Lon
A male given name; diminutive form Lonnie.
Every Lon since 1880 — 9,856 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lon
Lon is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 9,856 American babies have been named Lon. Its peak came in 1948, when 274 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lon stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lon year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | 5 | #13,559 |
| 2021 | — | — | 5 | #13,319 |
| 2020 | — | — | 6 | #11,443 |
| 2019 | — | — | 6 | #11,610 |
| 2018 | — | — | 7 | #10,327 |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | 10 | #7,931 |
| 2015 | — | — | 8 | #9,242 |
| 2014 | — | — | 6 | #11,591 |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | 9 | #8,598 |
| 2011 | — | — | 5 | #13,558 |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | 6 | #11,896 |
| 2008 | — | — | 9 | #8,738 |
| 2007 | — | — | 5 | #13,609 |
| 2006 | — | — | 9 | #8,469 |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | 7 | #9,556 |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | 15 | #5,053 |
| 2001 | — | — | 14 | #5,304 |
| 2000 | — | — | 13 | #5,477 |
| 1995 | — | — | 11 | #5,371 |
| 1990 | — | — | 40 | #1,926 |
| 1985 | — | — | 37 | #1,688 |
| 1980 | — | — | 57 | #1,222 |
| 1975 | — | — | 73 | #962 |
| 1970 | — | — | 150 | #670 |
| 1965 | — | — | 154 | #617 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,912 | 220 | #534 |
| 1955 | — | — | 252 | #467 |
| 1950 | — | — | 235 | #434 |
| 1945 | — | — | 112 | #573 |
| 1940 | — | — | 90 | #629 |
| 1935 | — | — | 56 | #840 |
| 1930 | — | — | 73 | #748 |
| 1925 | — | — | 59 | #876 |
| 1920 | — | — | 46 | #1,027 |
| 1915 | — | — | 54 | #838 |
| 1910 | — | — | 14 | #843 |
| 1905 | — | — | 9 | #884 |
| 1900 | — | — | 34 | #383 |
| 1895 | — | — | 31 | #334 |
| 1890 | — | — | 46 | #250 |
| 1885 | — | — | 38 | #270 |
| 1880 | — | — | 64 | #193 |
Famous people named Lon
- Léon Foucault Physicist · 1819–1868
- Léon Degrelle Politician · 1906–1994
- Léon Blum Politician · 1872–1950
- Léon Walras Economist · 1834–1910
- Lon Chaney Actor · 1883–1930
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lon mean?
A male given name; diminutive form Lonnie.
How popular is the name Lon in 2025?
Lon did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Lon?
9,856 babies have been named Lon in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lon most popular?
Lon peaked in 1948, when 274 newborns received the name.
Is Lon a boy or girl name?
Lon is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lon rising or falling?
Lon is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lon?
Well-known people named Lon include Léon Foucault (physicist), Léon Degrelle (politician), Léon Blum (politician).