Boy name · Latin
Lionel
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: little lionLionel is a boy's name that comes from Latin and means "little lion". It is used in English and French.
- Meaning
- Little lion
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #659 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Lionel
As a boy's name, Lionel comes from Latin and means "little lion". It is used in English and French.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Lionel on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Lionel on 4 lists.
“French for little lion, smooth and sophisticated”
From Boy dog names, distinguished names for gentleman dogs
“Little lion; French. A knight of the Round Table”
From Old man names, grandpa names coming back for babies
“French for little lion”
From Orange cat names, orange cat names for boys
“Little lion; French, a knight of the Round Table”
From Unique boy names, unique vintage boy names
How popular is Lionel?
- US rank in 2025
- #659
- 419 babies, 245 per million boys
- Best rank
- #295 in 1933
- Most babies: 609 in 2023
- Babies since 1880
- At least 33,789
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 67 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 154 per million |
| 1900s | 192 per million |
| 1910s | 259 per million |
| 1920s | 276 per million |
| 1930s | 276 per million |
| 1940s | 206 per million |
| 1950s | 180 per million |
| 1960s | 180 per million |
| 1970s | 147 per million |
| 1980s | 182 per million |
| 1990s | 87 per million |
| 2000s | 72 per million |
| 2010s | 195 per million |
| 2020s | 272 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #583 | #596 | #634 | #631 | #662 | #662 | #622 | #495 | #562 | #659 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Lionel
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
Names spelled like Lionel
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- LielMy God (Hebrew, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Lionel
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Latin
- MaxThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- AdrianFrom Hadria (Latin, boy)
- FelixLucky, happy (Latin, boy)
- MartinDedicated to Mars (Latin, boy)
- OliverOlive tree (Latin, boy)
- AugustExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
- MagnusThe great (Latin, boy)
- MarcoOf Mars (Latin, boy)
- MarcusOf Mars (Latin, boy)
- PatrickNobleman, patrician (Latin, boy)
Lionel: common questions
What does the name Lionel mean?
Lionel comes from Latin and means "little lion".
Is Lionel a boy or girl name?
Lionel is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Lionel come from?
Lionel comes from Latin and means "little lion". Today it is used in English and French.
How popular is the name Lionel?
Lionel ranked #659 in the US in 2025, with 419 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Lionel?
Forms of Lionel with the same meaning and origin include Leone (Italian) and Leonel (Spanish).
What middle names go with Lionel?
Middle names that flow well with Lionel include Ansel, Basil, Dean, Ethan and Glenn. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.