Meaning & History
Lídia is the Portuguese, Catalan, and Hungarian form of Lydia.
Etymology
The name ultimately derives from the Greek name Lydia, meaning "from Lydia" — an ancient region in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). The region itself was named after the legendary king Lydos, whose etymological meaning remains unknown. In the New Testament, Lydia is mentioned as a woman named in honor of her region; she was a merchant of purple cloth from Thyatira who converted to Christianity following the teachings of Saint Paul (Acts 16:14-15).
Historical and Cultural Context
The name gained widespread use across Europe after the Protestant Reformation, which increased usage of biblical names. In its distinct orthographic forms — Lídia carries a diacritic marking open vowels — it entered Portuguese and Catalan usage as a direct borrowing from Latin Lȳdia, itself passed down from Ancient Greek Ludía. Hungarian cemented the spelling Lídia, making it a common feminine given name. The related short form Lilla functions as a diminutive of Lídia in Hungarian.
Usage
While retaining ties to its ancient origins and geographic connection to the historic kingdom of Lydia — which flourished under various rulers, including the Mermnad dynasty — the name today belongs to women across diverse cultures; its variant Lidiane is particular to Brazilian Portuguese.
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Lídia