Lael
Boy name · #1264 in 2025 · Uniqueness 36/100
In 2025, 156 baby boys were named Lael, placing it at #1264 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3365, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 11,538 boys born in 2025 was named Lael.
Babies named Lael per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 103-year story
Lael first appears in the Social Security records in 1922, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 156 babies and a rank of #1263. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lael in class?
Lael scores 36 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 (24), CA (16), NY (11), FL (9), GA (7). 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 Zael, Nael, Rael, Mael, and Sael.
ZaelNaelRaelMaelSaelDaelIzaelIsael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 156 | #1263 |
| 2024 | 123 | #1472 |
| 2023 | 41 | #3005 |
| 2022 | 31 | #3617 |
| 2021 | 28 | #3814 |
| 2020 | 40 | #2925 |
| 2019 | 52 | #2525 |
| 2018 | 30 | #3607 |
| 2017 | 22 | #4466 |
| 2016 | 33 | #3358 |
| 2015 | 33 | #3365 |
| 2014 | 23 | #4263 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 22 | #4390 |
| 2011 | 23 | #4221 |
| 2010 | 14 | #6036 |
| 2009 | 15 | #5800 |
| 2008 | 19 | #4901 |
| 2007 | 16 | #5434 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8732 |
| 2005 | 11 | #6634 |
| 2004 | 19 | #4421 |
| 2003 | 12 | #5877 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8456 |
| 2001 | 15 | #4890 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lael a popular boy name?
Lael ranked #1264 among boys in 2025 with 156 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3365.
When was the name Lael most popular?
Lael peaked in 2025, when 156 American boys received the name (ranked #1263 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 11,538 newborn American boys was named Lael. It scores 36/100 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.