Given name & surname
Lysander
“the liberator”
Lysander is used as a given name and a surname. One Greek interpretation is “the liberator.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Greek interpretation is “the liberator.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1931. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Lysander through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 798
- 798 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 95 babies
- 2025
- 95
- #1,719 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +85%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 95 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,719 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 84.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (16). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 599 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lysander’s family of names
In English usage, Lysander has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form Lisandro. Lysander has a related form in Lisandro. Lysander has a related form in Lizandro.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Lysander has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
2 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Lysander
- Lysander SpoonerAmerican political philosopher, essayist, pamphlet writer, Unitarian, abolitionist, individualist anarchist, legal theorist, a member of the socialist First International and entrepreneur of the 19th century (1808–1887)
- Lysander CutlerUnion Army general (1807–1866)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lysander, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Leander
“people” · “man”
>99% boys
Lucifer
“light bringer”
>99% boys
Vander
“a benevolent man”
>99% boys
Evander
“a benevolent man”
>99% boys
Linus
“linen man”
>99% boys
Leviticus
“of the Levites”
>99% boys
Icarus
>99% boys
Giannis
“God is gracious”
97% boys · 3% girls