Fun Facts About the Name Llewelyn
- 187 babies named Llewelyn: U.S. records list 187 babies given the name Llewelyn from 1880 through 2025. Even 10 girls received the name Llewelyn - about 1 girl for every 18 boys.
What Does the Name Llewelyn Mean?
Llewelyn is an anglicized spelling of the Welsh masculine name Llywelyn. Its meaning is uncertain. The first part of the Welsh name is usually connected with llyw, a Welsh word for 'leader, ruler, helm,' which also appears in llywydd ('president') and llywodraeth ('government'). The second element, sometimes written -elyn, is not securely explained; it may be a suffix or a separate element whose sense has been lost or disputed.
The spelling Llewelyn begins with the letters Llew, which in Welsh is the word for 'lion.' That has led to the popular explanation 'lion-like.' The resemblance is probably a later association based on the English spelling rather than the historical etymology of Llywelyn. A separate, less certain proposal traces the first element to the Celtic divine name Lugus, known in Welsh as Lleu, but this remains a disputed scholarly suggestion.
Llewelyn Name History & Origins
Llywelyn is a medieval Welsh personal name. Several rulers of Wales bore it, including Llywelyn ap Seisyll, who died in 1023; Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, known as Llywelyn the Great (c. 1173 - 1240); and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, known as Llywelyn the Last, whose death in 1282 is often taken as the end of Welsh independence.
Llewelyn is an English-language respelling of the Welsh Llywelyn; Llewellyn is another variant. The change from Welsh y to English e reflects adaptation to English spelling habits. In Wales, the name also became a hereditary surname as patronymic naming gave way to fixed family names. As a given name, Llewelyn is masculine and is used in Wales and in English-speaking countries; as a surname, it appears in Welsh and English records.
How Popular is the Name Llewelyn?
Llewelyn 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 2024. Its best rank was #3,072 in 1916.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | #16,528 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #17,372 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,516 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #4,495 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2023 | #6,746 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2022 | #6,689 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #7,918 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #11,434 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #10,391 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #11,598 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #13,265 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #6,389 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #6,131 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #5,970 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,511 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #4,332 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #3,435 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #4,178 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #4,131 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1929 | #3,789 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #4,006 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #3,381 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1918 | #4,536 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #3,072 | 8 | 0.0009% |
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 Llewelyn 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 have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Llewelyn's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Llewelyn's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.