Find out how popular the first name Ly has been for the last 34 years (from 1975 to 2008) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ly by gender

Based on the last 34 years of data, Ly is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 70% of people named Ly being female.

For the most recent data in 2008, there were 8 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Ly.

The history of the first name Ly

The name Ly has its origins in the Vietnamese language and culture. It is a shortened form of the Vietnamese surname Ly, which was the family name of the Ly Dynasty that ruled Vietnam from 1009 to 1225 CE. The name is derived from the Vietnamese word "ly," which means "village" or "hamlet."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ly can be found in the Annals of the Ly Dynasty, a historical text that chronicles the reign of the Ly emperors. The Annals mention several prominent figures with the name Ly, including Ly Thai Tong (974-1028 CE), who was the founder of the Ly Dynasty and the first emperor of the Ly Dynasty.

Another notable figure with the name Ly was Ly Tu Trong (1630-1682 CE), a Vietnamese philosopher and poet who was known for his works on Confucianism and his contributions to Vietnamese literature. He is considered one of the most influential thinkers of his time in Vietnam.

In more recent history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Ly. One such person was Ly Tin Wheedhee (1925-2007 CE), a Thai architect and artist who was renowned for his contributions to modern Thai architecture and his work in promoting traditional Thai arts and crafts.

Another notable figure was Ly Thi Xuan (1915-1967 CE), a Vietnamese revolutionary and politician who played a significant role in the struggle for Vietnam's independence from French colonial rule. She was a member of the Indochinese Communist Party and served as the Minister of Finance in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Ly Dai Tin (1931-2022 CE) was a Vietnamese-American engineer and businessman who was the founder and former chairman of Panda Express, one of the largest Asian-American fast-food chains in the United States.

While the name Ly has its roots in Vietnamese culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia and among the Vietnamese diaspora communities around the globe.

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 Ly was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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