Lydia
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "woman from Lydia".
Name Census estimates that about 131,850 living Americans carry the first name Lydia. It sits at #97 in the overall ranking, outside the top 50 but still well-represented. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lydia today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lydia births was 2014 (3,652 babies). In terms of living bearers, it sits close to Eddie (131,623).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lydia. 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
- • Although Lydia is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 277 boys registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
132K
~ 1 in 2,600 Americans
Peak year
2014
3,652 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
2020 SSA rank
#97
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Lydia
Out of the 184,572 babies given the name Lydia since 1880, 99.8% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Lydia as a male name
- Ranked #11,443 in 2020
- 6 male births in 2020
- Peak: 2004 (16 births)
Lydia as a female name
- Ranked #97 in 2024
- 2,663 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2014 (3,652 births)
Popularity
Lydia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lydia from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 32,734 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Lydia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lydia 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 Lydia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lydias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. Texas, California, New York recorded the most babies named Lydia, while Wyoming, Vermont, Delaware recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 3,266 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lydia
Lydia is a feminine given name with Greek origins, derived from the region of Lydia in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). The name is believed to have evolved from the ancient Lydian language, with the earliest known spelling being "Ludias." The region of Lydia was known for its wealth and prosperity, as well as its cultural contributions to the ancient world.
In Greek mythology, Lydia was the name of a woman who was transformed into a nightingale after offending the gods. The name is also mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible, where Lydia of Thyatira is described as a businesswoman and one of the first European converts to Christianity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lydia dates back to the 6th century BCE, when a Lydian princess named Lydia was mentioned in ancient Greek texts. During the medieval period, the name gained popularity in Europe, particularly in Italy and France.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lydia. One of the most famous was Lydia Pinkham (1819-1883), an American entrepreneur who founded the Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company and became a pioneer in the field of women's health and herbal remedies.
Another prominent figure was Lydia Maria Child (1802-1880), an American abolitionist, author, and activist who was a key figure in the anti-slavery movement. She wrote several influential works, including "An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans" and "The Frugal Housewife."
In the realm of science, Lydia Becker (1827-1890) was a British suffragist and scientist who campaigned for women's rights and helped establish several educational institutions for women. She also made significant contributions to the field of biology and botany.
Lydia Huntley Sigourney (1791-1865) was an American poet and author who was considered one of the most popular and influential writers of her time. Her works often focused on themes of domesticity, religion, and morality, and she was widely celebrated during her lifetime.
Lastly, Lydia Mendoza (1916-2007) was a Mexican-American singer and songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Tejano music. She was known for her powerful voice and her ability to blend traditional Mexican folk music with contemporary styles.
People
Lydia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lydia 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
Lydia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lydia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 131,850 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lydia 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 2,600 US residents.
Is Lydia a common name?
We classify Lydia as "Common". It ranks above 99.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 184,572 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lydia most popular?
The single biggest year for Lydia was 2014, when 3,652 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lydia is about 31 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lydia a female name?
Yes, 99.8% of people registered as Lydia in the SSA data are female. 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.