Total births
1,613
Boys' name · since 1915
Lionell
Lionell has 1,613 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1960 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12480
- among boys today
- 1,613
- born since 1915
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Lionell currently ranks #12480 among boys' names in America, with 1,613 babies recorded since 1915.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Lionell has been recorded 1,613 times among boys since 1915, currently ranked #12480 nationally and more common than 13% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #12480 among boys today
- 1,613 born since 1915
- 1950s peak decade
- 13% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lionell is currently the #12480 boys' name in America, more common than 13% of boys - 1,613 born since 1915, peaking in the 1950s.
- #12480
- among boys today
- 1,613
- born since 1915
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Lionell vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12480
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 13% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Lionell was born in this single decade.
1960
Single peak year
36 babies were named Lionell in 1960 - its busiest year on record.
How Lionell compares
1,613 Top 24% higher than 76% 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
Lionell's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lionell | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,613 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 36 | 23 | 22,252 |
Lionell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lionell's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 46% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 54%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1917, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1960 peak of 36, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lionell at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1960
Current rank
#12,480
Active since
1915
Lionell popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (1960)
- 36
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Lionell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Lionell's strongest decade.
286 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Lionell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 19
1910s
19 births
- 1920s 60
1920s
60 births
- 1930s 84
1930s
84 births
- 1940s
1940s
173 births
- 1950s
1950s
286 births
- 1960s
1960s
249 births
- 1970s
1970s
199 births
- 1980s
1980s
248 births
- 1990s 114
1990s
114 births
- 2000s 95
2000s
95 births
- 2010s 74
2010s
74 births
- 2020s 12
2020s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 286 births (18% of all-time use).
How Lionell 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 Lionell's total volume
Lionell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Lionell by state
Where Lionell concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 209 | 13.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 37 | 2.3% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 16 | 1.0% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 16 | 1.0% |
| #5 | California | | 6 | 0.4% |
Louisiana share of Lionell's total US births 13.0%
Even split
209 of 1,613 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lionell? ▼
1,613 babies have been named Lionell since 1915. It currently ranks #12480 among boys. The peak year was 1960 with 36 births.
When was Lionell most popular? ▼
Lionell was most popular in the 1950s decade with 286 total births. The single peak year was 1960.
Where is Lionell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lionell are Louisiana (209 births), Texas (37 births), Illinois (16 births).
How long has the name Lionell been used? ▼
Records for Lionell go back to 1915, giving 111 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Lionell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lionel, Lior, Lion, Lio, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Lionell's data
- Lionell's decade-level peak was the 1950s (286 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Lionells (209 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 Lionell
Nearby Names Like Lionell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lionell
Lionel Boy
#562 33,789 births
Lior Boy
#2405 883 births
Lion Boy
#3625 448 births
Lio Boy
#2909 371 births
Lionardo Boy
163 births
Compare Lionell side by side: Lionell vs Lionel Lionell vs Lior Lionell vs Lion
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lionell
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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lionell: #12480 Boys' Name - 1,613 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lionell. 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 Lionell 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.