Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1984

Lam

Gender Unisex · 12% girls Rank 2025 #13,120
Rank 2025
#13,120
among boys · ↓3,617 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Lam
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1984
28 babies
All-time total
630
#7,414 all-time among boys
First recorded
1977
in Social Security records

Lam popularity over time

630 babies have been named Lam since 1977, 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – 30 30 3 – #3,466
1980s 6 174 180 18 +500% #1,988
1990s – 130 130 13 -28% #3,065
2000s 18 92 110 11 -15% #6,155
2010s 47 102 149 15 +35% #5,447
2020s (to 2025) 5 26 31 5 -65% #9,503

The story of Lam

Lam is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,120 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1977, 630 American babies have been named Lam, about 88% boys and 12% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1984, when 28 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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 Lam stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Lam?

The median living Lam is about 27 years old; half are between 14 and 39. An estimated 600 people named Lam are alive in the United States today.

median 27 020406080100

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

Lam 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 – – 5 #13,120
2024 – – 8 #9,503
2023 – – – –
2022 – – 6 #11,701
2021 5 #16,619 7 #10,346
2020 – – – –
2019 5 #16,926 9 #8,596
2018 – – 9 #8,554
2017 7 #13,489 7 #10,328
2016 6 #15,398 17 #5,447
2015 – – 8 #9,223
2014 8 #12,571 5 #13,227
2013 9 #11,530 11 #7,345
2012 7 #14,336 10 #7,894
2011 5 #18,336 11 #7,299
2010 – – 15 #5,919
2009 – – 12 #7,066
2008 5 #19,205 11 #7,503
2007 5 #19,218 10 #7,936
2006 – – 7 #10,196
2005 – – 9 #8,044
2004 – – 6 #10,786
2003 8 #11,920 9 #7,598
2002 – – 8 #8,129
2001 – – 9 #7,250
2000 – – 11 #6,155
1995 – – 13 #4,683
1990 – – 9 #5,628
1985 – – 19 #2,652
1980 – – 12 #3,528
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Lam

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

  1. 1 Lam Ching-ying Lam Ching-ying Hong Kong stuntman, actor, and director (1952–1996) Contemporary
  2. 2 Lamá Angolan footballer b. 1981 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Lam?

The median living Lam is about 27 years old. Half of all living Lams are between 14 and 39 years old.

How many people named Lam are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Lam are alive in the United States, based on 630 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Lam in 2025?

Lam ranked #13,120 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 Lam?

630 babies have been named Lam in the United States since 1977, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lam most popular?

Lam peaked in 1984, when 28 newborns received the name.

Is Lam a boy or girl name?

Lam is used for both: about 12% of babies named Lam have been girls and 88% boys.

Is the name Lam rising or falling?

Lam is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Lam?

Well-known people named Lam include Lam Ching-ying (actor), Lamá (soccer player).

Names like Lam

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

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