What does Perseus mean?
Perseus is the Greek hero who slew Medusa; his name is often linked to “to destroy.”
What does Lysander mean?
Lysander means “liberator” or “releaser of men” in Greek.
Perseus vs Lysander
Which is more popular?
Perseus is more popular than Lysander today: about 168 US babies were given the name Perseus in 2025, compared with 95 named Lysander.
| Perseus | Lysander | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of debated meaning | Liberator |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | PUR-see-us | ly-SAN-der |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1983 | 1931 |
| Peak year | 2025 (168) | 2025 (95) |
| In 2025 | 168 | 95 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Perseus
Lysander
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Perseus | Lysander |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 813 | 256 |
| 2010s | 561 | 301 |
| 2000s | 5 | 151 |
| 1990s | 0 | 5 |
| 1980s | 11 | 21 |
| 1970s | 0 | 38 |
| 1960s | 0 | 15 |
| 1950s | 0 | 6 |
| 1930s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Perseus or Lysander more popular?
Perseus is more popular than Lysander today: about 168 US babies were given the name Perseus in 2025, compared with 95 named Lysander.
What is the difference between Perseus and Lysander?
Perseus means Of debated meaning (Greek origin), while Lysander means Liberator (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Perseus or Lysander?
In US records, Perseus first appears in 1983 and Lysander in 1931, so Lysander has the longer recorded history.