Girl's name
Lydia
Say it LID-ee-uh
Greek origin beautiful one, noble one
3 syllables
Where Lydia is loved, common and rare
Rare in Canada, the UK, Norway and 13 more places.
1 in 405 girls born in Northern Ireland in 2025
Ontario 109thNorthern Ireland 117thBritish Columbia 132nd
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 20 of the 40 official lists, among them Ontario (109th), Northern Ireland (117th) and British Columbia (132nd).
Show all 20 placesShow less
| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario province | 109th 2024 | 95 | about 1 in 573 |
| Northern Ireland | 117th 2025 | 18 | 1 in 405 |
| British Columbia province | 132nd 2023 | 22 | about 1 in 544 |
| Norway | 140th 2025 | 38 | 1 in 574 |
| England and Wales | 158th 2025 | 317 | 1 in 799 |
| Munich city | 177th 2025 | 7 | about 1 in 599 |
| Sweden | 213th 2025 | 38 | about 1 in 1,057 |
| Scotland | 217th 2025 | 17 | 1 in 1,052 |
| Quebec province | 227th 2025 | 26 | about 1 in 1,000 |
| Cologne city | 308th 2023 | 3 | about 1 in 2,048 |
| Switzerland | 322nd 2025 | 22 | 1 in 1,545 |
| Berlin city | 385th 2023 | 8 | about 1 in 1,813 |
| France | 461st 2025 | 105 | 1 in 2,731 |
| Austria | 566th 2025 | 8 | 1 in 4,465 |
| Ireland | 608th 2025 | 5 | 1 in 4,225 |
| The Netherlands | 626th 2025 | 19 | about 1 in 3,211 |
| Poland | 706th 2025 | 2 | 1 in 59,894 |
| Italy | 1792nd 2024 | 4 | 1 in 44,792 |
| Rostock city | 166th 2025 | 1 | about 1 in 985 |
| Bonn city | 382nd 2025 | 1 | about 1 in 3,015 |
Rare, below the listed names: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, New Zealand, Leipzig, Spain, Catalonia, Hungary, Slovenia and Israel.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Nova Scotia (top 21), Denmark (top 50), Finland (top 50), Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30), Argentina (top 20) and Croatia (top 50).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); NISRA (Northern Ireland); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); Statistics Norway (SSB) (Norway); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); Landeshauptstadt München, Statistisches Amt (opendata.muenchen.de) (Munich); Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) (Sweden); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); Stadt Köln, Standesamt (offenedaten-koeln.de) (Cologne); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, rejestr PESEL (dane.gov.pl) (Poland); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (opendata-hro.de) (Rostock); Bundesstadt Bonn, Standesamt (opendata.bonn.de) (Bonn). How we count, and every source
About the name
Lydia began as a place name. It comes from the Ancient Greek for the region of Lydia in Asia Minor, and originally marked someone from there. The Greek word is also given the sense 'beautiful one, noble one'. In the New Testament, Lydia is the woman in Philippi who welcomes Paul.
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Three syllables, said LID-ee-uh, with the stress at the front. Spellings across Europe include Lidia, Lydie, Lidija and Lidiya, and Lydía shows an accented form.
It is used in about twenty regions, with its highest English-speaking rankings in Ontario, Northern Ireland and British Columbia, and moderate use in Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The French records place its peak around 1970, so it has an older generation of bearers, yet it remains in steady, modest use today.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- LID-ee-uh, 3 syllables
- Meaning
beautiful one, noble one
- Origin
- Greek
- Other spellings
- Lidia
- Lilia
- Lilla
- Lydie
- Lýdie
- Lyydia
- Lidija
- Lidziya
- Lidiya
- Lyydi
- Lidiia
- Lydiane
- Lyda
- Liidia
- Lyyli
Counted together here: Lydía.
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Λυδία (Ludía, “the region of Lydia”), from λυδία (ludía, “beautiful one, noble one”), a feminine form of Λυδός (Ludós) (Lydus, from λυδός (ludós) (lydus)). The region of Lydia is said to be named for a king Λυδός (Ludós) (Lydus, from λυδός (ludós) (lydus)); the given name Lydia originally indicated ancestry or residence in the region of Lydia.
From the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 4 of 18 regions, falling in 6.
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Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 100 | 116 | 130 | 133 | 136 | 140 | 173 | 159 | 174 | 158 |
| Scotland | 216 | 186 | 255 | 191 | 209 | 236 | 248 | 228 | 157 | 217 |
| Northern Ireland | 102 | 118 | 145 | 86 | 103 | 100 | 81 | 79 | 87 | 117 |
| Ireland | 217 | 228 | 280 | 232 | 211 | 177 | 254 | 364 | 342 | 608 |
| Ontario | 140 | 114 | 127 | 93 | 99 | 115 | 117 | 127 | 109 | |
| British Columbia | 67 | 110 | 193 | 129 | 115 | 157 | 134 | 132 | ||
| South Australia | 150 | 180 | ||||||||
| Quebec | 120 | 119 | 112 | 162 | 114 | 124 | 246 | 231 | 206 | 227 |
| France | 404 | 447 | 435 | 441 | 484 | 406 | 446 | 518 | 494 | 461 |
| The Netherlands | 582 | 568 | 378 | 519 | 615 | 444 | 431 | 356 | 626 | |
| Austria | 758 | 506 | 387 | 599 | 332 | 448 | 386 | 464 | 361 | 566 |
| Switzerland | 445 | 355 | 465 | 362 | 270 | 324 | 420 | 342 | 257 | 322 |
| Berlin | 331 | 317 | 266 | 435 | 484 | 395 | 468 | 385 | ||
| Munich | 177 | |||||||||
| Leipzig | 131 | 411 | 263 | 378 | 161 | 262 | 357 | |||
| Rostock | 283 | 122 | 166 | |||||||
| Norway | 167 | 135 | 186 | 157 | 139 | 186 | 144 | 188 | 153 | 140 |
| Sweden | 205 | 207 | 215 | 208 | 196 | 183 | 165 | 251 | 172 | 213 |
| Catalonia | 528 | |||||||||
| Italy | 1245 | 684 | 891 | 1792 | ||||||
| Poland | 397 | 491 | 616 | 706 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 158 | 317 | 125.2 |
| 2024 | 174 | 287 | 111.2 |
| 2023 | 159 | 320 | 124.7 |
| 2022 | 173 | 295 | 111.9 |
| 2021 | 140 | 358 | 130.6 |
| 2020 | 136 | 366 | 136.4 |
| 2019 | 133 | 375 | 133.9 |
| 2018 | 130 | 398 | 138.1 |
| 2017 | 116 | 468 | 156.5 |
| 2016 | 100 | 563 | 183.3 |
| 2015 | 103 | 550 | 178.6 |
| 2014 | 94 | 602 | 196.3 |
| 2013 | 100 | 552 | 179.0 |
| 2012 | 96 | 590 | 183.2 |
| 2011 | 100 | 589 | 183.3 |
| 2010 | 107 | 551 | 171.6 |
| 2009 | 91 | 639 | 203.9 |
| 2008 | 88 | 661 | 209.3 |
| 2007 | 86 | 667 | 217.9 |
| 2006 | 86 | 652 | 217.9 |
| 2005 | 84 | 649 | 225.1 |
| 2004 | 70 | 768 | 268.7 |
| 2003 | 69 | 754 | 270.6 |
| 2002 | 76 | 687 | 257.0 |
| 2001 | 59 | 861 | 321.3 |
| 2000 | 57 | 913 | 334.2 |
| 1999 | 50 | 1,084 | 384.8 |
| 1998 | 50 | 1,083 | 374.5 |
| 1997 | 56 | 1,062 | 362.2 |
| 1996 | 61 | 1,009 | 340.9 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
France since 1925
Half of the babies named Lydia in France since 1925 were born in or after 1971. First recorded in 1925. Her peak year there: 1970, at 259.7 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Lydia per 100,000 girls born in France, by five-year period. Her 1970 peak is averaged into its five-year period, so the line sits below it.
Sources: INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (1900-2025), Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0.
Sister names for Lydia
1 in 660 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 3,578 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 1,214 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 2,113 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 880 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 1,174 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 228 in Northern Ireland
1 in 175 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 911 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
1 in 2,641 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Lydia.
Middle names for Lydia
1 in 107 in Northern Ireland
Lydia Charlotte
3-2 beats · initials LC
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 86 in Ireland
Lydia Sophie
3-2 beats · initials LS
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Lydia Grace
3-1 beats · initials LG
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 71 in Scotland
Lydia Olivia
3-4 beats · initials LO · Lydia slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 4 syllables. Lydia slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 102 in Ireland
Lydia Mia
3-2 beats · initials LM
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 132 in Northern Ireland
Lydia Ruby
3-2 beats · initials LR
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
1 in 214 in Northern Ireland
Lydia Rose
3-1 beats · initials LR
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 173 in Northern Ireland
Lydia Nora
3-2 beats · initials LN
Changes the beat after Lydia: 3 syllables, then 2 syllables.
Same style as Lydia
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 911 in Northern Ireland
96% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 1,278 in Scotland
96% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 80 in Northern Ireland
95% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 632 in England and Wales
95% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 660 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 880 in Ireland
94% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 1,193 in Scotland
94% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
1 in 660 in Ireland
94% alike: moves with Lydia across countries and decades.
Famous people named Lydia
Lydia Koidula, Lydia Davis, Lydia Maria Child, Lydia of Thyatira, Lydia Cacho, Lydia Becker, Lydia Forson and Lydia Lunch.
Show all 8Show less
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Estonian poet (1843-1886)
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American writer (born 1947)
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American abolitionist, author and women's rights activist (1802-1880)
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1st‑century Lydian merchant of purple cloth, Christian saint, early European convert to Christianity mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles
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Mexican journalist born 1963
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British activist, botanist and astronomist (1827-1890)
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Ghanaian actress, writer and producer born 1984
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American singer, author and actress born 1959
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Lydia
5 questions, on how popular she is, what it means, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
Show all 5 questionsShow less
How popular is Lydia?
Her best rank is No. 109 in Ontario in 2024, about 1 in 573 girls. She is in the published lists of 20 of our 40 regions.
What does Lydia mean?
Wiktionary glosses Lydia as "beautiful one, noble one".
How do you pronounce Lydia?
LID-ee-uh, with 3 syllables.
Is Lydia getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 4 of 18 regions, falling in 6.
Which sister names go with Lydia?
The deck's top five sisters for Lydia: Alexandra, Angela, Catherine, Nicole and Rachel. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.