Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
Rare and exotic, similar to Nadia.
For the Dutch pronunciation of Lydia, you can listen to the audio clips featured on the websites below:https://nl.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lydia (in Dutch)
https://nl.forvo.com/search/Lydia/nl/ (in Dutch)
https://youtu.be/sTFuo1xBBkQ (in Dutch; the name is said at 0:07 and 0:25 and 0:52)
https://youtu.be/Pnmat5M7GoM (in Dutch; the name is said at 0:26)Converted to IPA, it should be: /'li.di.ja:/ [noted -ed]
Beautiful!
Lydia is beautiful! As a musician, it reminds me of the Lydian mode, the brightest of the musical modes. I imagine a woman equally beautiful, happy and sweet. 11/10, would marry!
As a person named Lydia, I get called Olivia and Linda very often. However, I still like my name and I think it's cool that there was once a country named Lydia! I will admit that I didn't really look into the history/origin of my name (until now), but in my (very biased) opinion, I like how my name looks and sounds even without any context. And to all my fellow Lydias that get called Chlamydia, I feel you... Overall, I like my name a lot, despite the (at most slightly inconvenient) challenges that come with it!
Lydia is such an adorable and gorgeous name! Rolls off the tongue well and it looks cute written down!
So beautiful ❤️ Reminds me of butterflies for some reason.
My name is Lydia. As a child I didn't love it. Now, I do very much like my name. I have learned things about my name that I can share. First off, the name Lydia has history back as far as Asia Minor. It was a country during Asia Minor, it is recorded to have been the country where money in the form of coins were first recorded. Next fun fact (my favourite), in the bible, Lydia was a whore! In France the shortened nickname is Lydie (and I really like the sound of that). There's a great song by the Marx Brothers Called "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", it's a great song and I usually always get asked if I have a tattoo - which I do! I got one just because of this song!
As for nicknames by friends I can def relate to the whole Chlamydia thing, but I've also been called Lintia (because under a black light at a dance club I apparently had lint on my black clothes - which in the 80"s was normal daily attire. Black. Anyhoo, I can't seem to remember all the other rhymes to my name of disgusting diseases that I've been called, but they're funny. :)
So pretty! I absolutely love this name!
Such a cute name! My friend's name is Lydia, and she is such a kind soul! Very nice name, love the way it's spelled.
There were so many Lydias I met that were mean, but I still find the name pretty.
Lydia Rodarte-Quayle is a character from the shows "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul".
Lydia is a beautiful name.
I think that this is a very nice, classy name. I love how it sounds and looks.
It’s pretty.
Please add Lydia Martin from Teen Wolf to the namesakes! She is awesome!
Lydia has a nice ring to it, reminds me of Melody.
Lydia Night, frontwoman of LA punk rock band The Regrettes.
It's so beautiful and elegant ❤❤.
There is a Peanuts character named Lydia.
I personally love this name. In addition to being beautiful, it is so Victorian, and goes back to the Roman Empire.
Lt. Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak (1921-1943) was a fighter pilot in the Soviet air force during World War II. She was the first female flying ace, the first female in the world to shoot down an enemy aircraft, and is the highest scoring female fighter pilot to this day.
Lydia is my name, i’ve always liked it and thought it sounds pleasant. Lydian and Mixolydian are both musical scales, named after the ancient Greek modes. The invention of ancient Greek Mixolydian was attributed to the poet Sappho. I’ve only known three other Lydia’s in real life, and a lot of people haven’t heard of the name when I’ve introduced myself, in my experience. Little children have struggled to pronounce my name before, I get a lot of “Olivia”s. I’ve been called “Linda” once or twice, as well. Nicknames that friends and family have used have been “Lyd” (pronounced lid), “Lyds” (lids), and “Lydie” (lid-ee). A few friends have teased me with “chlamydia” as well, but I thought it was funny lol.
I think Lydia is a very pretty biblical name. It's classy and has an adorable vintage charm about it. It's also not overly common, which is nice.
Overall, I think Lydia is a beautiful name.
Seems sort of mysterious and unusual, all while being normal. I like it, pretty.
Despise the "Lyd", sounds harsh to me...
Elegant name.
Lydia is also Estonian, Greek (used alongside Lidia in Greece), and Swedish. The name day for Lydia in Estonia is May 23. The name day for Lydia in Greece is May 20. The name day for Lydia in Sweden is December 3.Sources: https://et.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_(eesnimi)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_(name)
https://forebears.io/forenames/lydia
My name is Lydia, and I haven't always been a big fan of it, but reading all these comments, I think I like it!
I love the name Lydia, I think it’s beautiful. I’ve actually never heard of the country Lydia like a lot of other Americans I guess, but I think this would fit all ages. It’s beautiful.
I love this name! I think it works really well on all ages! When I see this name I imagine a rainbow.
Never liked it. It's whiny and pretentious.
Such a cute name! I might use this one day.
Such a cute name. Top 10!
Beautiful, classic name. One of my favourites. I love the way it flows off the tongue.
Lydia Koidula (1843-1886) is an Estonian poet.
If you think about it, Lydia is kind of like naming your child India or China, since Lydia was technically a realm. It's fine though since most people don't know about Lydia the country.
I always think of a middle-aged woman when I see this name. Reminds me of Susan, Karen, Deborah, etc.
Lydia is a beautiful name.
It possesses a Victorian charm. Lydia...
Every name has teasing potential and kids will make fun of any name no matter how nice it is, so go with what you want. I wouldn't fret about the chlamydia thing. It's a pretty name. You wouldn't associate Amanda with a man just because it has that in the word, would you?
Lydia is such a sweet name to the ears...It's romantic, feminine and would age nicely. It sounds like a name you would find in a storybook or a fairy tale. Very pretty.
Also Estonian: https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_(eesnimi)
This name is also used in Spanish-speaking countries, pronounced [LEE-dhya].
So this is my deadname (yes I'm trans please don't dislike just for that) but I don't hold a grudge against this name as Lydia Deetz is an amazing character in my favorite movie. It is a beautiful name, my best friend is named Lydia and it suits her well.
I love this name. It’s so beautiful and it’s my cousin’s name and she’s nice so that reminds me of her. Lydia is gorgeous and Lidia is okay too but Lydia just looks better in my opinion. Lyds would be a cute nickname or Didi. You could even call her L/Elle. I love Lydia.
So beautiful! Way better than Lidia.
So beautiful. My favorite biblical name.
So pretty!
Not bad, just not as appealing as other names. Of course it’s still pretty though. No wonder it has a high rating of 77!
Lydia is the youngest of the five Bennet sisters in Jane Austen’s (fictional) book, Pride and Prejudice. She is frivolous and silly, and runs off with an officer, George Wickham.
No worries, the Deetz girl from "Beetlejuice" won't let you lose faith in the name.
I really used to like this name, as it is so pretty. However, I now can't hear it without thinking of Aunt Lydia from The Handmaid's Tale. Oh, well.
In response to the comment about the name being affected by the impression of Aunt Lydia from The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood just released the sequel- The Testaments- and Aunt Lydia is a much more sympathetic character there.
Usage: English, German (Rare), Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Literature, Popular CultureIn Popular Culture, several main characters have used this name, including Lydia Deetz from the 1988 movie "Beetlejuice".
Aunt Lydia from 'The Handmaid's Tale'.
Could the name possibly have its name affected by its association with the infamously strict and sadomasochistic but selfless Aunt Lydia from Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale'? Not to be rude.
Lydia Taylor is the daughter of Josh and Aly of the TV documentary “Rattled”.
I love this name, but I can see why people wouldn't, as it could remind them of a female private part, (the labia) or an STD such as chlamydia. Please note, I'm not trying to be crass while mentioning these things.
I still love the name and might think about using it, but for now Mavis still holds the top spot in my favorite girl names.
Lydia Renfrew is one of the four female characters in Alma De Groen's 2002 play WICKED SISTERS. She works as a real estate agent and is portrayed as superficial and self-centered, trying desperately to look younger and have an affair with a younger man after her husband left her with their two daughters for a 23-year-old woman. She has been played by Diane Craig.
Lydia is a stunning name, very elegant and melodic. The inhabitants of the historical kingdom of Lydia are credited with being the first to use gold and silver coins.
Lydia is an old favourite of mine. I rate it 6/10. It has a beautiful and aristocratic vibe but no longer among my faves. I currently find it quite boring.
I know two Lydia's, and they pronounce it "Li-de-a".
Yeah, so this is my own name. I noticed it's got a high youthful score and as a short woman with a baby face, this doesn't bode well for me to be taken seriously.I've heard somewhere that it means "beauty." Also "noble kind of the noble sort" or "noble one."
I've loved this name ever since Lydia from Beetlejuice! I LOVED that movie as a kid!
In 2018, 2 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Lydia who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 479th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
I named my miracle baby Lydia. I think it's a beautiful name fit for a beautiful girl.
My middle name is Lydia and I love it. I think this is a beautiful, old name. This name reminds me of a princess. :)
I rarely hear anybody with the same name as me. Other than that, I think it's an okay name.. I guess.
Sounds like a disease. Hate it.
Lydia is glamorous and beautiful. I love it.
Lidia Zamenhof indeed is an extraordinary woman, daughter of Dr, Zamenhof, the Esperantist who died in concentration camps in Poland 1942. Her life story is worth reading!
Lydia Marie Mackay is an American theatre actress and voice actress primarily known for her work for Funimation and OkraTron 5000. She has provided voices for a number of English versions of Japanese anime television series, films and video games.
This name is spelled as Lidya in Turkish.
My name is Lydia. I was named after my great grandmother and she didn't even use the name but used "Tina" instead - why would you name your kid the name someone else wouldn't even use? Honestly, I hate my name for the most part. About 6th grade was when I really started to despise it. Every day would be a new ordeal with kids saying I was "Chlamydia" or "labia" or something like that.
The region of Lydia is said to be named for a king Λυδός (Lydus, from λυδός (lydus)), meaning "beautiful one, noble one". [noted -ed]
Up until now I didn't like the name Lydia. It is my name and I was supposedly named after 2 of my Biological dad's sisters. Lydia and Maria, but the Maria got changed to Marie. He was never around so I didn't like being named for his family members, but with all this information on the name and its origins I'm starting to change my mind. My friends call me Lyds.
My name is Lydia and I love it. I mean a lot of people these days don't have the name, but I love it!
There are no words I can use to describe how much I LOVE this name. Lydia would definitely be a potential name if I ever have a daugher. Lydia with the nickname of Lydie. And hey, I may very well name a daughter this (: Lydia: Nothing but the highest respect for it. Very beautiful!
I'm reminded too much of the character from Pride and Prejudice, who was known for being highly immature and not very bright. Other than this association it's a decent name, if a bit boring.
Lydia is a fictional character in the comic series "The Walking Dead".
I've loved this name since I was a child because of Winona Ryder's character in Beetlejuice. When we were trying to figure out a name for our newest little girl, my husband had me read off the top 20 names from around 1880-1910. Lydia stuck out for him as well. So our little girl is Lydia Ruth! Everyone loves it.
My name is Lydia, and I love my name! It is unique, and some of the meanings for it suit me! My family calls me Lid, and I get kinda annoyed by it, and my close friends also call me Liddie, but I make up nick-names for them too. I think it is a great name for a kind person, especially because it is so elegant.
I am also called Olivia, Lizzy, and Lidia (lie-dee-a) I can be annoying, but I personally like the name Olivia.
My one year old's name is Lydia Rose. I call her Lilly-Dia lol. She's named after Beetlejuice character Lydia Deetz.
I like the name 'Lydia', it's a beautiful name and exceptional name!
Love this name! Short & sweet. And the y doesn't look like a y was just stuck in there to make it different and unique since it is already there!
I love this name. It has a beautiful sound when you say it outloud--it is old-fashioned and beautiful at the same time. I knew a Lydia, and her family called her Lyddie for short. A perfect name for a smart, thoughtful, beautiful girl.
This reminds me of a famous steam drifter from near where I live called the Lydia Eva. It's a beautiful ship from the days of herring fishing.
The German pronunciation of this name is really horrificMuch prefer Lid-Dee-uh\lid-E-uh.
My daughter's name is Lydia. It was one of the few names on our list that I felt would fit well for a variety of personalities, that it would fit whoever our daughter might grow up to be. I think it's both elegant and strong. Beautiful but not cutesy. I've heard the name a few other times and I know it's been slightly more popular than it had been in recent decades, but certainly not trendy or overused. My great aunt (who was born in the 1910s) told me it's a "good old name," which probably reflects on the fact that it was popular in the 1880s and before. Aside from my daughter, my strongest association with the name is Lydia Bennett from Pride & Prejudice, but even though she's not the best character I still have a positive association with it being in an Austen book.
I love the name Lydia; it was my husband's favorite name for a girl. I love the spelling. It is very feminine, not too long and just a sweet sounding girl name that is not overly popular.
I've always loved the name Lydia. It is so feminine and reminds me of a delicate, fragile flower. I once met a girl named 'Lydia Lydiate' which was a bit ridiculous, but because it was so ridiculous it didn't put me off it. If your name is Lydia appreciate it because I am a huge fan of your name!
I love this name, but I rarely like short names like these for a first name because I like my nicknames. So most likely this is just going to be used to me as a middle name.
This name is so soft, feminine and beautiful! Wonderful name ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.
I have always personally loved this name.
Lydia Martin is the name of a main character on the TV show Teen Wolf, portrayed by Holland Roden.
In the book 18, Pete's oldest daughter's name is Lydia. She is sometimes called Liddy.
Love this name! I've had similar experiences to those stated before, I've had people flat out tell me how much they hate this name. But I can't help but love it- it's so refined and beautiful, and it rolls of the tongue wonderfully.
I keep coming across people with this name all of a sudden, so it must be making a comeback! I never really thought much about it, but I actually like it a lot.
Lydia Cornell is an American actress.
I didn't use to like this name because it reminded me of the obnoxious Lydia from Pride & Prejudice, but now it's starting to grow on me. I find it very pretty and elegant now.
Lydia (portrayed by Sara Canning) appeared as a character in the Supernatural episode "The Slice Girls" in 2012. She is remarkable for having been an Amazon and mothering the child of Dean Winchester.
I just noticed that the rating for this particular name has dropped from 74 % to 70 % overnight (I happened to look at the website yesterday) - how odd! Apparently dozens of people registered their negative opinion one after the other, in one go. I have noticed this phenomenon for other names too and it seems to me that the ratings on this board are being manipulated by certain users who are logging in and out, in order to be able to rate again. - this should not be allowed, as it gives wrong impressions of the popularity of names!
I completely disagree with the previous comment – The name is very lovely and elegant. Another famous bearer is Ilyena Lydia Mironoff, aka Helen Mirren, by the way.
I'm sorry but I just do not like it. It reminds me of jar lids and chlamydia.
Such a pretty name! It suits all ages.
Lydia was the eldest daughter of Robin Williams's character in Mrs. Doubtfire. She was often called "Lydie". I'm surprised that wasn't already on here! That's where I first fell in love with the name.
Lydia Rogers is half of the duo, The Secret Sisters.
This name is one of the ugliest I've ever heard! Are you all crazy?
Lydia is certainly NOT "one of the ugliest names ever". What an odd and unjustified statement to make. On the contrary, it's a beautiful, elegant and classical name. I think it's hard to deny that.
Lydia M. Bastianich a well known TV Chef, she is an excellent Italian cook, plus I like this name :-))
I love the timeless quality of this name. It has a Regency/Victorian charm, but is still very usable in the modern age.
This is my cousin's name and I love it. It's in Greek so the "d" is pronounced "th" like in "this". I believe it's an elegant and beautiful name, it sounds soft and ethereal.
Lydia Lopokova (1892-1981) was a Russian ballet dancer who married the Bloomsbury economist Maynard Keynes. She was friends with T.S. Eliot, H.G. Wells and Pablo Picasso, and helped to form a national ballet company in Britain.
A famous, but fictional, bearer is Lydia Languish, who is a wealthy teenage heiress in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The Rivals, a 1775 play. I also think this is a lovely name. :)
As feminine names go, Lydia to me is one of the nicest ones for a girl or woman of any age. It's delicate and refined. Lydia is also the name of a people who once lived in present day Turkey's Anatolian province all the way to the Aegean sea. They profoundly influenced the Greeks culturally before they were conquered by the Persians.
This is my favourite girls' name. I like the sound, the spelling, and I've never actually met anyone with this name, which is all good. And I can't think of anything that would cause a kid to get picked on for having this name, either.
I am very glad the name Lydia is so rare. It indicates that the few people who are blessed with the name are very special and noteworthy. For those people who have the privilege of knowing more than one Lydia, I don't know where you live, but here in the American Great Plains, it is not so prolific. I am heartened by all the lovely comments on this wonderful name and hope that they encourage some special parents to bestow upon their little girl this name of awe-inspiring beauty.
Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace) wrote beautiful poems to his lover, Lydia, that's my reason for loving this name.
As to the prior comments about people not liking the name "Lydia". I was named Lydia after my grandmother. I am Lydia Sue. I have always loved the name Lydia. I love the name and all my friends know that is my "real" name and they like it too. I too, have been called "Linda" in the past. If I would have been able to have another daughter, I would have named her "Lydia" something. I wished I had named my first daughter "Lydia".
I like this name and I've met pretty cool people named Lydia, but I can't help but think about chlamydia when I hear this name.
Lydia Glasher is a character in George Eliot's novel 'Daniel Deronda.'
Lydia Lankford is the name of a 1770s girl from the Sisters In Time series.
I adore this name. I named one of my first dolls Lydia. My husband says this name is too 1950s. I think it sounds historical and Biblical. And my name is Leah, so it would be a great mother-daughter combination.
Actress Helen Mirren (The Queen; Prime Suspect) was born Ilyena Lydia Mironoff.
Lydia is the Czech and Slovak form. Name Day: 14. December (Czech) and 19. August (Slovak).
I happen to love this name. It's beautiful sounding, not trendy, and I love its eighteenth-century flavor. But every person to whom I have mentioned it says that they hate it, to the point that I would hesitate to use it for my daughter, because of the fact that she would have a name that was so universally disliked. But, considering that one of these commenters had named her daughter Hilary (hideous), perhaps I should just chalk it up to the fact that these people's taste is all in their mouth, and go for it anyway!
Famous bearer: Princess Lydia Wiazemsky.
Queen Lydia Lili'uokalani was the last reigning monarch of Hawaii.
Lydia's a name that's used a lot in my mom's family. My grandmother's name is Lydia (called Lily), my aunt's name is Lydia (called Lori), and her daughter's name is Lydia (called, well, Lydia). I don't usually like the whole family-name thing, but if I ever have a girl, I think I might name her Lydia, since it hasn't been used in that generation yet. Lily is a nice nickname for it.
In The Stepmom there is a character named Lydia.
I love the name Lydia. I named my second child Lydia and I have yet to meet another little girl with the name Lydia. My Lydia is so beautiful and kind, she suits the name perfecly.
I love the name Lydia. It's pretty and it's a classic name but not nearly as overused as most others. The main literary associations are Lydia Bennet and Lydia Languish, not necessarily the most desirable, but I like it anyway.
Lydia Beardsall Lawrence (1851-1910) was the mother of the writer D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence (1885-1930), who subsequently named one of his characters in his 'Sons And Lovers' novel Lydia.
Lydia is my mum's name. She thinks it's horrible, but I think it's lovely.
One of my favorites! Lydia, the tatooed lady was also sang in "Philadelphia Story" by Tracy Lord's (Katharine Hepburn) younger sister, Dinah. It hasn't dimmed my enthusiasm for the name one bit.
Groucho Marx sang about "Lydia, the Tattooed Lady" in the movie "Why a Duck" (1939). The song enjoyed some popularity. A sample of the lyrics:
Lydia The Tattooed Lady/She has eyes that folks adore so/and a torso even more so.
Oooooooh Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia, Lydia, the Tattooed Lady. She has eyes that folks adore so, and a torso even more so. Lydia oh Lydia!
By the way, it was sung in At The Circus (1939).
Lydia has been in use since the 1880's and was very popular to 1900 when it gradually declined in popularity and began increasing in popularity again in 2000.
German pronunciation: LUY-dee-ah. [noted -ed]
Instead of the name I was given (Audra--which I don't really like all that much), my mother was going to name me Lydia. Unfortunately, my sister picked my middle name (Lindsay) and they didn't think that the pairing sounded right. I think it sounds fine, and I almost regret them not naming me Lydia, since it sounds more pleasant on the tongue, but that's my opinion.
This is actually quite a pretty name, but I used to know a girl called Lydia who was rather unpleasant, which has kind of ruined it for me.
Lydia is the girl in the Tim Burton movie Beetle Juice, played by Winona Ryder. Man, that's such a great movie. I love Tim Burton.
Another Lydia to add to our growing list! I love my name! Except for all the people who can't say it. A lot of people call me Linda. Where the 'n' comes from I'm not sure. My grandmum calls me Lydie. To my friends I'm Lyd. And my mum calls me Lilly.
Another meaning of this name is "worshipper of God".
This is my name, and my mother always told me that it means "seller of purple," for the woman who took the disciples into her house in the New Testament. That was what she did for a living.
I love my name. It is so unique and rich and full of culture and history. And It's the only name that's right for me because it's so diverse and beautiful and elegant, yet fun and simple and cute.
This is a very pretty name. Not an overly popular name which is nice.
In the Bible Lydia was merchant who sold purple cloth, purple was a color of wealth and royalty.
Lydia probably dates from the Ancient Greek practice of renaming captive slaves with Greek nicknames after their physical attributes or where they came from. A Celtic slave might be called the equivalent of "Blondie". "Lydia" denotes a slave from Lydia in Asia Minor.
I think it's a beautiful name, unlike mine 'Emma'.
My name's Lydia, too. My parents emigrated from Croatia, and my name is "Lidija" there (and that's how I was baptized). I haven't met many other Lydias. The two I have met were a Jamaican Brit and an Irish/Hawaiian girl, so I guess we're officially exotic (I'll take that!). The encyclopedia says that the Lydians were elegant and artistic, and devised the system of using coins. Lydia is also Beetlejuice's goth buddy. We're rare. Sweet!
I'm fairly sure it's not that rare. There's two Lydia's in my year at college, and I know four others. It's a beautiful name though.
It's my name too and people say they like it. It isn't common. Is it an old-fashioned name?
My name is Lydia and I think it is ok. Many people tell me they think it is beautiful, but they always say it is Amish. Does anyone know of any royalty or famous people with my name?
Lydia Bennet is the flirtatious, boy-crazy shopaholic in Pride and Prejudice.
My own name is Lydia. I like being called Lydia ever since I was given this name. In my view, this is a pretty name as well as cute. I wish any girl who has this opinion of herself should be named Lydia and the like.

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