Lionel
Lionel is a masculine given name which originated as a French diminutive of Léon. Both names are derived from the Latin word “leon,” meaning “lion”.
Meaning & Origin of Lionel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lionel is a masculine given name which originated as a French diminutive of Léon. Both names are derived from the Latin word “leon,” meaning “lion”.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Lionel
Lionel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 607 Lionels were born — ranking #496 that year. As of 2026, Lionel ranks #511 for baby boys with 594 births, rising sharply (+30% over the past five years). In total, more than 35K Lionels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Lionel
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Lionel (artist) an anonymous street artist based in Guelph, Ontario
- Lionel (radio personality) (born 1958), an American radio talk show host
- Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence (1338–1368), son of King Edward III of England
- Lionel Aingimea (born 1965), President of Nauru (2019–2022)
- Lionel Algama (1935–2008), Sri Lankan Sinhala musician and composer
- Lionel Antoine (1950–2021), American football player
- Lionel Balagalle , general, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from 2000 to 2004
- Lionel Barber (born 1955), English journalist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Lionel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lionel 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 Lionel
What does the name Lionel mean?
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About the name Lionel
Lionel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 35K births in the dataset. Lionel's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #295. Use the chart and map above to compare Lionel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.