From Old Church Slavonic *ljuby*, from Proto-Slavic *ľuby*, rooted in the verb *ljubiti* ("to love"). Cognate with Serbian/Croatian *ljubav*, Polish *lubić* ("to like"), and distantly related to the Old English *lēof* ("dear, beloved") via Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-* ("to care, love, desire").

Любовь is not only an everyday word but also a common Russian feminine given name (often shortened to Люба / Lyuba). In Russian literary tradition, love is a central theme from Pushkin's poetry to Tolstoy's novels — the word carries an almost philosophical weight that goes beyond simple romance, encompassing love of the homeland (любовь к Родине) and love of art. Be careful not to confuse it with the verb любить ("to love / to like"), which is also used for strong preferences, e.g. *Я люблю кофе* ("I love coffee").