Letwan
Male name of uncertain origin, potentially derived from the Russian term "letun" meaning "flyer."
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Letwan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Letwan today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Letwan births was 1975 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Letwan. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Letwan. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1975
5 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
1975 SSA rank
#5,963
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Letwan: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Letwan 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 Letwan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Letwan
The name Letwan is believed to have originated from the ancient Hittite language, spoken in central Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) during the Bronze Age, around 1650-1200 BCE. It is derived from the root word "letwa," which means "warrior" or "brave one." The name was likely given to children born into the warrior class or those who displayed courage and strength from a young age.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Letwan can be found in the Hittite cuneiform tablets, which were discovered in the late 19th century by archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Hattusa. These tablets contain records of military campaigns, treaties, and administrative documents, suggesting that the name was associated with the Hittite nobility and military elite.
In the 5th century BCE, a renowned Hittite warrior named Letwan is mentioned in the works of the Greek historian Herodotus. According to Herodotus, Letwan led a contingent of Hittite soldiers during the Battle of Thermopylae, where he fought alongside the Spartan King Leonidas against the invading Persian forces.
During the Byzantine Empire, which ruled over parts of Anatolia from the 4th to the 15th century CE, the name Letwan appeared in several historical records and chronicles. One notable figure was Letwan of Cappadocia, a Byzantine general who played a pivotal role in the successful defense of Constantinople against the Avar and Slavic invasions in the late 6th century.
In the 11th century, a Seljuk Turk named Letwan ibn Khaqan was a prominent military commander who fought in the wars against the Byzantine Empire. He is mentioned in several contemporary Persian and Arabic sources as a skilled strategist and brave warrior.
Another historical figure bearing the name Letwan was a 13th-century Armenian nobleman and military leader who fought against the Mongol invasions. He is remembered for his fierce resistance and defense of the city of Ani, which was one of the last remaining Armenian strongholds before its eventual fall to the Mongols.
Throughout its long history, the name Letwan has been associated with courage, strength, and military prowess, reflecting its Hittite origins as a name for warriors and brave individuals. While its usage has declined in modern times, the name continues to carry a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.
People
Letwan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Letwan 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
Letwan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Letwan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Letwan 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Letwan a common name?
We classify Letwan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Letwan most popular?
The single biggest year for Letwan was 1975, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Letwan is about 47 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 Letwan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Letwan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Letwan 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 Letwan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Letwan 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 Letwan 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 Americans are named Letwan?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Letwan at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.