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Lewis

Say it: LOO-is/ˈluːɪs/

BoyMeans an English form of Louis, usually explained as "famous in battle"5 letters2 syllables

#432

in Ireland (2025)

#418 with spellings combined

8

babies in 2025

#125

best rank (2017)

998

babies since 1969

Down 261

10-year rank change

Lewis through the years

Compare with another name →
Lewis: babies per year in Ireland, 1964 to 2025020406080196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series changePeak 2009: 59
Lewis: rank per year in Ireland, 1964 to 2025#1#10#50#100#250#500196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series change
Lewis: per 10,000 boys per year in Ireland, 1964 to 202505101520196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series change
Babies per 10,000 boys listed by the CSO that year, which evens out changes in the number of births.
Show the numbers
YearBabies (boys)Rank
20258#418
202415#269
202318#237
202222#221
202141#147
202028#181
201937#158
201847#132
201750#125
201638#162
201541#157
201452#127
201332#192
201235#182
201153#132
201043#160
200959#126
200851#140
200738#157
200624#190
200530#152
200417#192
200324#162
200226#148
200121#156
200012#196
199912#197
19989#215
199715#189
199611#208
199514#184
19949#208
19936#255
19929#210
19919#205
199010#203
19895#253
19888#207
19855#250
19835#258
19806#252
19693#291

Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.

★ What does Lewis mean?

An English form of Louis, usually explained as "famous in battle"

English, from the Norman form of Louis, from the Frankish name Hludwig.

Say it right

LOOis

The story of Lewis

Lewis is the old English form of Louis. Both go back to a Frankish name, Hludwig, which is usually explained as “famous in battle”. The Normans brought it to England as Lowis or Lewis, and it later became a common surname as well as a first name. The writer C. S. Lewis, born in Belfast, carried it as a surname.

Lewis first appears in the CSO records in 1969, with 3 boys, and it stayed rare for years. It grew through the 2000s and peaked in 2009, with 59 babies. Its best rank came later, number 125 in 2017. It has fallen back sharply since, and in 2025 it was number 432, with 8 babies.

The name has a much bigger following in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 20 in 2008. Even in 2025 it was number 114 there, with 20 boys. The CSO counts Lewis, Louis and Louie separately.

Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.

Sources
  • Wiktionary: Lewis (English proper noun)
  • Wikipedia: Lewis (given name)
  • CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
  • NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland

At a glance

Similar names

LouisLouieLukeLucas

Sibling ideas

ErinHollyAmy

Nicknames

Lew

Spellings counted here

Spelling2025All years
Lewis8998

In Northern Ireland

#114 in 2025 with 20 babies. Best rank #20 (2008); 1,844 babies since 1997.

Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.

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