NazukeYour Name in KanjiKanji meaningsAll namesGuides

Lou in Japanese

KatakanaルーRuu
Kanji瑠Ru

In Japanese, Lou is written in katakana as ルー (Ruu), the way Japanese people write foreign names. To write it in kanji, each sound gets a character chosen for its meaning. Our top pick is 瑠 (ru): “lapis lazuli”.

How Lou sounds in Japanese

ルー

Kanji for Lou

瑠
ru
  • 瑠
    ru lapis lazuli
    The deep blue stone prized in old Asia as one of the seven treasures.
    In Japan, 瑠璃色 (ruri-iro) is the name of a rich, royal blue.
琉
ru
  • 琉
    ru lapis lazuli
    A precious blue stone, and the old name of the Ryukyu islands (Okinawa).
    The Ryukyu Kingdom was an independent maritime realm renowned for global trade before becoming modern-day Okinawa.
流
ru
  • 流
    ru flow
    To flow like a river; going with the current, free and graceful.

How common are these kanji in Japan?

  • 瑠 (lapis lazuli) is common in Japanese given names.

Lou in anime worlds

Lou as an anime character →Lou in Jujutsu Kaisen (fan-made) →Lou in Demon Slayer (fan-made) →Lou in Attack on Titan (fan-made) →Lou in Dandadan (fan-made) →

Questions about Lou in Japanese

How do you write Lou in Japanese?

Lou is written ルー in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Lou would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag.

What are the best kanji for Lou?

Our top pick is 瑠 (Ru). 瑠 means “lapis lazuli”. Other good options are 琉 (Ru) and 流 (Ru).

Is 瑠 a real Japanese name?

Partly. The characters 瑠 appear in Japanese names, but with the reading Rui and Ruri rather than Ru. As a spelling of Lou, it is a creative kanji choice (ateji): Japanese readers will see the meaning of each character.

How many strokes is 瑠?

瑠 has 14 strokes. That is quite simple to write by hand, even for beginners.

Can I use 瑠 as a tattoo?

Each character in 瑠 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Lou”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (ルー) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.

Planning a tattoo or a print? Read the kanji tattoo checklist, and check the kanji in the name tool. Not sure which script to use? See katakana or kanji.

ShareXRedditFacebookWhatsApp

Make it yours

Pick the kind of person you are (Samurai, Shinobi, Miko and more) and Nazuke chooses kanji that match your personality. You can also save your result as an image.

Personalize Lou in kanji →Lou as an anime character ⚡

Names that sound similar

Lu · Lue · Luba · Luke · Lula · Lupe · Ruel · Rune · Lorna · Lorraine