Lionel
Boy name · #659 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Lionel ranks #659 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 419 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #645, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,296 boys born in 2025 was named Lionel.
The 145-year story
Lionel first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 609 babies and a rank of #495. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Babies named Lionel per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lionel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lionel in class?
Lionel scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lionel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lionel is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Lionels were CA (88), TX (61), IL (24), FL (16), NJ (16). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Lionel
Statistically, parents drawn to Lionel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leonel, Marcel, Louie, Shmuel, and Raphael.
LeonelMarcelLouieShmuelRaphaelMikaelYisroelNoel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lionel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 419 | #659 |
| 2024 | 529 | #562 |
| 2023 | 609 | #495 |
| 2022 | 450 | #620 |
| 2021 | 410 | #660 |
| 2020 | 398 | #659 |
| 2019 | 428 | #631 |
| 2018 | 418 | #634 |
| 2017 | 458 | #596 |
| 2016 | 475 | #583 |
| 2015 | 405 | #645 |
| 2014 | 388 | #662 |
| 2013 | 317 | #738 |
| 2012 | 275 | #807 |
| 2011 | 282 | #791 |
| 2010 | 228 | #899 |
| 2009 | 173 | #1074 |
| 2008 | 161 | #1133 |
| 2007 | 151 | #1171 |
| 2006 | 137 | #1224 |
| 2005 | 144 | #1132 |
| 2004 | 122 | #1235 |
| 2003 | 128 | #1167 |
| 2002 | 122 | #1160 |
| 2001 | 154 | #992 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lionel a popular boy name?
Lionel ranked #659 among boys in 2025 with 419 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #645.
When was the name Lionel most popular?
Lionel peaked in 2023, when 609 American boys received the name (ranked #495 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Lionel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,296 newborn American boys was named Lionel. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.