Lew

Lew is a masculine given name and, less commonly, a surname. In English-speaking contexts, it is often a diminutive of Lewis or Louis, names that ultimately derive from the Latin Ludovicus and the Germanic Ludwig, traditionally interpreted as meaning “famous warrior.” As a standalone given name, Lew has been used across the 19th to 21st centuries and has appeared in various cultural contexts.

In Welsh, the word llew means lion, and it appears in historic names such as Llewelyn; this is etymologically distinct from the English name Lew, though the similarity can be noted in onomastic discussions and in cross-cultural naming.

Notable people who use Lew as a given name or nickname include Lew Alcindor, the American basketball player who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Lew Wasserman, a prominent American film industry executive; and Lew Grade, a British impresario and television producer. The name also functions as a surname in some families, and it appears in fiction as a nickname or shorthand for characters named Lewis or Louis.