Ly: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

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	28	7	35	4	–	#6,865
1980s	147	74	221	22	+531%	#3,477
1990s	79	33	112	11	-49%	#7,221
2000s	26	5	31	3	-72%	#13,058
2010s	–	–	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Boys

Total

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

–

1970s

–

#6,865

1980s

147

221

+531%

#3,477

1990s

112

-49%

#7,221

2000s

-72%

#13,058

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Ly

Ly 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 1973, 399 American babies have been named Ly, about 70% girls and 30% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1984, when 32 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 Ly stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Ly?

The median living Ly is about 38 years old; half are between 33 and 43. An estimated 400 people named Ly are alive in the United States today.

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

Ly 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	–	–	–	–
2023	–	–	–	–
2022	–	–	–	–
2021	–	–	–	–
2020	–	–	–	–
2019	–	–	–	–
2018	–	–	–	–
2017	–	–	–	–
2016	–	–	–	–
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	–	–	–	–
2013	–	–	–	–
2012	–	–	–	–
2011	–	–	–	–
2010	–	–	–	–
2009	–	–	–	–
2008	8	#13,321	–	–
2007	–	–	–	–
2006	–	–	5	#13,252
2005	–	–	–	–
2004	5	#17,718	–	–
2003	–	–	–	–
2002	7	#13,058	–	–
2001	–	–	–	–
2000	6	#14,247	–	–
1995	5	#14,796	–	–
1990	11	#7,643	10	#5,238
1985	16	#4,765	6	#6,230
1980	17	#4,434	7	#5,292
1975	8	#6,865	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Ly?

The median living Ly is about 38 years old. Half of all living Lys are between 33 and 43 years old.

How many people named Ly are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Ly are alive in the United States, based on 399 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Ly in 2025?

Ly 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 Ly?

399 babies have been named Ly in the United States since 1973, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Ly most popular?

Ly peaked in 1984, when 32 newborns received the name.

Is Ly a boy or girl name?

Ly is used for both: about 70% of babies named Ly have been girls and 30% boys.

Is the name Ly rising or falling?

Ly has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Ly

Ly popularity over time

The story of Ly

How old are people named Ly?

Ly year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Ly