Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1958

Len

Meaning A diminutive of the male given name Leonard Gender Boy · 2% girls Rank 2025 #9,377

A diminutive of the male given name Leonard.

Rank 2025
#9,377
among boys · ↑134 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Len
How common
1 in 213,510
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1958
125 babies
All-time total
4,616
#1,907 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Len popularity over time

4,616 babies have been named Len since 1880, 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
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 91 91 9 – #514
1890s – 65 65 7 -29% #612
1900s – 87 87 9 +34% #663
1910s – 242 242 24 +178% #926
1920s – 314 314 31 +30% #1,060
1930s 5 360 365 37 +16% #964
1940s 5 560 565 57 +55% #757
1950s 52 829 881 88 +56% #690
1960s 30 896 926 93 +5% #713
1970s 10 494 504 50 -46% #773
1980s – 208 208 21 -59% #2,087
1990s – 113 113 11 -46% #3,940
2000s – 94 94 9 -17% #5,770
2010s – 108 108 11 +15% #5,891
2020s (to 2025) – 53 53 9 -18% #7,128

The story of Len

Len is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,377 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 4,616 American babies have been named Len. Its peak came in 1958, when 125 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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

How old are people named Len?

The median living Len is about 61 years old; half are between 50 and 69. An estimated 2,800 people named Len are alive in the United States today.

median 61 020406080100

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

Len 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 – – 8 #9,377
2024 – – 8 #9,511
2023 – – 12 #7,128
2022 – – 11 #7,547
2021 – – 7 #10,356
2020 – – 7 #10,178
2019 – – 9 #8,608
2018 – – 10 #7,935
2017 – – 8 #9,365
2016 – – 10 #7,923
2015 – – 12 #6,918
2014 – – 15 #5,891
2013 – – 8 #9,317
2012 – – 14 #6,195
2011 – – 9 #8,500
2010 – – 13 #6,582
2009 – – 12 #7,074
2008 – – 5 #13,766
2007 – – 10 #7,944
2006 – – 12 #6,730
2005 – – 11 #6,914
2004 – – 9 #7,927
2003 – – 10 #7,039
2002 – – 5 #11,760
2001 – – 8 #8,014
2000 – – 12 #5,770
1995 – – 13 #4,687
1990 – – 14 #4,105
1985 – – 24 #2,266
1980 – – 26 #2,087
1975 – – 32 #1,611
1970 5 #8,711 114 #773
1965 – – 77 #842
1960 – – 121 #713
1955 – – 77 #841
1950 8 #4,156 66 #841
1945 – – 54 #857
1940 – – 47 #935
1935 – – 38 #1,052
1930 – – 36 #1,185
1925 – – 29 #1,379
1920 – – 44 #1,060
1915 – – 28 #1,254
1910 – – 10 #1,085
1905 – – 11 #774
1900 – – 10 #877
1895 – – – –
1890 – – 11 #622
1885 – – 14 #514
1880 – – 7 #780

Famous people named Len

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

  1. 1 Len Cariou Len Cariou Canadian actor and stage director (born 1939) Contemporary
  2. 2 Len Bias Len Bias American basketball player (1963–1986) Contemporary
  3. 3 Len Wiseman Len Wiseman American film director b. 1973 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Len Deighton Len Deighton British author (1929–2026) Contemporary
  5. 5 Len Lesser Len Lesser American character actor (1922–2011) Contemporary
  6. 6 León Febres Cordero León Febres Cordero President of Ecuador from 1984-1988 1931–2008 · Contemporary
  7. 7 León Gieco León Gieco Argentine musician b. 1951 · Contemporary
  8. 8 León Felipe León Felipe Spanish anti-fascist poet (1884–1968) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Len?

The median living Len is about 61 years old. Half of all living Lens are between 50 and 69 years old.

How many people named Len are alive today?

An estimated 2,800 people named Len are alive in the United States, based on 4,616 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Len mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Leonard.

How popular is the name Len in 2025?

Len ranked #9,377 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Len?

4,616 babies have been named Len in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Len most popular?

Len peaked in 1958, when 125 newborns received the name.

Is Len a boy or girl name?

Len is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 98% of babies with the name.

Is the name Len rising or falling?

Len has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Len?

Well-known people named Len include Len Cariou (actor), Len Bias (basketball player), Len Wiseman (film director).

Names like Len

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

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