Leland
Shortened from McLeland, McClellan, from Irish Mac Giolla Fhaoláin, "son of servant of (Saint) Faolán (=Little Wolf)".
Every Leland since 1880 — 58,556 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Leland
Leland is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #494 in 2025 with 612 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 58,556 American babies have been named Leland. Its peak came in 2007, when 1,035 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Leland stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Leland 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 | 14 | #7,710 | 612 | #494 |
| 2024 | 18 | #6,547 | 546 | #543 |
| 2023 | 16 | #7,116 | 568 | #520 |
| 2022 | 21 | #5,887 | 609 | #500 |
| 2021 | 18 | #6,560 | 721 | #431 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6,802 | 635 | #470 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,407 | 743 | #415 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,538 | 747 | #420 |
| 2017 | 11 | #9,670 | 817 | #389 |
| 2016 | 13 | #8,678 | 758 | #417 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9,870 | 857 | #378 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,596 | 759 | #409 |
| 2013 | 7 | #14,024 | 774 | #386 |
| 2012 | 8 | #12,901 | 897 | #343 |
| 2011 | 8 | #12,862 | 950 | #329 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14,338 | 964 | #325 |
| 2009 | 10 | #11,137 | 895 | #350 |
| 2008 | 5 | #19,258 | 726 | #405 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,695 | 1,029 | #315 |
| 2006 | 16 | #7,699 | 903 | #343 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11,443 | 371 | #608 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,362 | 110 | #1,341 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13,246 | 129 | #1,165 |
| 2002 | 7 | #13,017 | 134 | #1,096 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12,854 | 107 | #1,250 |
| 2000 | 5 | #16,481 | 136 | #1,057 |
| 1995 | 6 | #12,659 | 175 | #808 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,239 | 272 | #610 |
| 1985 | — | — | 166 | #689 |
| 1980 | — | — | 209 | #601 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,873 | 203 | #566 |
| 1970 | — | — | 268 | #496 |
| 1965 | — | — | 358 | #413 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,886 | 409 | #390 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,315 | 564 | #306 |
| 1950 | — | — | 559 | #281 |
| 1945 | — | — | 540 | #247 |
| 1940 | — | — | 608 | #210 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,008 | 623 | #201 |
| 1930 | 10 | #2,961 | 706 | #198 |
| 1925 | — | — | 858 | #173 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,206 | 799 | #177 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,628 | 597 | #185 |
| 1910 | — | — | 97 | #242 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,817 | 66 | #240 |
| 1900 | — | — | 76 | #228 |
| 1895 | — | — | 54 | #244 |
| 1890 | — | — | 45 | #252 |
| 1885 | — | — | 23 | #373 |
| 1880 | — | — | 9 | #664 |
Famous people named Leland
- Leland H. Hartwell Biologist · b. 1939
- Leland Stanford Politician · 1824–1893
- Leland Orser Actor · b. 1960
- Leland D. Melvin Astronaut · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Leland mean?
Shortened from McLeland, McClellan, from Irish Mac Giolla Fhaoláin, "son of servant of (Saint) Faolán (=Little Wolf)".
How popular is the name Leland in 2025?
Leland ranked #494 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 612 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Leland?
58,556 babies have been named Leland in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Leland most popular?
Leland peaked in 2007, when 1,035 newborns received the name.
Is Leland a boy or girl name?
Leland is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Leland rising or falling?
Leland is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Leland?
Well-known people named Leland include Leland H. Hartwell (biologist), Leland Stanford (politician), Leland Orser (actor).