Lemuel
Boy name · #2020 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Lemuel? In official American birth records, Lemuel has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Lemuel ranks #2020 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 74 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2001, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 24,324 boys born in 2025 was named Lemuel.
Babies named Lemuel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Lemuel first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 59 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 147 boys were named Lemuel — good for #510 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lemuel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lemuel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lemuel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lemuel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lemuel is most common
State-level data for Lemuel is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Lemuel
Statistically, parents drawn to Lemuel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hershel, Basil, Herschel, Luther, and Roscoe.
HershelBasilHerschelLutherRoscoeMervinEdmondRussel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lemuel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74 | #2020 |
| 2024 | 69 | #2133 |
| 2023 | 67 | #2147 |
| 2022 | 73 | #2060 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2253 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2139 |
| 2019 | 72 | #2020 |
| 2018 | 82 | #1838 |
| 2017 | 71 | #2003 |
| 2016 | 48 | #2587 |
| 2015 | 72 | #2001 |
| 2014 | 70 | #2017 |
| 2013 | 64 | #2090 |
| 2012 | 52 | #2415 |
| 2011 | 51 | #2437 |
| 2010 | 52 | #2402 |
| 2009 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2008 | 57 | #2291 |
| 2007 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2006 | 63 | #2082 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 38 | #2741 |
| 2003 | 66 | #1800 |
| 2002 | 43 | #2372 |
| 2001 | 47 | #2185 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lemuel?
In official American birth records, the name Lemuel first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 59 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lemuel a popular boy name?
Lemuel ranked #2020 among boys in 2025 with 74 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2001.
When was the name Lemuel most popular?
Lemuel peaked in 1921, when 147 American boys received the name (ranked #510 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lemuel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 24,324 newborn American boys was named Lemuel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.