Leander
Boy name · #1461 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Leander ranks #1461 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 122 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1931, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,754 boys born in 2025 was named Leander.
The 145-year story
Leander first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 17 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 122 babies and a rank of #1459. 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 Leander per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leander against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leander in class?
Leander scores 57 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 Leander is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leander is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Leanders were CA (21), TX (12), NY (8), PA (8), NJ (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Leander
Statistically, parents drawn to Leander tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lander, Lysander, Vander, Haider, and Sander.
LanderLysanderVanderHaiderSanderCalderAlderEvander
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leander | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 122 | #1459 |
| 2024 | 94 | #1752 |
| 2023 | 117 | #1508 |
| 2022 | 113 | #1566 |
| 2021 | 89 | #1784 |
| 2020 | 90 | #1716 |
| 2019 | 88 | #1762 |
| 2018 | 65 | #2147 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2130 |
| 2016 | 84 | #1799 |
| 2015 | 75 | #1931 |
| 2014 | 69 | #2044 |
| 2013 | 61 | #2165 |
| 2012 | 58 | #2238 |
| 2011 | 50 | #2478 |
| 2010 | 57 | #2262 |
| 2009 | 52 | #2451 |
| 2008 | 50 | #2515 |
| 2007 | 47 | #2602 |
| 2006 | 42 | #2744 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 33 | #3014 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 38 | #2556 |
| 2001 | 36 | #2618 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leander a popular boy name?
Leander ranked #1461 among boys in 2025 with 122 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1931.
When was the name Leander most popular?
Leander peaked in 2025, when 122 American boys received the name (ranked #1459 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Leander?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,754 newborn American boys was named Leander. It scores 57/100 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.