Boy · #3,085 in 2026

Lion

The lion is a large cat of the genus Panthera, currently ranging only in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane that which extends from the head to the shoulders and chest.

Current Rank
#3,085
Peak Rank
#2,960 (2022)
Total Babies
488
5-Yr Trend
+41%
1922
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#2960
Peak Rank
488
Total Count
26
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Lion

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The lion is a large cat of the genus Panthera, currently ranging only in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane that which extends from the head to the shoulders and chest.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The English word lion is derived via Anglo-Norman liun from Latin leōnem (nominative: leō ), which in turn was a borrowing from Ancient Greek λέων léōn . The Hebrew word לָבִיא lavi may also be related. The generic name Panthera is traceable to the classical Latin word 'panthēra' and the ancient Greek word πάνθηρ 'panther'.

The Story of Lion

Lion first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1922, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 42 Lions were born — ranking #2,960 that year. As of 2026, Lion ranks #3,085 for baby boys with 40 births, rising sharply (+41% over the past five years). In total, more than 488 Lions have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Lion

Phonetically similar names — useful when Lion is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lion

What does the name Lion mean?
The lion is a large cat of the genus Panthera, currently ranging only in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane that which extends from the head to the shoulders and chest.
How popular is Lion in 2026?
In 2026, Lion ranks #3,085 among boys' names in the U.S., with 40 babies given the name that year.
When was Lion most popular?
Lion reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #2,960 that year with 42 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Lion most popular?
Lion has historically been most popular in Florida, New York, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Lion.
Is Lion a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Lion is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Lion?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Lion include Kazmir, Sayed, Kaan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Kazmir
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👦
Sayed
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👦
Kaan
Peak #2960
👦
Zhaire
Peak #2960
👦
Motley
Peak #2960
👦
Kolsyn
Peak #2960
👦
Amdrew
Peak #2961
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Jermichael
Peak #2961

About the name Lion

Lion is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1922 and has accumulated 488 births in the dataset. Lion's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #2,960. Use the chart and map above to compare Lion's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.