Lenny
A diminutive of the male given name Leonard.
Every Lenny since 1914 — 9,035 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lenny
Lenny is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,419 in 2025 with 128 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 9,035 American babies have been named Lenny — about 92% boys and 8% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1960, when 209 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Lenny stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lenny 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 | 61 | #2,799 | 128 | #1,419 |
| 2024 | 56 | #2,962 | 137 | #1,377 |
| 2023 | 50 | #3,251 | 133 | #1,393 |
| 2022 | 43 | #3,629 | 122 | #1,488 |
| 2021 | 42 | #3,648 | 113 | #1,549 |
| 2020 | 27 | #4,832 | 96 | #1,668 |
| 2019 | 24 | #5,393 | 105 | #1,588 |
| 2018 | 25 | #5,258 | 94 | #1,685 |
| 2017 | 23 | #5,603 | 96 | #1,656 |
| 2016 | 12 | #9,183 | 122 | #1,428 |
| 2015 | 13 | #8,727 | 165 | #1,144 |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,947 | 96 | #1,621 |
| 2013 | 6 | #15,730 | 115 | #1,441 |
| 2012 | — | — | 119 | #1,404 |
| 2011 | 5 | #18,392 | 139 | #1,247 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,828 | 144 | #1,229 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,586 | 98 | #1,621 |
| 2008 | 9 | #12,177 | 102 | #1,570 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,697 | 99 | #1,589 |
| 2006 | 10 | #11,086 | 104 | #1,473 |
| 2005 | — | — | 88 | #1,580 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,365 | 81 | #1,614 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13,248 | 60 | #1,952 |
| 2002 | 11 | #9,209 | 81 | #1,540 |
| 2001 | — | — | 64 | #1,773 |
| 2000 | — | — | 62 | #1,775 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,867 | 53 | #1,695 |
| 1990 | 7 | #10,873 | 55 | #1,541 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,973 | 52 | #1,341 |
| 1980 | — | — | 95 | #914 |
| 1975 | 14 | #4,469 | 141 | #701 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,715 | 118 | #760 |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,078 | 132 | #650 |
| 1960 | 12 | #3,818 | 197 | #561 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,320 | 91 | #764 |
| 1950 | — | — | 49 | #998 |
| 1945 | — | — | 56 | #843 |
| 1940 | — | — | 35 | #1,118 |
| 1935 | — | — | 15 | #1,884 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | 8 | #3,284 |
| 1920 | — | — | 7 | #3,676 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lenny
- Lenny Kravitz Musician · b. 1964
- Lenny Bruce Comedian · 1925–1966
- Lenny Wilkens Basketball player · b. 1937
- Lenny Kuhr Singer · b. 1950
- Lenny Abrahamson Film director · b. 1966
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lenny mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Leonard.
How popular is the name Lenny in 2025?
Lenny ranked #1,419 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 128 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lenny?
9,035 babies have been named Lenny in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lenny most popular?
Lenny peaked in 1960, when 209 newborns received the name.
Is Lenny a boy or girl name?
Lenny is used for both: about 8% of babies named Lenny have been girls and 92% boys.
Is the name Lenny rising or falling?
Lenny is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lenny?
Well-known people named Lenny include Lenny Kravitz (musician), Lenny Bruce (comedian), Lenny Wilkens (basketball player).