Total births
33,789
Boys' name · since 1880
Lionel
33,789 babies named Lionel in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 2023. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #562
- among boys today
- 33,789
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other boys
Lionel currently ranks #562 among boys' names in America, with 33,789 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Lionel has been recorded 33,789 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #562 nationally and more common than 96% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #562 among boys today
- 33,789 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 96% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lionel is currently the #562 boys' name in America, more common than 96% of boys - 33,789 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #562
- among boys today
- 33,789
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other boys
Lionel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#562
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 96% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
11% of everyone ever named Lionel was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
609 babies were named Lionel in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Lionel compares
33,789 Top 4% higher than 96% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Lionel's all-time total is 92x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lionel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 33,789 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 609 | 23 | 22,252 |
Lionel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lionel's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 64% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 36%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2023 peak of 609, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lionel at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2023
Current rank
#562
Active since
1880
Lionel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 609
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Lionel popularity over time - girls
44 total births recorded since 1921 (Lionel as girls' name)
Lionel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Lionel's strongest decade.
3,674 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 11% of all-time use.
Lionel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 73
1880s
73 births
- 1890s 176
1890s
176 births
- 1900s 261
1900s
261 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,726 births
- 1920s
1920s
3,046 births
- 1930s
1930s
2,915 births
- 1940s
1940s
3,067 births
- 1950s
1950s
3,632 births
- 1960s
1960s
3,466 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,426 births
- 1980s
1980s
3,368 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,704 births
- 2000s 1,440
2000s
1,440 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,674 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,815 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,674 births (11% of all-time use).
How Lionel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Lionel's total volume
Lionel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Lionel by state
Where Lionel concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 4,442 | 13.1% |
| #2 | California | | 3,687 | 10.9% |
| #3 | Texas | | 3,561 | 10.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 2,710 | 8.0% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 1,552 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 1,177 | 3.5% |
| #7 | Florida | | 1,018 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 781 | 2.3% |
Louisiana share of Lionel's total US births 13.1%
Even split
4,442 of 33,789 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 44 reporting states.
Lionel appears in 44 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lionel? ▼
33,789 babies have been named Lionel since 1880. It currently ranks #562 among boys. The peak year was 2023 with 609 births.
When was Lionel most popular? ▼
Lionel was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,674 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Lionel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lionel are Louisiana (4,442 births), California (3,687 births), Texas (3,561 births).
How long has the name Lionel been used? ▼
Lionel has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Lionel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lionell, Lior, Lion, Lio, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Lionel's data
- Lionel's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,674 total births) through the 2020s (2,815) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Louisiana records the most Lionels (4,442 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Lionel
Nearby Names Like Lionel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lionel
Lionell Boy
#12480 1,613 births
Lior Boy
#2405 883 births
Lion Boy
#3625 448 births
Lio Boy
#2909 371 births
Lionardo Boy
163 births
Compare Lionel side by side: Lionel vs Lionell Lionel vs Lior Lionel vs Lion
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lionel
Jamari #561
15,240 births · Peak 2008
Jaiden #563
33,302 births · Peak 2008
Garrett #560
135,762 births · Peak 2000
Fletcher #564
17,419 births · Peak 2025
Saul #559
43,288 births · Peak 2006
Scott #565
774,997 births · Peak 1971
Emir #558
5,615 births · Peak 2025
Armando #566
76,515 births · Peak 1997
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lionel: #562 Boys' Name - 33,789 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lionel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Lionel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.