Lewis
From Middle English Lewis, Lowis, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French Louis, from Frankish *Hlūdawīg.
Every Lewis since 1880 — 156,636 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lewis
Lewis is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #433 in 2025 with 736 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 156,636 American babies have been named Lewis. Its peak came in 1921, when 2,731 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Lewis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lewis 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 | — | — | 736 | #433 |
| 2024 | — | — | 734 | #432 |
| 2023 | — | — | 648 | #470 |
| 2022 | — | — | 623 | #489 |
| 2021 | — | — | 609 | #485 |
| 2020 | — | — | 588 | #497 |
| 2019 | — | — | 507 | #557 |
| 2018 | — | — | 510 | #548 |
| 2017 | — | — | 521 | #542 |
| 2016 | — | — | 592 | #506 |
| 2015 | — | — | 495 | #568 |
| 2014 | — | — | 463 | #594 |
| 2013 | — | — | 389 | #636 |
| 2012 | — | — | 378 | #636 |
| 2011 | — | — | 371 | #630 |
| 2010 | — | — | 326 | #715 |
| 2009 | — | — | 326 | #725 |
| 2008 | — | — | 386 | #637 |
| 2007 | — | — | 340 | #694 |
| 2006 | — | — | 333 | #679 |
| 2005 | — | — | 328 | #657 |
| 2004 | 6 | #15,263 | 338 | #624 |
| 2003 | — | — | 324 | #633 |
| 2002 | — | — | 353 | #592 |
| 2001 | — | — | 339 | #590 |
| 2000 | — | — | 357 | #573 |
| 1995 | — | — | 378 | #521 |
| 1990 | — | — | 579 | #398 |
| 1985 | — | — | 559 | #341 |
| 1980 | — | — | 646 | #305 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,784 | 660 | #290 |
| 1970 | 12 | #4,641 | 999 | #236 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,117 | #216 |
| 1960 | 10 | #4,327 | 1,398 | #204 |
| 1955 | 11 | #3,684 | 1,782 | #160 |
| 1950 | — | — | 2,027 | #132 |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,681 | 1,836 | #123 |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,380 | 1,900 | #107 |
| 1935 | 12 | #2,505 | 1,974 | #98 |
| 1930 | 18 | #1,989 | 2,243 | #87 |
| 1925 | 15 | #2,446 | 2,577 | #79 |
| 1920 | 10 | #3,236 | 2,688 | #72 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,630 | 2,307 | #70 |
| 1910 | 7 | #2,034 | 555 | #65 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,820 | 384 | #65 |
| 1900 | — | — | 469 | #52 |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,725 | 377 | #58 |
| 1890 | — | — | 375 | #51 |
| 1885 | — | — | 437 | #42 |
| 1880 | — | — | 517 | #30 |
Famous people named Lewis
- Lewis Carroll Writer · 1832–1898
- Lewis H. Morgan Anthropologist · 1818–1881
- Lewis Milestone Film director · 1895–1980
- Lewis A. Swift Astronomer · 1820–1913
- Lewis Hine Photographer · 1874–1940
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lewis mean?
From Middle English Lewis, Lowis, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French Louis, from Frankish *Hlūdawīg.
How popular is the name Lewis in 2025?
Lewis ranked #433 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 736 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lewis?
156,636 babies have been named Lewis in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lewis most popular?
Lewis peaked in 1921, when 2,731 newborns received the name.
Is Lewis a boy or girl name?
Lewis is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lewis rising or falling?
Lewis is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lewis?
Well-known people named Lewis include Lewis Carroll (writer), Lewis H. Morgan (anthropologist), Lewis Milestone (film director).