Lionel is a French diminutive of Leon and means "little lion" or "young lion". Sir Lionel was one of the knights of the Round Table, and in modern times the name belongs to the singer Lionel Richie and the soccer great Lionel Messi, whose move to Miami in 2023 coincided with its recent rise. Lionel has been in the US top 1000 since 2010, peaked at number 495 in 2023 and ranks 659 in 2025.