HomeBaby Names DirectoryLennon

Lennon

♀ Girl

Pronounced LEN-un /ˈlɛn.ən/High

Meaning: Dear little one; from Irish Ó Leannáin or Mac Leannáin: leannán (lover, sweetheart, or cloak)Medium

In 30 seconds: An Irish surname meaning 'lover' or 'dear little one,' forever associated with Beatles legend John Lennon. Now a fashionable first name for girls, carrying both peace-movement spirit and Celtic heritage.
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Origin MediumIrish Gaelic
MeaningDear little one; from Irish Ó Leannáin or Mac Leannáin: leannán (lover, sweetheart, or cloak)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,365

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201719812017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Lennon is an Irish surname, the anglicization of Gaelic Ó Leannáin or Mac Leannáin, from the word leannán ('lover, sweetheart, darling,' or possibly 'little cloak'). The surname has been borne by families in Connacht, Ireland, for many centuries. As a given name, Lennon is entirely modern and is used primarily as a tribute to John Lennon.

Lennon as a first name entered the U.S. top 1000 in the 2000s and has been rising since, particularly as a girls' name. It is part of the broader trend for musician surnames used as first names — alongside names like Jagger, Bowie, and Marley. It now ranks in the top 300 for girls.

Did you know? John Lennon (1940–1980) was so culturally defining that naming a child Lennon has become an explicit tribute to his legacy of music, peace activism, and counterculture — one of the clearest tribute-naming traditions in modern baby names.

Variations

LenonLennan

Nicknames

LenLeniEnny

Famous Bearers

  • John Lennon (1940–1980)
    British musician, co-founder and primary songwriter of The Beatles; peace activist.

If you like Lennon…

Harlow— Hollywood-legend surname name with the same nostalgia-meets-modern appeal

Frequently Asked

What does the name Lennon mean?

Lennon is an Irish surname from Ó Leannáin, meaning 'lover' or 'dear little one.' As a first name it is typically given as a tribute to John Lennon.

How do you pronounce Lennon?

Lennon is pronounced LEN-un (/ˈlɛn.ən/) — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Lennon a boy or girl name?

Lennon is used for both sexes but is becoming more popular as a girls' name in the United States.

How popular is Lennon?

Lennon has been rising steadily in the U.S. since the 2000s and is now in the top 300 girls' names.