The first name Lydia
A girl’s name from Greek meaning “the region of lydia”, “beautiful one”, “noble one”.
Pronounced /ˈlɪ.di.ə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Lydia means “the region of lydia”, “beautiful one”, “noble one” in Greek.
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 Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 317 girls were named Lydia, making it the 158th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1999, with 1,084 births (#50).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lydia with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Lydia at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 2,692 girls born in the United States were named Lydia, the 92nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2014, when 3,652 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Lydia in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Lydia in Danish, German, Norwegian and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Lydia
47 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Lydia KoidulaEstonian poet (1843-1886)
- Lydia DavisAmerican writer (born 1947)
- Lydia Maria ChildAmerican abolitionist, author and women's rights activist (1802-1880)
- Lydia of Thyatira1st‑century Lydian merchant of purple cloth, Christian saint, early European convert to Ch, 100–100
- Lydia BeckerBritish activist, botanist and astronomist (1827-1890)
- Lydia LunchAmerican singer, author and actress, born 1959
- Lydia WidemanFinnish cross-country skier, 1920–2019
- Lydia JacobyAmerican swimmer, born 2004
- Lydia de VegaFilipina athlete (1964–2022)
- Lydia Hearst-ShawAmerican model and actress, born 1984
- Lydia LassilaAustralian freestyle skier, born 1982
- Lydia WilliamsAustralian soccer player, born 1988
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Lydia mean?
- Lydia means “the region of lydia”, “beautiful one”, “noble one” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Lydia?
- 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…
- How popular is the name Lydia?
- In 2025, 317 girls born in England and Wales were named Lydia, ranking 158th. Its peak was 1999, with 1,084 births.
- What are nicknames for Lydia?
- Common nicknames for Lydia include Liddy.
- Is Lydia a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 187,317 US babies named Lydia since 1880 were girls.
- When was Lydia most popular?
- 2014 in the United States, when 3,652 babies were named Lydia, its highest rank at 84th.
- How do you pronounce Lydia?
- Lydia is /ˈlɪ.di.ə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Lydia?
- Lidia.