Lael
Every Lael since 1895 — 3,526 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lael
Lael is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,952 in 2025 with 99 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1895, 3,526 American babies have been named Lael — about 67% girls and 33% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 255 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Lael stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lael 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 | 99 | #1,952 | 156 | #1,264 |
| 2024 | 65 | #2,682 | 123 | #1,479 |
| 2023 | 54 | #3,065 | 41 | #3,038 |
| 2022 | 54 | #3,058 | 31 | #3,663 |
| 2021 | 53 | #3,093 | 28 | #3,883 |
| 2020 | 51 | #3,122 | 40 | #2,959 |
| 2019 | 40 | #3,756 | 52 | #2,539 |
| 2018 | 46 | #3,423 | 30 | #3,666 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2,858 | 22 | #4,541 |
| 2016 | 59 | #2,886 | 33 | #3,403 |
| 2015 | 77 | #2,394 | 33 | #3,404 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2,907 | 23 | #4,333 |
| 2013 | 45 | #3,501 | 21 | #4,552 |
| 2012 | 69 | #2,612 | 22 | #4,476 |
| 2011 | 57 | #3,002 | 23 | #4,299 |
| 2010 | 49 | #3,344 | 14 | #6,236 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3,919 | 15 | #5,978 |
| 2008 | 44 | #3,678 | 19 | #4,989 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4,424 | 16 | #5,577 |
| 2006 | 42 | #3,707 | 8 | #9,230 |
| 2005 | 40 | #3,688 | 11 | #6,906 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4,554 | 19 | #4,522 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4,366 | 12 | #6,097 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4,836 | 7 | #9,002 |
| 2001 | 25 | #4,772 | 15 | #5,039 |
| 2000 | 27 | #4,482 | 5 | #11,431 |
| 1995 | 14 | #6,452 | — | — |
| 1990 | 9 | #8,883 | — | — |
| 1985 | 21 | #3,924 | 10 | #4,219 |
| 1980 | 20 | #3,921 | 11 | #3,746 |
| 1975 | 23 | #3,105 | 13 | #3,008 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,692 | 15 | #2,455 |
| 1965 | 10 | #4,348 | 6 | #3,740 |
| 1960 | 15 | #3,280 | — | — |
| 1955 | 17 | #2,780 | — | — |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,560 | 6 | #3,517 |
| 1945 | 15 | #2,289 | — | — |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,496 | — | — |
| 1935 | 10 | #2,838 | — | — |
| 1930 | 10 | #2,955 | — | — |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,403 | — | — |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,671 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,716 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Lael in 2025?
Lael ranked #1,952 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 99 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lael?
3,526 babies have been named Lael in the United States since 1895, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lael most popular?
Lael peaked in 2025, when 255 newborns received the name.
Is Lael a boy or girl name?
Lael is used for both: about 67% of babies named Lael have been girls and 33% boys.
Is the name Lael rising or falling?
Lael is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.