Lionel
Boy name · English · French · Greek
Meaninglittle lion · French
- US rank
- #659
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #295 in 1934
419 babies were named Lionel in the US in 2025.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1921–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Lionel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Lionel
Lionel Richie
American singer, songwriter and actor
Choose Lionel and your child shares a first name with Lionel Richie, an American singer, songwriter and actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Lionel, like who?” Lionel Richie's Wikipedia article is available in 72 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Lionel Richie on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Shawn Miller/Library of Congress, CC0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 4,077 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Lionel, 419 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Lionel would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryLionel has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Lionels, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1934, when it reached #295.
- Then vs nowLionel is 3.3× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 13,263 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 4,077.
- Where it's lovedLionel is most popular in California, where it ranks #380, followed by Oregon (#398) and Nevada (#443). It's in the top 1,000 in 22 states.
- MeaningIn French, Lionel means “little lion”. Our records link it to English, French and Greek roots.
About the name Lionel
Lionel is a boy name of English, French and Greek origin meaning “little lion”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with L and ending in “-nel”. US birth records list Lionel for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 145 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1934, when it ranked #295 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #659, with 419 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench namesGreek names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.5 | 2,195,122 girls |
| 1930s | 0.5 | 2,127,660 girls |
| 1950s | 0.3 | 4,000,000 girls |
| 1980s | 2.5 | 406,977 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 67 | 15,026 boys |
| 1890s | 155 | 6,460 boys |
| 1900s | 192 | 5,205 boys |
| 1910s | 257 | 3,887 boys |
| 1920s | 276 | 3,620 boys |
| 1930s | 277 | 3,615 boys |
| 1940s | 208 | 4,805 boys |
| 1950s | 180 | 5,554 boys |
| 1960s | 178 | 5,605 boys |
| 1970s | 147 | 6,790 boys |
| 1980s | 183 | 5,456 boys |
| 1990s | 87 | 11,482 boys |
| 2000s | 72 | 13,860 boys |
| 2010s | 196 | 5,103 boys |
| 2020s | 272 | 3,679 boys |
Other spellings of Lionel
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Lionel
What does the name Lionel mean?
Lionel means “little lion” in French.
What is the origin of the name Lionel?
Lionel has English, French, Greek roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Lionel a boy or girl name?
Lionel is a boy name.
How popular is the name Lionel?
Lionel ranked #659 for US boys in 2025, given to 419 babies. Its best year was 1934 (#295).