Lemual
From Hebrew origins, meaning "belonging to God" or "devoted to God".
Name Census estimates that about 17 living Americans carry the first name Lemual. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lemual today is around 81 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lemual births was 1925 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lemual. 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 Lemual is about 81 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Lemuals were born before 1955.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Lemual. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
17
~ 1 in 20,162,020 Americans
Peak year
1925
8 babies that year
Average age
81
years old
1951 SSA rank
#2,967
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Lemual: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lemual from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 18 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Lemual remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lemual 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 Lemual 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 Lemual
The name Lemual is of Hebrew origin, derived from the Biblical Hebrew name "Lemuʼel," which means "belonging to God" or "devoted to God." The name first appears in the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible, where it is used as the name of an unknown wise king or teacher.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lemual dates back to ancient Israel, where it was likely used as a personal name among the Hebrew people. It is believed to have been a relatively uncommon name during this time period, as it is not widely mentioned in historical records.
In the Book of Proverbs, Lemual is presented as the recipient of advice from his mother, who instructs him on the virtues of wisdom, justice, and temperance. This passage, known as the "Words of Lemuel," has been interpreted as a set of teachings for righteous living and good governance.
Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who bore the name Lemual. One of the earliest was Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833), an African American minister and Revolutionary War veteran who fought for the Continental Army. He later became a prominent abolitionist and advocated for the abolition of slavery.
Another notable Lemual was Lemuel Shattuck (1793-1859), an American statistician and writer who is best known for his work on the "Census of Boston" in 1845. This comprehensive statistical report provided valuable insights into the population, health, and social conditions of the city at the time.
In the realm of literature, Lemuel Gulliver is the fictional protagonist of Jonathan Swift's satirical novel "Gulliver's Travels," published in 1726. While not a real person, Gulliver's name has become synonymous with the concept of a traveler encountering strange and fantastical worlds.
Lemuel Benton (1715-1793) was an American minister and educator who served as the first president of the University of Vermont. He played a significant role in the establishment and development of the university during its early years.
Finally, Lemuel Hawkins (1718-1801) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works, including a commentary on the Bible. His writings contributed to the understanding and interpretation of religious texts during his time.
These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the name Lemuel throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields such as religion, literature, education, and social reform.
People
Lemual + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lemual 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
Lemual: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lemual?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 17 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lemual 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 20,162,020 US residents.
Is Lemual a common name?
We classify Lemual as "Very Rare". It ranks above 37.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 60 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lemual most popular?
The single biggest year for Lemual was 1925, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lemual is about 81 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Lemual in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lemual a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lemual 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.
Is Lemual still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lemual in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Lemual can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Lemual as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.