Lucile

Lucile is a French form also used in English, sharing its history with Lucille. Both developed from Latin Lucilla, a diminutive of Lucia. That family is associated with Latin lux, meaning light. The one-l spelling therefore carries the same etymology as Lucille, with a slightly different written silhouette rather than a separate meaning.

Lucile belongs to a broad group of related names that includes Lucia, Lucie, and Lucy. The older diminutive ending survived as part of a full formal name, a common path in the history of European names. Today Lucy or Lulu can provide a familiar short form, while Lucile preserves the longer French shape. Families comparing Lucile and Lucille can choose according to an inherited spelling or a preference for the single or doubled letter.