UK boy's name
Lyon
A masculine name of French origin derived from the Latin leo, meaning "lion".
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.
Lyon is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Lyon popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 12 births.
This profile covers 139 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1999 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 92% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 138 living people in the UK are called Lyon. 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
- • Lyon ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 12 boys were registered as Lyon.
- • About 138 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lyon as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2019
12 births
Estimated living
138
2026
Meaning
What does Lyon mean?
The name Lyon has its origins in the French language, derived from the Latin name Leo, meaning "lion." It has been in use since ancient times and has a rich history that spans across various cultures and time periods.
The name Lyon is closely tied to the city of Lyon in eastern France, which was founded as a Roman colony in 43 BC under the name Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum. The city's name is believed to come from the Celtic word "Lug," meaning "hill" or "high ground," and "dunum," meaning "fortress" or "town."
In Greek mythology, the name Lyon has connections to the mythical creature known as the Nemean Lion, a ferocious beast that terrorized the region of Nemea. This lion was eventually slain by the Greek hero Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythology) as part of his Twelve Labors.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lyon can be found in the Bible's Book of Genesis, where it is mentioned as the name of one of the sons of Gad. In the New Testament, there is a reference to a woman named Lydia, whose name is derived from the same root as Lyon.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Lyon. One of the earliest examples is Lyon Gardiner Tyler (1853-1935), a historian, and the son of the 10th President of the United States, John Tyler. Another prominent figure was Lyon Playfair (1818-1898), a British chemist and politician who served as the Postmaster General of the United Kingdom.
In the realm of literature, Lyon Sprague de Camp (1907-2000) was an American author and biographer known for his works in the science fiction and fantasy genres. Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. (1924-1935), the grandson of President John Tyler, was a notable historian and author who specialized in the history of the American Civil War.
Finally, Lyon Richardson (1838-1892) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and later served as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Lyon, a name with a rich cultural heritage and connections to ancient mythology, biblical texts, and various historical figures across different fields and professions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lyon over time
The chart below shows babies named Lyon registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 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 Lyon, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lyon by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lyon 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 | #2931 | 38 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3414 | 56 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2895 | 40 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2097 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Lyon
- Luke 72,247
- Lewis 69,555
- Leo 63,249
- Liam 60,482
- Lucas 49,061
- Logan 40,771
- Louis 35,898
- Luca 30,323
- Louie 24,242
- Leon 22,308
- Levi 9,931
- Lee 7,861
FAQ
Lyon: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lyon in the UK right now?
In 2024, Lyon was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Lyon most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 12 babies registered as Lyon in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lyon?
A masculine name of French origin derived from the Latin leo, meaning "lion".
How many people are called Lyon in the UK?
A total of 139 babies have been registered as Lyon across the 24 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.