Lian
Lian was the 428th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 752 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 717 places. More babies were named Lian in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Chinese, Norwegian, American English
Say it LEE-un /ˈliən/
- Rank in 2025
- #428 boys, up 365 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 752boys
- Girls and boys
- 7% girls, 93% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025752 babies
- Total since 1880
- 5,705babies recorded
What does the name Lian mean?
Lian has several unrelated sources, and none is documented as the source of the American first name. Wiktionary records Lian as a Norwegian surname from farms named Li, from Old Norse hlíð, hillside, and as a Chinese surname from characters read lián. Chinese given names spelled Lian use various characters, so their meaning depends on the writing. In the US the name may also be a short form or variant of Liana or Lillian. Without evidence for which one applies, we do not give a single meaning.
hlíð (Old Norse, “hillside (Norwegian surname)”)lián (Mandarin Chinese, “surname (several characters)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Several possible origins; meaning depends on the family's language and, for Chinese names, the characters used.
Related names: Liana, Lianne, Leanne.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lian' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Lian' (Tagalog section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Lian popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,621 | #428 | 42 | 752 |
| 2020 | #3,526 | #793 | 43 | 293 |
| 2010 | #3,930 | #2,279 | 39 | 57 |
| 2000 | #6,368 | #7,900 | 17 | 8 |
| 1990 | #5,185 | #8,959 | 18 | 5 |
| 1980 | #5,743 | — | 12 | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | #6,076 | — | 6 | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Lian, counting every spelling?
Lian has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #429 for boys in 2025, against #428 on the official list, because Kason/Kasen/Casen and Mohamed/Mohammad/Mohammed and Chosen/Chozen/Chozyn move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Lian?
752 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Lian (0.21 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Lian born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 11 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Lian.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Lian?
About 4,500 people born in the US named Lian are alive today, with a median age of 5; half are between 2 and 9. That makes Lian a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Lian by state
How common Lian was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (1.9×), Maryland (1.8×), Texas (1.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Arkansas, Oregon, Mississippi.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Lian: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Lian, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Lian · Sibling names for Lian
Questions about the name Lian
What does Lian mean?
The origin of Lian is uncertain: several possible origins; meaning depends on the family's language and, for Chinese names, the characters used.
How popular is the name Lian?
Lian was the 428th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 752 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 717 places. More babies were named Lian in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Lian a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 7% girls, 93% boys given the name Lian in the US.
Where is Lian most popular?
In 2021–2025, Lian was most common in Delaware (0.59 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Jersey and Maryland.