Lionel
How to say it: LY-uh-nul · /ˈlaɪənəl/
Old French diminutive of Leo (Latin: 'lion'), meaning 'little lion'. Used in medieval Arthurian legend.
Lionel was the 625th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 419 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1930s, its births are steady over ten years, and it is projected to rise to #568 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #625 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 419 |
| Share of births | 1 in 7,912 |
| Peak decade | 1930s |
| Change over 10 years | +3% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #568 |
| In France, 2025 | #889 among boys’ names, 30 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long used, Lionel found its high in the 1930s. It stays close to that level with a lift expected shortly.
What goes with it
Smooth and rolling with soft sounds. Theodore pairs beautifully as a brother.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Lionel is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Spanish.
In France: #889 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Lionel
- Lionel Messi (born 1987)Argentine association football player
- Lionel Richie (born 1949)American singer, songwriter and actor
- Lionel Scaloni (born 1978)Argentine football coach
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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