Lydia
Lydia is a feminine first name. It derives from the Greek Λυδία, Ludía, from λυδία, a feminine form of the ancient given name Λυδός (Lydus). The region of Lydia is said to be named for a king named Λυδός; the given name Lydia originally indicated ancestry or residence in the region of Lydia.
Meaning & Origin of Lydia
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Lydia is a feminine first name. It derives from the Greek Λυδία, Ludía, from λυδία, a feminine form of the ancient given name Λυδός (Lydus). The region of Lydia is said to be named for a king named Λυδός; the given name Lydia originally indicated ancestry or residence in the region of Lydia.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Lydia
Lydia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 302 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 3,652 Lydias were born — ranking #84 that year. As of 2026, Lydia ranks #94 for baby girls with 2,644 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 190K Lydias 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 Lydia
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Lydia Ainsworth , Canadian composer, producer and singer
- Lydia Alfonsi (1928–2022), Italian actress
- Lydia Alhassan (born 1970), Ghanaian politician
- Lydia Avilova (1864–1943), Russian writer and memoirist
- Lydia Baxter (1809–1874), American poet
- Lydia Becker (1820–1890), British suffragette and amateur scientist
- Lydia Benecke (born 1982), German criminal psychologist and writer
- Lydia Boylan (born 1987), Irish racing cyclist
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Lydia
Phonetically similar names — useful when Lydia 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 Lydia
What does the name Lydia mean?
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About the name Lydia
Lydia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 190K births in the dataset. Lydia's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #75. Use the chart and map above to compare Lydia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl 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.