boy's name · in the US
Lian
LEE-ahn
- Origin Chinese
- Gender Boy (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 6,450
the United States
#428
2025 births
Lian is a unisex name with several unrelated sources. In Chinese it can mean lotus or to connect, depending on the character; in Hebrew it is a modern coinage; and in English it works as a short form of Lianne and Julian.
- Lian is a name of Chinese origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 794 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 4,176 babies in the United States is given this name.
- Lian started out as a girls' name and is now given almost entirely to boys.
- First appears in US birth records in 1957.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Lian Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1950s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 10 |
| 1960s | 24 |
| 1970s | 21 |
| 1980s | 94 |
| 1990s | 187 |
| 2000s | 408 |
| 2010s | 1,859 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,102 |
What Lian Means
Lian means lotus or graceful in Chinese depending on which character is written — a distinction the roman spelling cannot show. In Hebrew it is a modern name read as mine is God, and in English it carries only whatever it shortens.
Where Lian Comes From
Lian is written in Chinese with any of several characters, most commonly one meaning lotus and another meaning to link or connect, and the romanization collapses distinctions that are entirely clear in writing — which is a general problem with Chinese names in Latin script. Separately it is a modern Israeli name, coined in the twentieth century and read as a compound of li, mine, and an, or as a form of Lior. In English-speaking use it is most often a short form of Lianne, Gillian or Julian. It is on record from 1957, rising steadily since.
Lian in Use
Lian charts in five markets and reached its highest recorded use in 2025.
How Popular Is Lian?
In 2025, Lian was given to 794 babies in the United States, ranking #428 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Lian Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Lian
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Lian Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Lian over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Lian is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Boys' 10% girls · 4,146 babies
- England & Wales Both 50% girls · 195 babies
- Canada Both 40% girls · 175 babies
- France Boys' 4% girls · 130 babies
How to Say Lian
- Pronunciation LEE-ahn /liˈɑːn/
1 nickname for Lian
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Lian in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Dutch
- Lianne
Sibling Names for Lian
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Lian — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Lian
What does the name Lian mean?
In Chinese, lotus or to connect depending on the character written. In Hebrew it is a modern coinage, and in English a short form of Lianne or Julian.
Is Lian a Chinese name?
It can be, but the roman spelling hides which character is meant — and the same spelling is used independently in Hebrew and English.
Is Lian a boy's or a girl's name?
Both, and used fairly evenly.
How popular is the name Lian?
In 2025, Lian was given to 794 babies in the United States, ranking #428 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
How many syllables are in Lian?
Lian has 2 syllables.
When was Lian most popular?
Lian peaked in 2025, when 794 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Lian?
Lian is usually shortened to Li.
Is Lian a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Lian currently ranks #428 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.