Lael
Girl name · #1943 in 2025 · Uniqueness 40/100
Lael ranks #1943 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 99 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2382, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,182 girls born in 2025 was named Lael.
The 130-year story
Lael first appears in the Social Security records in 1895, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 99 babies and a rank of #1942. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Lael per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lael in class?
Lael scores 40 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lael is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lael is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Laels were TX (13), FL (10), NY (8), MD (6), NJ (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Lael
Statistically, parents drawn to Lael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yael, Jael, Israel, Rochel, and Leya.
YaelJaelIsraelRochelLeyaRaizelAdelLiel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 99 | #1942 |
| 2024 | 65 | #2661 |
| 2023 | 54 | #3047 |
| 2022 | 54 | #3033 |
| 2021 | 53 | #3069 |
| 2020 | 51 | #3091 |
| 2019 | 40 | #3718 |
| 2018 | 46 | #3396 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2835 |
| 2016 | 59 | #2866 |
| 2015 | 77 | #2382 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2888 |
| 2013 | 45 | #3465 |
| 2012 | 69 | #2597 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2989 |
| 2010 | 49 | #3306 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3870 |
| 2008 | 44 | #3645 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4380 |
| 2006 | 42 | #3669 |
| 2005 | 40 | #3646 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4492 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4307 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4767 |
| 2001 | 25 | #4688 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lael a popular girl name?
Lael ranked #1943 among girls in 2025 with 99 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2382.
When was the name Lael most popular?
Lael peaked in 2025, when 99 American girls received the name (ranked #1942 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Lael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,182 newborn American girls was named Lael. It scores 40/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.