Lewis
Boy name · #433 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Lewis? In official American birth records, Lewis has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Lewis ranks #433 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 736 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #568, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,446 boys born in 2025 was named Lewis.
Babies named Lewis per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Lewis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 517 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 2,712 boys were named Lewis — good for #71 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lewis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lewis in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lewis is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lewis is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lewis is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Lewis is most common in MT (2.7 per 1,000), MN (1.7 per 1,000), WI (1.2 per 1,000), WA (1.1 per 1,000), OR (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Lewis is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Lewis
Statistically, parents drawn to Lewis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Louis, Francis, Otis, Leonard, and Leroy.
LouisFrancisOtisLeonardLeroyLyleClydeRoland
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lewis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 736 | #433 |
| 2024 | 734 | #431 |
| 2023 | 648 | #470 |
| 2022 | 623 | #489 |
| 2021 | 609 | #485 |
| 2020 | 588 | #497 |
| 2019 | 507 | #556 |
| 2018 | 510 | #547 |
| 2017 | 521 | #542 |
| 2016 | 592 | #506 |
| 2015 | 495 | #568 |
| 2014 | 463 | #594 |
| 2013 | 389 | #634 |
| 2012 | 378 | #636 |
| 2011 | 371 | #630 |
| 2010 | 326 | #714 |
| 2009 | 326 | #725 |
| 2008 | 386 | #636 |
| 2007 | 340 | #694 |
| 2006 | 333 | #678 |
| 2005 | 328 | #656 |
| 2004 | 338 | #624 |
| 2003 | 324 | #633 |
| 2002 | 353 | #591 |
| 2001 | 339 | #588 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lewis?
In official American birth records, the name Lewis first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 517 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lewis a popular boy name?
Lewis ranked #433 among boys in 2025 with 736 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #568.
When was the name Lewis most popular?
Lewis peaked in 1921, when 2,712 American boys received the name (ranked #71 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lewis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,446 newborn American boys was named Lewis. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.