Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1957

Lew

Meaning A diminutive of the male given name Lewis Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 #13,142

A diminutive of the male given name Lewis.

Rank 2025
#13,142
among boys
Babies in 2025
5
named Lew
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1957
59 babies
All-time total
2,208
#3,109 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Lew popularity over time

2,208 babies have been named Lew since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 127 127 13 – #389
1890s – 66 66 7 -48% #663
1900s – 69 69 7 +5% #647
1910s – 212 212 21 +207% #1,013
1920s 5 238 243 24 +15% #1,241
1930s – 300 300 30 +23% #1,164
1940s – 313 313 31 +4% #1,120
1950s 10 394 404 40 +29% #1,037
1960s – 250 250 25 -38% #1,284
1970s – 106 106 11 -58% #1,965
1980s – 72 72 7 -32% #3,532
1990s – 18 18 2 -75% #6,288
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – 6 6 1 – #11,596
2020s (to 2025) – 22 22 4 +511% #7,132

The story of Lew

Lew is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,142 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 2,208 American babies have been named Lew. Its peak came in 1957, when 59 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lew stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lew?

The median living Lew is about 66 years old; half are between 57 and 75. An estimated 900 people named Lew are alive in the United States today.

median 66 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Lew year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 5 #13,142
2024 – – – –
2023 – – 12 #7,132
2022 – – 5 #13,548
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – 6 #11,596
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – 12 #3,536
1975 – – 10 #3,574
1970 – – 21 #1,965
1965 – – 23 #1,652
1960 – – 38 #1,284
1955 – – 35 #1,286
1950 – – 33 #1,267
1945 – – 30 #1,215
1940 – – 33 #1,172
1935 – – 30 #1,241
1930 – – 26 #1,448
1925 – – 34 #1,241
1920 – – 19 #1,851
1915 – – 26 #1,328
1910 – – 9 #1,171
1905 – – 5 #1,340
1900 – – 7 #1,119
1895 – – 9 #773
1890 – – 9 #708
1885 – – 18 #431
1880 – – 20 #389

Famous people named Lew

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Lew Ayres Lew Ayres American actor (1908–1996) Contemporary
  2. 2 Lew Wallace Lew Wallace American general, politician, and author (1827–1905) 19th century
  3. 3 Lew Rockwell Lew Rockwell American libertarian writer (born 1944) Contemporary
  4. 4 Lew Hoad Lew Hoad Australian tennis player (1934–1994) Contemporary
  5. 5 Lew Sapieha Lew Sapieha Polish–Lithuanian nobleman (1557–1633) 16th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Lew, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Lew?

The median living Lew is about 66 years old. Half of all living Lews are between 57 and 75 years old.

How many people named Lew are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Lew are alive in the United States, based on 2,208 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Lew mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Lewis.

How popular is the name Lew in 2025?

Lew ranked #13,142 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Lew?

2,208 babies have been named Lew in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lew most popular?

Lew peaked in 1957, when 59 newborns received the name.

Is Lew a boy or girl name?

Lew is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lew rising or falling?

Lew is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Lew?

Well-known people named Lew include Lew Ayres (actor), Lew Wallace (politician), Lew Rockwell (economist).

Names like Lew

Names that sound and feel close to Lew: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Lew with similar names → More names starting with L →