the sense of "glorious" or "illustrious fighter". Close names include Louys, Luis, Louis, Lorys, Lucio, Leonus, Louniss, Lyes, Clovis, Ludovic, Ludwig, Lovis, and Luigi.
See also
- Lois, Missouri, a community in the United States
- Loïs Lane, a Dutch girl group
- Louise, given name
- Loyce