NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Lemmy

A diminutive form of the masculine name Leminil, derived from Germanic elements meaning "shield" and "protection".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Lemmy is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Lemmy popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3523, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 6 births.

This profile covers 30 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2005 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 83% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 30 living people in the UK are called Lemmy. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Lemmy ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2016, when 6 boys were registered as Lemmy.
  • About 30 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lemmy as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3523

2023

Births in 2023

5

Latest year

Peak year

2016

6 births

Estimated living

30

2026

Meaning

What does Lemmy mean?

The given name Lemmy is believed to have originated from the Old English language, derived from the word "lem," which means "to burn" or "shining." It was commonly used during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, spanning from the 5th to the 11th centuries.

The name Lemmy can be traced back to ancient Germanic roots, where it was often associated with strength, resilience, and a fiery spirit. It was particularly popular among Anglo-Saxon warriors and nobles who believed the name embodied these qualities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lemmy appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of events in Anglo-Saxon England. The chronicle mentions a nobleman named Lemmy, who fought alongside King Alfred the Great against the Viking invaders in the 9th century.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Lemmy. One of the most famous was Lemmy Kilmister (1945-2015), the legendary frontman of the British rock band Motörhead. Renowned for his gravelly voice and hard-rocking persona, Lemmy was a prominent figure in the heavy metal music scene.

Another historical figure with the name Lemmy was Lemmy Winks (1898-1971), a British racing driver and entrepreneur who competed in early Grand Prix events and founded the Winks Fairground Company.

In the realm of literature, Lemmy Caution was the name of a fictional secret agent created by British author Peter Cheyney in the 1930s. The Lemmy Caution novels and films gained popularity for their thrilling espionage stories.

During the Middle Ages, Lemmy was also a common name among monks and clergymen. One such notable figure was Lemmy of Canterbury (c. 1050-1120), an English monk and scholar who served as the prior of Christ Church Canterbury.

While the name Lemmy has waxed and waned in popularity over the centuries, it continues to evoke a sense of strength, resilience, and a spirited nature, carrying with it the echoes of its ancient Anglo-Saxon roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Lemmy over time

The chart below shows babies named Lemmy registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Lemmy, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Lemmy
02356200520142023

Decades

Lemmy by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lemmy was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4093 16 4
2010s #3264 11 2
2000s #3849 3 1

Related

Names similar to Lemmy

FAQ

Lemmy: questions and answers

How popular is the name Lemmy in the UK right now?

In 2023, Lemmy was ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Lemmy most popular?

The peak year on record was 2016, with 6 babies registered as Lemmy in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Lemmy?

A diminutive form of the masculine name Leminil, derived from Germanic elements meaning "shield" and "protection".

How many people are called Lemmy in the UK?

A total of 30 babies have been registered as Lemmy across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.