Lafe
A diminutive of the male given name Lafayette.
Every Lafe since 1880 — 696 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lafe
Lafe is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,115 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 696 American babies have been named Lafe. Its peak came in 1884, when 17 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the late 1800s.
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 Lafe stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lafe year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #13,115 |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | 6 | #11,411 |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 5 | #13,326 |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5 | #13,386 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #13,246 |
| 2012 | 6 | #11,648 |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | 6 | #11,600 |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | 11 | #7,230 |
| 2005 | 5 | #12,550 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 6 | #10,324 |
| 2002 | 5 | #11,736 |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 5 | #8,912 |
| 1985 | 7 | #5,494 |
| 1980 | 7 | #5,263 |
| 1975 | 11 | #3,341 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | 10 | #2,704 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | 10 | #2,677 |
| 1950 | 5 | #3,961 |
| 1945 | 5 | #3,562 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,120 |
| 1930 | 6 | #3,817 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,036 |
| 1920 | 5 | #4,657 |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,734 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | 7 | #1,039 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,173 |
| 1890 | 6 | #949 |
| 1885 | 10 | #623 |
| 1880 | 9 | #663 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lafe mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Lafayette.
How popular is the name Lafe in 2025?
Lafe ranked #13,115 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lafe?
696 babies have been named Lafe in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lafe most popular?
Lafe peaked in 1884, when 17 newborns received the name.
Is Lafe a boy or girl name?
Lafe is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lafe rising or falling?
Lafe has been roughly stable over the past decade.