Find out how popular the first name Lew has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Lew by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Lew is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 12 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Lew.

The history of the first name Lew

The given name Lew is derived from the Old German name Hludwig, which is composed of the elements "hlud" meaning "loud, famous" and "wig" meaning "war, battle". This name was later adopted into Old French as "Loois" and then into English as Lewis, with the shorter form Lew emerging as a diminutive.

The name Lew has its roots in the Germanic tribes of central Europe, and it gained prominence during the Middle Ages. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in the 8th century, when it was borne by the Frankish ruler Louis the Pious, who reigned as the King of the Franks from 814 to 840 AD.

In the Christian tradition, the name Lew is associated with several saints and religious figures. Saint Louis IX, the King of France from 1226 to 1270, was a notable bearer of the name and is revered as a patron saint of the country. Another notable figure was Louis de Montfort, a French priest and missionary who lived from 1673 to 1716 and is known for his devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Throughout history, the name Lew has been carried by numerous notable individuals. One of the most famous was Lew Wallace, an American author, soldier, and politician who lived from 1827 to 1905 and is best known for writing the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Another prominent bearer of the name was Lew Hoad, an Australian tennis player who was born in 1934 and won multiple Grand Slam titles in the 1950s.

In the world of sports, Lew Burdette, an American baseball player who lived from 1926 to 2007, was a notable figure. He was a pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves and won the World Series MVP award in 1957. Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was a basketball player born in 1947 who is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Lew Ayres, an American actor who lived from 1908 to 1996, was also a notable bearer of the name. He starred in numerous films during the Golden Age of Hollywood, including the iconic anti-war film All Quiet on the Western Front in 1930.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Lew was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lew, please contact us.

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