Lew Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: loo /luː/
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: English: lion; Hebrew: joined
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lew is derived from the Hebrew name Levi, which means "joined" or "attached." The name Levi appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of the twelve sons of Jacob and Leah, and it is associated with the Levitical priesthood, a significant religious order in ancient Israel. The transition from Hebrew to English occurred through several linguistic stages, including Greek and Latin.
The Greek form of the name is Λευί (Levi), which was then adopted into Latin as Levi. The name eventually made its way into Old French as "Levi," before being anglicized to Lew in English-speaking contexts.
Throughout history, Levi has been a name of considerable importance, particularly in biblical contexts. The Levites, descendants of Levi, were tasked with religious duties and responsibilities in the Temple, which established a lasting cultural significance for the name.
In the Christian tradition, Levi is also recognized as one of the apostles, further embedding the name in religious history. The name appears in various translations of the Bible, including the King James Version published in 1611, which helped to solidify its presence in English-speaking cultures.
Culturally, the name Lew, as a diminutive form of Levi, carries connotations of loyalty and faithfulness, reflecting the attributes associated with the Levitical tribe. The name has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, often symbolizing a connection to heritage and religious identity.
Its historical roots and associations with significant biblical figures contribute to its enduring resonance in various contexts, making it a name rich in meaning and tradition.
Famous people named Lew
In this section, you will find notable people named Lew. 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 Lew who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lew 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.
Lew Alcindor is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, and for winning six NBA championships.
Lew Grade was a British television and film producer best known for founding ITC Entertainment and producing shows like The Saint and Thunderbirds.
Lew Wallace was an American author and military officer best known for writing Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.
Fictional characters named Lew
The following list of fictional characters named Lew 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.
Lew is a fictional character from the novel The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. He is a kind-hearted and loyal companion who aids the unicorn on her quest to find her lost kin.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lew, 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 Lew. 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 Lew was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Lew has ranked as high as #2266 nationally, which occurred in 1957, and has been most popular in New York, California, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Lew has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Lew 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 Lew was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
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 Lew.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 2023 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 2022 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1996 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1992 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1991 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1989 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1988 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1987 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1986 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1984 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1983 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1982 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1981 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1980 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1979 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1978 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1977 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1976 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1975 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1974 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1973 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1972 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1971 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1970 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1969 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 1968 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1967 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1966 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1965 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 1964 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1963 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1962 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1961 | 34 | 34 | 0 |
| 1960 | 38 | 38 | 0 |
| 1959 | 55 | 55 | 0 |
| 1958 | 47 | 47 | 0 |
| 1957 | 59 | 54 | 5 |
| 1956 | 40 | 35 | 5 |
| 1955 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1954 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1953 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| 1952 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1951 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1950 | 33 | 33 | 0 |
| 1949 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 1948 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 1947 | 42 | 42 | 0 |
| 1946 | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| 1945 | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| 1944 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1943 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1942 | 27 | 27 | 0 |
| 1941 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1940 | 33 | 33 | 0 |
| 1939 | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| 1938 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1937 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1936 | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| 1935 | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| 1934 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1933 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1932 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1931 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1930 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 1929 | 27 | 22 | 5 |
| 1928 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1927 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1926 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 1925 | 34 | 34 | 0 |
| 1924 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1923 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 1922 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1921 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1920 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1919 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1918 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1917 | 33 | 33 | 0 |
| 1916 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1915 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 1914 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1913 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1912 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1911 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1910 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1909 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1908 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 1907 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1905 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1904 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1903 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1902 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1901 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1900 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1896 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1895 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1894 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1893 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1892 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1891 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1890 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1889 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1888 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1887 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1886 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1885 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1884 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1883 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1882 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1881 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1880 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
Top States for Lew (1961)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 9 |