Ludwig is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German elements 'hlud' meaning 'famous' and 'wig' meaning 'war'. It was borne by several saints, including Ludwig the Pious, who was King of Francia during the 9th century. The name has since been popular among royalty and nobility throughout Europe.
The name Ludwig experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a notable increase in its use starting around 1885 and peaking in 1915 with 88 births. However, it seems to have fallen out of favor since the mid-20th century, with fewer than 10 births per year from 1963 onwards, aside from a brief spike in the late 1980s. Overall, there were a total of 2674 births named Ludwig between 1880 and 2023.