Boy nameCurrently #561 in the USSteady
Lionel
LY-uh-nul//ˈlaɪənəl//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20236 lettersStarts with L
Meaning & origin
Little lion
Lionel comes from the Old French diminutive of 'lion', meaning 'little lion', a name suggesting courage on a gentler scale. Its warm, vintage sound has been carried into modern recognition by football star Lionel Messi.
Lionel's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Lionel |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 8 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1884 | 6 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1886 | 11 |
| 1887 | 13 |
| 1888 | 9 |
| 1889 | 9 |
| 1890 | 14 |
| 1891 | 17 |
| 1892 | 9 |
| 1893 | 19 |
| 1894 | 20 |
| 1895 | 19 |
| 1896 | 20 |
| 1897 | 19 |
| 1898 | 21 |
| 1899 | 18 |
| 1900 | 26 |
| 1901 | 20 |
| 1902 | 19 |
| 1903 | 30 |
| 1904 | 20 |
| 1905 | 25 |
| 1906 | 27 |
| 1907 | 30 |
| 1908 | 30 |
| 1909 | 34 |
| 1910 | 33 |
| 1911 | 74 |
| 1912 | 119 |
| 1913 | 129 |
| 1914 | 168 |
| 1915 | 224 |
| 1916 | 205 |
| 1917 | 255 |
| 1918 | 266 |
| 1919 | 253 |
| 1920 | 272 |
| 1921 | 339 |
| 1922 | 302 |
| 1923 | 329 |
| 1924 | 325 |
| 1925 | 309 |
| 1926 | 294 |
| 1927 | 319 |
| 1928 | 297 |
| 1929 | 265 |
| 1930 | 281 |
| 1931 | 295 |
| 1932 | 311 |
| 1933 | 321 |
| 1934 | 336 |
| 1935 | 281 |
| 1936 | 291 |
| 1937 | 247 |
| 1938 | 280 |
| 1939 | 277 |
| 1940 | 260 |
| 1941 | 287 |
| 1942 | 274 |
| 1943 | 284 |
| 1944 | 303 |
| 1945 | 306 |
| 1946 | 329 |
| 1947 | 349 |
| 1948 | 339 |
| 1949 | 336 |
| 1950 | 363 |
| 1951 | 340 |
| 1952 | 340 |
| 1953 | 385 |
| 1954 | 359 |
| 1955 | 323 |
| 1956 | 410 |
| 1957 | 336 |
| 1958 | 367 |
| 1959 | 414 |
| 1960 | 467 |
| 1961 | 421 |
| 1962 | 404 |
| 1963 | 383 |
| 1964 | 368 |
| 1965 | 290 |
| 1966 | 292 |
| 1967 | 292 |
| 1968 | 266 |
| 1969 | 283 |
| 1970 | 239 |
| 1971 | 260 |
| 1972 | 215 |
| 1973 | 239 |
| 1974 | 212 |
| 1975 | 252 |
| 1976 | 266 |
| 1977 | 251 |
| 1978 | 249 |
| 1979 | 243 |
| 1980 | 304 |
| 1981 | 302 |
| 1982 | 354 |
| 1983 | 426 |
| 1984 | 448 |
| 1985 | 406 |
| 1986 | 332 |
| 1987 | 310 |
| 1988 | 251 |
| 1989 | 265 |
| 1990 | 231 |
| 1991 | 205 |
| 1992 | 191 |
| 1993 | 204 |
| 1994 | 160 |
| 1995 | 169 |
| 1996 | 130 |
| 1997 | 121 |
| 1998 | 157 |
| 1999 | 136 |
| 2000 | 148 |
| 2001 | 154 |
| 2002 | 122 |
| 2003 | 128 |
| 2004 | 122 |
| 2005 | 144 |
| 2006 | 137 |
| 2007 | 151 |
| 2008 | 161 |
| 2009 | 173 |
| 2010 | 228 |
| 2011 | 282 |
| 2012 | 275 |
| 2013 | 317 |
| 2014 | 388 |
| 2015 | 405 |
| 2016 | 475 |
| 2017 | 458 |
| 2018 | 418 |
| 2019 | 428 |
| 2020 | 398 |
| 2021 | 410 |
| 2022 | 448 |
| 2023 | 607 |
| 2024 | 528 |
Lionel through the decades
- Lionel peaked in 2023, when 607 babies were named Lionel in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Lionel has risen 103% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Lionel currently ranks #561 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Leo
Variants & spellings
Leonel
Famous people named Lionel
- Lionel Messi — footballer