Lyon

Lyon - A very unique male name

Lyon appeared on the charts for the first time in 2006 on position #3598. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Lyon and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Lyon? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Lyon. The baby boy name Lyon was given to 22 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2355 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 66,649 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Lyon peaked in popularity 2 years ago in 2024 on position 1821.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Lyon, 1-5?

Lyon is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Lyon is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,651 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,765.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Lyon is where you live.

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Lyon origin and meaning

French place name / respelled word — ambiguous

Uncertain — Lyon is a French city and surname (its own name from Gaulish Lugdunum), but as a modern boy's name it is also read as a respelling of 'lion'; which source its users intend is not documented

Lyon entered US boy data in 2006 and peaked in 2024. Some families are honouring the French city or a surname; others plainly want the animal with a sleeker spelling. With both sources live and no documentation, the profile stays uncertain.

Origin uncertain

Lyon is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Lyon, pop culture references for the name Lyon and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Lyon

We've found the following names that sound similar to Lyon, sorted by popularity.

Liam / Leon / Lonnie / Lynn / Lane / Layne / Lanny / Lennon / Lon / Lenny /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Lyon

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Lyon a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Lyon?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LY-un · /ˈlaɪən/
Said LY-un (one syllable, matching the site's table) by most American families; the French city is lee-ON, in two syllables.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Lion — The word spelling; a separate, rare name.
• Lyons — The surname form.

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2006, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

Place nameSurname

Why parents choose it

A sleek one-syllable choice that can claim a French city or a lion, depending on the family — that ambiguity is part of its appeal.

Worth knowing

• Listeners will hear 'lion' or a misspelling of Ryan/Leon.