Lieutenant," derived from French and meaning "holder of rank," entered English usage during the late 14th century. It denotes an officer who ranks immediately below a captain in the army, and below a commander in the navy. The term's evolution is fascinating: it originally referred to one who holds power or rank, before evolving into its military context over time. In various armed forces around the world, the rank of lieutenant has been traditionally held by junior officers with significant responsibilities, making this title historically and militarily significant.
Here are some observations about the name Lieutenant from its annual birth statistics:
- The peak years for babies named Lieutenant were 1917 and 1919, with 12 births each.
- There was a gap of four years between 1920 and 1924 when no babies named Lieutenant were born.
- The name's popularity resurged in the mid-1930s to early 1940s, with several peaks at around 7 to 10 births per year.
- After the 1950s, there was another significant decline in the number of babies named Lieutenant.
- The total number of births with the name Lieutenant over this period is 199.