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Lydia

Girl name · 547 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Lydia: 547 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 27 births in 2024.

Of Greek origin, Lydia means "from Lydia," referring to the ancient kingdom in Asia Minor famed for its wealth and for being the first place to mint coins. In the New Testament, Lydia of Thyatira is a prominent figure—a merchant of purple cloth who became one of the first Christian converts in Europe, often considered the first documented European Christian. The name's geographical root also connects to the Lydian people, whose king Croesus gave rise to the phrase "rich as Croesus." Lydia has enjoyed steady popularity in Scotland, particularly from the 1990s onward, and shares its etymological heritage with the region of Lydia in modern-day Turkey. A notable literary bearer is Lydia Bennet from Jane Austen's *Pride and Prejudice*, whose flighty character gives the name a spirited, if mischievous, cultural association.