Lake
Girl name · #3586 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Lake? In official American birth records, Lake has been tracked continuously since 1893, giving it 132 years of documented American history.
Lake ranks #3586 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 42 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3299, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 girls born in 2025 was named Lake.
Babies named Lake per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 132-year story
Lake first appears in the Social Security records in 1893, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 59 girls were named Lake — good for #2779 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Lake against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lake in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lake is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lake will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lake is most common
State-level data for Lake is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Lake
Statistically, parents drawn to Lake tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Livi, Livie, Avie, Esmee, and Remie.
LiviLivieAvieEsmeeRemieAtleeEzmaeIvee
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lake | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #3577 |
| 2024 | 36 | #4039 |
| 2023 | 49 | #3274 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2995 |
| 2021 | 57 | #2929 |
| 2020 | 59 | #2779 |
| 2019 | 58 | #2856 |
| 2018 | 50 | #3201 |
| 2017 | 49 | #3247 |
| 2016 | 44 | #3523 |
| 2015 | 49 | #3299 |
| 2014 | 40 | #3778 |
| 2013 | 37 | #4002 |
| 2012 | 22 | #5895 |
| 2011 | 13 | #8614 |
| 2010 | 16 | #7513 |
| 2009 | 19 | #6811 |
| 2008 | 10 | #10807 |
| 2007 | 16 | #7733 |
| 2006 | 10 | #10611 |
| 2005 | 9 | #10921 |
| 2003 | 7 | #12408 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10246 |
| 2001 | 6 | #13521 |
| 2000 | 6 | #13154 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lake?
In official American birth records, the name Lake first appeared in 1893 (over 132 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lake a popular girl name?
Lake ranked #3586 among girls in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3299.
When was the name Lake most popular?
Lake peaked in 2020, when 59 American girls received the name (ranked #2779 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lake?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American girls was named Lake. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.