Leman
Of Turkish origin, meaning "emanation" or "ray of light".
Name Census estimates that about 233 living Americans carry the first name Leman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Leman today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leman births was 1937 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leman. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Leman is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Lemans were born before 1970.
People living today
233
~ 1 in 1,471,049 Americans
Peak year
1937
23 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1997 SSA rank
#10,184
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Leman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leman from the 1910s through to the 1990s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 145 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leman by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Leman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leman
The given name Leman is believed to have originated from the Turkish language. Its roots can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire and the regions that are now part of modern-day Turkey. The name is closely related to the Turkish word "leman," which means "harbor" or "cove."
In the early days of the Ottoman Empire, the name Leman was often bestowed upon children born in coastal regions or near major ports. It was a way to symbolize the importance of the maritime trade and the seafaring traditions that were deeply ingrained in the culture of the time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leman can be found in the writings of the renowned Ottoman historian and traveler, Evliya Çelebi, who lived in the 17th century. In his travelogues, he mentions encountering individuals with the name Leman during his journeys across the Ottoman lands.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Leman. One of the most prominent was Leman bin Abdullah (1623-1688), a Turkish naval commander who played a significant role in the Ottoman naval campaigns in the Mediterranean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century.
Another notable bearer of the name was Leman Osman Bey (1804-1868), a Turkish statesman and diplomat who served as the Ottoman Ambassador to various European countries, including France and Austria, during the mid-19th century.
In the realm of literature, Leman Sami (1864-1933) was a renowned Turkish novelist and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of modern Turkish literature. His works often explored themes of social justice and the changing dynamics of Ottoman society.
Moving beyond the Ottoman Empire, the name Leman also found its way into other cultural spheres. In the 19th century, there was a French artist named Leman Gaudin (1825-1892) who gained recognition for his landscape paintings depicting the scenic beauty of the French countryside.
Another notable figure was Leman Sexton (1883-1961), an American educator and women's rights activist who played a significant role in promoting equal educational opportunities for women in the early 20th century.
While the name Leman has its roots in the Turkish language and culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and found its way into various societies and contexts throughout history, leaving an indelible mark on diverse fields such as naval warfare, diplomacy, literature, art, and social reform.
People
Leman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leman as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Leman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 233 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leman going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,471,049 US residents.
Is Leman a common name?
We classify Leman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 625 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leman most popular?
The single biggest year for Leman was 1937, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leman is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Leman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leman in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.