Lemuel is a unique and intriguing name with an interesting history and origin. It is derived from the Hebrew language, where it translates to "for God he has spoken" or "devoted to God." In the Old Testament of the Bible, Lemuel is mentioned as the father of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.
The name Lemuel gained popularity in the English-speaking world during the 16th century, likely due to its biblical origins. It was used by several notable figures throughout history, including Lemuel Gulliver, the protagonist of Jonathan Swift's satirical novel "Gulliver's Travels," and Lemuel Haynes, an American minister and veteran of the American Revolutionary War who is believed to have been one of the first African-American graduates from a college in the United States.
Despite its biblical origins, Lemuel has not been particularly popular as a given name. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, it has never ranked among the top 1000 names for boys since records began in the late 19th century. However, this may be due in part to its unique sound and unconventional spelling, which can make it feel unfamiliar or difficult to pronounce for some people.
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in unique and uncommon names, which may lead to an increase in the popularity of Lemuel in the future. Overall, Lemuel is a name with a rich history and meaningful origin that is worth considering for parents looking for something distinctive and memorable for their child.
The name Lemuel experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. In its peak years of 1880-1882, there were an average of 54 births per year. However, this number dropped dramatically to an average of 37 births per year between 1883 and 1892. The name's popularity continued to decline throughout the early 20th century, reaching a low point in the 1960s with an average of just 54 births per year from 1960-1970. Since then, the number of annual Lemuel births has averaged around 50-60, with occasional spikes such as the 82 births recorded in 2018 and 73 births in 2022. Overall, there have been a total of 9820 Lemuel births since records began.