Lemuel Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LEM-yoo-el //ˈlɛm.juː.əl//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: 'God is my people'; English: 'devoted to God'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lemuel has its roots in Hebrew, derived from the elements "le" meaning "to" or "belonging to" and "melek" meaning "king." This etymology suggests a literal translation of "belonging to God" or "devoted to God," reflecting a significant spiritual connotation. The name appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Proverbs, where Lemuel is described as a king and the author of a series of wise sayings, often interpreted as a representation of wisdom and moral instruction.
This biblical association facilitated the name's transmission into other languages and cultures. Lemuel's journey into English can be traced through the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, where the name was rendered as "Lemuel." This form was later adopted into Latin texts, including the Vulgate, which further solidified its presence in Christian tradition.
The name was introduced into English during the Middle Ages, particularly through the influence of the Bible and its translations, such as the King James Version published in 1611, which popularized many biblical names. Culturally, Lemuel has been associated with wisdom and leadership, reflecting the characteristics attributed to the biblical figure.
The name has resonated in various literary and religious contexts, symbolizing a connection to divine guidance and moral integrity. In some traditions, diminutive forms such as Lem or Lemu have emerged, though these variations are less commonly noted in historical texts.
Overall, Lemuel's enduring significance lies in its biblical roots and the values it embodies, making it a name of historical and cultural importance.
Famous people named Lemuel
In this section, you will find notable people named Lemuel. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lemuel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lemuel who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Lemuel Gulliver is a fictional character best known as the protagonist of Jonathan Swift's satirical novel Gulliver's Travels.
Fictional characters named Lemuel
The following list of fictional characters named Lemuel is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Lemuel Gulliver is a fictional character from the novel Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. He is a ship's surgeon who embarks on fantastical voyages to strange lands, encountering various peculiar societies and cultures.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lemuel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lemuel. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Lemuel was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Lemuel has ranked as high as #738 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, and Florida.
In the past 5 years the name Lemuel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Lemuel is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lemuel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Lemuel (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 7 | |
| CA | 7 | |
| NY | 6 | |
| MD | 5 | |
| FL | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lemuel.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 69 |
| 2023 | 67 |
| 2022 | 73 |
| 2021 | 62 |
| 2020 | 65 |
| 2019 | 72 |
| 2018 | 82 |
| 2017 | 71 |
| 2016 | 48 |
| 2015 | 72 |
| 2014 | 70 |
| 2013 | 64 |
| 2012 | 52 |
| 2011 | 51 |
| 2010 | 52 |
| 2009 | 34 |
| 2008 | 57 |
| 2007 | 38 |
| 2006 | 63 |
| 2005 | 43 |
| 2004 | 38 |
| 2003 | 66 |
| 2002 | 43 |
| 2001 | 47 |
| 2000 | 50 |
| 1999 | 62 |
| 1998 | 49 |
| 1997 | 50 |
| 1996 | 51 |
| 1995 | 46 |
| 1994 | 59 |
| 1993 | 46 |
| 1992 | 52 |
| 1991 | 63 |
| 1990 | 55 |
| 1989 | 52 |
| 1988 | 48 |
| 1987 | 44 |
| 1986 | 56 |
| 1985 | 62 |
| 1984 | 45 |
| 1983 | 54 |
| 1982 | 77 |
| 1981 | 63 |
| 1980 | 70 |
| 1979 | 73 |
| 1978 | 45 |
| 1977 | 73 |
| 1976 | 72 |
| 1975 | 71 |
| 1974 | 67 |
| 1973 | 60 |
| 1972 | 72 |
| 1971 | 65 |
| 1970 | 72 |
| 1969 | 73 |
| 1968 | 76 |
| 1967 | 84 |
| 1966 | 84 |
| 1965 | 86 |
| 1964 | 92 |
| 1963 | 102 |
| 1962 | 95 |
| 1961 | 95 |
| 1960 | 94 |
| 1959 | 102 |
| 1958 | 77 |
| 1957 | 106 |
| 1956 | 101 |
| 1955 | 96 |
| 1954 | 105 |
| 1953 | 109 |
| 1952 | 105 |
| 1951 | 114 |
| 1950 | 86 |
| 1949 | 97 |
| 1948 | 91 |
| 1947 | 86 |
| 1946 | 85 |
| 1945 | 73 |
| 1944 | 100 |
| 1943 | 95 |
| 1942 | 86 |
| 1941 | 78 |
| 1940 | 74 |
| 1939 | 79 |
| 1938 | 103 |
| 1937 | 90 |
| 1936 | 85 |
| 1935 | 85 |
| 1934 | 88 |
| 1933 | 83 |
| 1932 | 90 |
| 1931 | 90 |
| 1930 | 102 |
| 1929 | 110 |
| 1928 | 116 |
| 1927 | 102 |
| 1926 | 122 |
| 1925 | 118 |
| 1924 | 128 |
| 1923 | 111 |
| 1922 | 142 |
| 1921 | 147 |
| 1920 | 146 |
| 1919 | 137 |
| 1918 | 122 |
| 1917 | 115 |
| 1916 | 135 |
| 1915 | 95 |
| 1914 | 90 |
| 1913 | 57 |
| 1912 | 61 |
| 1911 | 32 |
| 1910 | 29 |
| 1909 | 27 |
| 1908 | 20 |
| 1907 | 30 |
| 1906 | 36 |
| 1905 | 24 |
| 1904 | 16 |
| 1903 | 24 |
| 1902 | 21 |
| 1901 | 20 |
| 1900 | 37 |
| 1899 | 20 |
| 1898 | 22 |
| 1897 | 30 |
| 1896 | 20 |
| 1895 | 23 |
| 1894 | 28 |
| 1893 | 19 |
| 1892 | 33 |
| 1891 | 32 |
| 1890 | 28 |
| 1889 | 29 |
| 1888 | 32 |
| 1887 | 39 |
| 1886 | 37 |
| 1885 | 31 |
| 1884 | 31 |
| 1883 | 41 |
| 1882 | 43 |
| 1881 | 58 |
| 1880 | 59 |