Lance
Every Lance since 1899 — 106,184 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lance
Lance is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #862 in 2025 with 279 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1899, 106,184 American babies have been named Lance. Its peak came in 1970, when 4,173 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Lance stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lance 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 | — | — | 279 | #862 |
| 2024 | — | — | 291 | #840 |
| 2023 | — | — | 302 | #814 |
| 2022 | — | — | 320 | #788 |
| 2021 | — | — | 305 | #804 |
| 2020 | — | — | 315 | #765 |
| 2019 | — | — | 398 | #664 |
| 2018 | — | — | 394 | #651 |
| 2017 | — | — | 409 | #636 |
| 2016 | — | — | 438 | #617 |
| 2015 | — | — | 454 | #604 |
| 2014 | — | — | 512 | #541 |
| 2013 | — | — | 459 | #568 |
| 2012 | — | — | 541 | #494 |
| 2011 | — | — | 575 | #468 |
| 2010 | — | — | 604 | #444 |
| 2009 | — | — | 639 | #438 |
| 2008 | — | — | 751 | #395 |
| 2007 | — | — | 826 | #372 |
| 2006 | — | — | 1,003 | #319 |
| 2005 | — | — | 1,256 | #264 |
| 2004 | 5 | #17,616 | 1,161 | #275 |
| 2003 | — | — | 1,167 | #269 |
| 2002 | — | — | 1,232 | #261 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,286 | #256 |
| 2000 | — | — | 1,221 | #267 |
| 1995 | — | — | 1,095 | #257 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,186 | 1,697 | #182 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,953 | 2,152 | #130 |
| 1980 | 15 | #4,854 | 1,786 | #152 |
| 1975 | — | — | 1,497 | #163 |
| 1970 | 13 | #4,374 | 4,160 | #76 |
| 1965 | 9 | #4,660 | 1,754 | #169 |
| 1960 | 8 | #4,973 | 1,876 | #171 |
| 1955 | — | — | 1,059 | #221 |
| 1950 | — | — | 735 | #249 |
| 1945 | — | — | 400 | #299 |
| 1940 | — | — | 254 | #358 |
| 1935 | — | — | 41 | #1,002 |
| 1930 | — | — | 26 | #1,447 |
| 1925 | — | — | 26 | #1,478 |
| 1920 | — | — | 36 | #1,216 |
| 1915 | — | — | 23 | #1,436 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,734 |
| 1905 | — | — | 7 | #1,040 |
| 1900 | — | — | 8 | #1,007 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lance
- Lance Henriksen Actor · b. 1940
- Lance Armstrong Cyclist · b. 1971
- Lance Reddick Actor · b. 1962
- Lance Macklin Racing driver · 1919–2002
- Lance Kinsey Actor · b. 1954
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Lance in 2025?
Lance ranked #862 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 279 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lance?
106,184 babies have been named Lance in the United States since 1899, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lance most popular?
Lance peaked in 1970, when 4,173 newborns received the name.
Is Lance a boy or girl name?
Lance is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lance rising or falling?
Lance is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lance?
Well-known people named Lance include Lance Henriksen (actor), Lance Armstrong (cyclist), Lance Reddick (actor).