Lew
A diminutive of the male given name Lewis.
Every Lew since 1880 — 2,208 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Lew Wallace Politician · 1827–1905
- Lew Sapieha Politician · 1557–1633
- Lew Ayres Actor · 1908–1996
- Lew Hoad Tennis player · 1934–1994
- Lew Rockwell Economist · b. 1944
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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 Wallace (politician), Lew Sapieha (politician), Lew Ayres (actor).