NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Lis

A feminine name of French origin meaning "God's promise.".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 3 boys.

Lis is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Lis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2020 to 2024. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Lis. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Lis ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 3 girls were registered as Lis.
  • Lis is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 66.7% of Lis registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5891

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2020

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Lis

In England and Wales birth records, Lis has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 33.3% of registrations are for boys and 66.7% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

33% boys
67% girls
Boys3 (33.3%)Girls6 (66.7%)

Lis registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,849 in 2005
  • 3 boys registered in 2005
  • Peak: 2005 (3 births)

Lis registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,891 in 2024
  • 3 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2020 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Lis mean?

The name Lis has its origins in the Welsh language, deriving from the word "llis" which means "court" or "palace." It is believed to have emerged as a given name during the medieval period in Wales, around the 12th to 15th centuries.

While the exact origins of the name are unclear, some historical references suggest that it may have been used as a nickname or shortened form of longer Welsh names such as Llewellyn or Llewelyn, which were popular among the Welsh nobility and royalty.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lis can be found in the "Brut y Tywysogion" (Chronicle of the Princes), a medieval Welsh chronicle from the 13th century, which mentions a person named "Lis ap Gwilym" who lived in the late 12th century.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with Lis Penrhyn (c. 1500-1580), a Welsh landowner and member of the gentry from Penrhyn, Caernarfonshire. She is remembered for her involvement in the legal disputes over the ownership of the Penrhyn estate.

Another notable historical figure with the name Lis was Lis Llwyd (c. 1540-1615), a Welsh poet and writer who composed works in both Welsh and English. He is considered one of the most important figures in the Welsh Renaissance period.

In the 19th century, Lis Llwyd (1833-1914), a Welsh Baptist minister and author, made significant contributions to Welsh literature and religious writings. He is best known for his work "Hanes Eglwys Crist" (History of the Church of Christ).

More recently, Lis Møller (1940-2018) was a Danish artist and sculptor known for her abstract and minimalist works. Her sculptures and installations have been exhibited in various galleries and museums around the world.

While the name Lis has roots in Welsh culture, it has also been used in other parts of Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, where it may have different linguistic origins or meanings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Lis over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Lis in England and Wales, from 2005 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Lis, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
01223200520142024

Decades

Lis by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lis 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 #5692 6 2

Related

Names similar to Lis

FAQ

Lis: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Lis was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Lis most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 3 babies registered as Lis in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Lis?

A feminine name of French origin meaning "God's promise.".

How many people are called Lis in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Lis across the 2 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.