Lemuel
A masculine name derived from Hebrew meaning "God-devoted" or "dedicated to God".
Name Census estimates that about 5,334 living Americans carry the first name Lemuel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lemuel today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lemuel births was 1921 (147 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lemuel. 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.
People living today
5.3K
~ 1 in 64,258 Americans
Peak year
1921
147 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,142
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Lemuel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lemuel from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 1,242 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
Lemuel 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 Lemuel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lemuels live
The SSA's state-level files cover 29 states and territories. North Carolina, Texas, Georgia recorded the most babies named Lemuel, while New Mexico, District of Columbia, Kansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 143 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lemuel
The name Lemuel has its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the Hebrew words "le" meaning "to" or "for" and "el" meaning "God". The combination of these words forms the meaning "belonging to God" or "devoted to God".
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lemuel is found in the Bible's Book of Proverbs, where it is used to refer to an unknown figure to whom the words of wisdom are addressed. The Book of Proverbs dates back to around the 7th century BC, suggesting that the name has been in use for at least 2,700 years.
In the 16th century, Lemuel was used as a given name among English Puritans, who were known for choosing biblical names for their children. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Lemuel Sheppard (1617-1690), an English Puritan minister and author.
Another early recorded instance of the name is Lemuel Gulliver, the fictional protagonist of Jonathan Swift's satirical novel "Gulliver's Travels" published in 1726. Although a fictional character, Gulliver's name helped popularize the use of Lemuel as a given name.
In the 18th century, Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833) was a notable African American minister and author who was one of the first African Americans to be ordained as a Protestant minister. He is known for his writings on religious topics and his advocacy for abolition and equal rights.
Moving into the 19th century, Lemuel Wilkinson (1799-1849) was an American businessman and politician who served as the eighth Governor of Louisiana from 1839 to 1843. He played a significant role in the early development of the state's infrastructure and economy.
Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Lemuel Gulliver Clarke (1892-1964), a British explorer and writer who led several expeditions to remote regions of the world and wrote about his adventures. His use of the name Lemuel was likely inspired by the fictional character from Swift's novel.
While the name Lemuel has its biblical roots and has been used throughout history, it has never been a particularly common name in most cultures. However, it has maintained a modest presence, particularly among religious communities and those with an appreciation for its unique and meaningful origins.
People
Lemuel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lemuel 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
Lemuel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lemuel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5,334 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lemuel 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 64,258 US residents.
Is Lemuel a common name?
We classify Lemuel as "Rare". It ranks above 96.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9,890 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lemuel most popular?
The single biggest year for Lemuel was 1921, when 147 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lemuel is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lemuel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lemuel 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.