Fun Facts About the Name Lion
- 447 babies named Lion: U.S. records list 447 babies given the name Lion from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Lion Mean?
Lion is a given name taken directly from the English word for the large cat, so its literal meaning is "lion." The noun entered Middle English as lioun from Old French lion, which descends from Latin leo (genitive leōnis). Latin borrowed the word from Greek λέων (leōn). The earlier history of the Greek word is uncertain: it is generally thought to be a loan from a non-Indo-European language rather than a native formation, and no single source language has been firmly identified.
Lion is not a form of Leon or Lionel, even though all three contain the same ancient word for the animal. Leon goes back to Greek leōn by way of Latin, and Lionel is a French diminutive of Leon; Lion is the ordinary noun used unchanged as a personal name. The Latin form Leo, also used as a given name, is likewise a separate name with its own history.
In Jewish usage the lion carries a distinct symbolic meaning. It is the emblem of the tribe of Judah, based on Jacob's blessing in Genesis 49:9, where Judah is called a lion's cub. For that reason Lion, along with the German Löwe and Löb and the Yiddish Leyb, served as a vernacular counterpart to the Hebrew name Yehuda (Judah). That association is a religious and customary interpretation rather than part of the word's etymology.
Lion Name History & Origins
Lion has been used as a personal name in German-speaking Europe and in Ashkenazi Jewish families. The German-Jewish novelist Lion Feuchtwanger, born in Munich in 1884, is one documented bearer. In German-speaking Jewish communities, a man recorded in Hebrew documents as Yehuda was commonly entered in German records with a vernacular lion name such as Lion, Löwe, Löb, or Leib; the same vernacular names could also stand for the Hebrew name Ari or Aryeh, which means "lion." This pairing of a Hebrew name with a lion name reflects the tribal emblem of Judah rather than the sound of the words.
In English-speaking countries, Lion is used as a given name taken from the animal word, and it also appears as a family name in English and Dutch. It remains a separate name from Leo, Leon, and Lionel, which resemble it in meaning or sound but developed along their own lines.
How Popular is the Name Lion?
Lion has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #2,979 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,219 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2024 | #3,643 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2023 | #3,034 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 2022 | #2,979 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 2021 | #4,322 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2020 | #4,361 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2019 | #3,532 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2018 | #3,845 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2017 | #3,732 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2016 | #5,240 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #4,245 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #5,178 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #6,482 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #9,376 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #9,279 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #7,926 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #13,692 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #6,278 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #13,604 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2005 | #8,787 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #10,934 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,735 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #7,448 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #8,269 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1922 | #4,117 | 6 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Lion Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You always bring to completion anything you start. You are generous but like to see returns from your giving. You have an executive ability, you are a leader. You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Lion's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Lion's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.