Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1990

La

Gender Unisex · 82% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named La
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1990
94 babies
All-time total
1,756
#5,847 all-time among girls
First recorded
1913
in Social Security records

La popularity over time

1,756 babies have been named La since 1913, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 21 – 21 2 – #3,437
1920s 46 11 57 6 +171% #3,427
1930s 77 – 77 8 +35% #2,475
1940s 47 – 47 5 -39% #3,365
1950s 30 8 38 4 -19% #4,087
1960s 153 25 178 18 +368% #2,040
1970s 250 35 285 29 +60% #2,477
1980s 304 59 363 36 +27% #1,948
1990s 432 134 566 57 +56% #1,805
2000s 82 24 106 11 -81% #5,832
2010s – 10 10 1 -91% –
2020s (to 2025) – 8 8 1 +33% –

The story of La

La is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1913, 1,756 American babies have been named La, about 82% girls and 18% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1990, when 94 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where La stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named La?

The median living La is about 39 years old; half are between 32 and 50. An estimated 1,500 people named La are alive in the United States today.

median 39 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

La year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – 8 #9,491
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – 5 #13,320
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – 5 #13,500
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 6 #16,641 5 #13,546
2006 13 #9,030 – –
2005 9 #11,412 5 #12,544
2004 8 #12,254 6 #10,780
2003 7 #13,209 – –
2002 6 #14,610 – –
2001 14 #7,552 8 #7,998
2000 19 #5,832 – –
1995 30 #3,631 13 #4,681
1990 80 #1,805 14 #4,101
1985 30 #3,046 – –
1980 21 #3,775 8 #4,752
1975 28 #2,708 – –
1970 30 #2,477 – –
1965 12 #3,840 – –
1960 13 #3,586 7 #3,510
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 8 #3,365 – –
1935 11 #2,650 – –
1930 10 #2,951 – –
1925 6 #4,696 – –
1920 5 #5,365 – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named La

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 La Toya Jackson La Toya Jackson American singer (born 1956) Contemporary
  2. 2 Léa Seydoux Léa Seydoux French actress (born 1985) Contemporary
  3. 3 La Malinche La Malinche Nahua aide to Hernán Cortés 1502–1529 · 16th century
  4. 4 L.A. Reid L.A. Reid American record executive (born 1956) Contemporary
  5. 5 La Monte Young La Monte Young American avant-garde composer (born 1935) Contemporary
  6. 6 La Voisin La Voisin French fortune teller and poisoner (d. 1680) 1640–1680 · 17th century
  7. 7 La Hire La Hire 15th-century French military commander 1390–1443 · Medieval
  8. 8 La Goulue La Goulue French can-can dancer (1866–1929) 19th century
  9. 9 La Belle Otero La Belle Otero Spanish dancer, actress and courtesan in France 1868–1965 · 19th century
  10. 10 La Fouine La Fouine French rapper (born 1981) Contemporary
  11. 11 La Lana La Lana Croatian pop singer b. 1984 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about La, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average La?

The median living La is about 39 years old. Half of all living Las are between 32 and 50 years old.

How many people named La are alive today?

An estimated 1,500 people named La are alive in the United States, based on 1,756 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name La in 2025?

La did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named La?

1,756 babies have been named La in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name La most popular?

La peaked in 1990, when 94 newborns received the name.

Is La a boy or girl name?

La is used for both: about 82% of babies named La have been girls and 18% boys.

Is the name La rising or falling?

La has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named La?

Well-known people named La include La Toya Jackson (singer), Léa Seydoux (actor), La Malinche (politician).

Names like La

Names that sound and feel close to La: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare La with similar names → More names starting with L →