Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1949

Lanny

Meaning A diminutive of the male given name Laurence Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the male given name Laurence.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Lanny
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1949
498 babies
All-time total
9,644
#1,236 all-time among boys
First recorded
1919
in Social Security records

Lanny popularity over time

9,644 babies have been named Lanny since 1919, 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 5 5 1 – #4,508
1920s – 6 6 1 +20% #4,048
1930s – 950 950 95 +15733% #388
1940s 22 3,330 3,352 335 +253% #299
1950s 18 2,749 2,767 277 -17% #306
1960s – 1,222 1,222 122 -56% #599
1970s 6 748 754 75 -38% #771
1980s 11 290 301 30 -60% #1,385
1990s – 127 127 13 -58% #2,651
2000s 5 92 97 10 -24% #5,205
2010s 5 36 41 4 -58% #6,129
2020s (to 2025) – 22 22 4 -11% #10,165

The story of Lanny

Lanny 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 1919, 9,644 American babies have been named Lanny. Its peak came in 1949, when 498 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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

How old are people named Lanny?

The median living Lanny is about 71 years old; half are between 59 and 77. An estimated 6,100 people named Lanny are alive in the United States today.

median 71 020406080100

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

Lanny 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 – – 5 #13,421
2023 – – 5 #13,360
2022 – – – –
2021 – – 5 #13,273
2020 – – 7 #10,165
2019 – – – –
2018 – – 6 #11,582
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – 6 #11,531
2014 – – 5 #13,234
2013 – – – –
2012 – – 5 #13,399
2011 – – 14 #6,129
2010 5 #18,623 – –
2009 5 #18,921 6 #11,867
2008 – – 5 #13,743
2007 – – 10 #7,938
2006 – – 7 #10,202
2005 – – 15 #5,459
2004 – – 10 #7,322
2003 – – 8 #8,302
2002 – – 9 #7,402
2001 – – 8 #8,006
2000 – – 14 #5,205
1995 – – 10 #5,738
1990 – – 15 #3,891
1985 – – 23 #2,331
1980 – – 47 #1,385
1975 – – 66 #1,013
1970 – – 115 #771
1965 – – 112 #703
1960 – – 172 #599
1955 – – 228 #486
1950 – – 489 #306
1945 – – 241 #384
1940 5 #4,717 302 #329
1935 – – 123 #520
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Lanny?

The median living Lanny is about 71 years old. Half of all living Lannys are between 59 and 77 years old.

How many people named Lanny are alive today?

An estimated 6,100 people named Lanny are alive in the United States, based on 9,644 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Lanny mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Laurence.

How popular is the name Lanny in 2025?

Lanny 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 Lanny?

9,644 babies have been named Lanny in the United States since 1919, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Lanny most popular?

Lanny peaked in 1949, when 498 newborns received the name.

Is Lanny a boy or girl name?

Lanny is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Lanny rising or falling?

Lanny has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Lanny

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

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