Louisa

Louisa is the Latinized feminine form of Louis, which derives from the Old Frankish name Chlodowig, composed of the elements hlud, meaning fame, and wig, meaning war, giving an overall sense of famous warrior or glorious in battle. The name spread widely across Europe through the influence of Frankish royalty and the Carolingian dynasty. Louisa gained particular prominence in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, borne by numerous European noblewomen and popularized in the English-speaking world partly through Louisa May Alcott, the American author of Little Women. Related forms include Louise, the more common French variant, as well as Luisa, Luiza, and the masculine Ludwig and Lewis.