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Lemuel

♂ Boy

Pronounced LEHM-yoo-uhl /ˈlɛm.ju.əl/Medium

Meaning: For GodMedium

In 30 seconds: Lemuel is a Biblical boy's name meaning 'for God' or 'devoted to God', from Hebrew roots.

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Origin MediumBiblical, English, Mormon

MeaningFor God

U.S. rank (2025)#2030 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births74 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1921

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,964

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

The name appears in the Hebrew Bible and is read as 'for God' or 'belonging to God', built around the divine element el. Its most famous scriptural bearer is the King Lemuel of Proverbs 31, who is remembered for the wise counsel his mother gave him. That association ties the name to wisdom and good rule.

A later bearer is Lemuel Haynes, an American clergyman recorded as the first Black man ordained as a minister in the United States. The name shares its -el ending with the wider family of Hebrew names that name God directly.

Did you know? Lemuel appears in the Old Testament, which helped preserve it across centuries of Jewish and Christian naming traditions.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Lemuel — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Lemuel (biblical)
King mentioned in Proverbs 31 of the Hebrew Bible, advised by his mother.
★Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833)
American clergyman, the first Black man ordained as a minister in the United States.

If you like Lemuel…

Samuel— Another Hebrew -el name from the Bible, close to Lemuel in sound and devotional sense.

Nathaniel— Shares the Hebrew -el ending meaning God, with the same scriptural roots.

Immanuel— A biblical -el name centered on God, like Lemuel.

Ishmael— a similarly popular pick

Zabdiel— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Lemuel

By themeenglish biblical

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Lemuel mean?

Lemuel is usually explained as meaning 'for God' and is most often linked with Biblical tradition.

How do you pronounce Lemuel?

It's commonly said LEHM-yoo-uhl /ˈlɛm.ju.əl/.

Is Lemuel a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Lemuel is used as a boy name.

How popular is Lemuel?

In 2024, Lemuel ranked #2142 in the U.S. for boys, with 69 births recorded.