Leni
Girl name · #1174 in 2025 · Uniqueness 34/100
Leni ranks #1174 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 197 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3767, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,137 girls born in 2025 was named Leni.
The 87-year story
Leni first appears in the Social Security records in 1938, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 201 babies and a rank of #1195. 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 Leni per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Leni against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Leni in class?
Leni scores 34 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 Leni is most common
Geography matters for names, and Leni is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Lenis were CA (17), NY (14), NC (12), IL (9), PA (9). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Leni
Statistically, parents drawn to Leni tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Xareni, Leylani, Lailani, Jalani, and Laylani.
XareniLeylaniLailaniJalaniLaylaniLumiElaniXolani
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Leni | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 197 | #1173 |
| 2024 | 187 | #1242 |
| 2023 | 201 | #1195 |
| 2022 | 141 | #1521 |
| 2021 | 117 | #1750 |
| 2020 | 99 | #1924 |
| 2019 | 103 | #1919 |
| 2018 | 81 | #2254 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2964 |
| 2016 | 52 | #3139 |
| 2015 | 40 | #3767 |
| 2014 | 39 | #3848 |
| 2013 | 32 | #4422 |
| 2012 | 36 | #4121 |
| 2011 | 34 | #4244 |
| 2010 | 28 | #4974 |
| 2009 | 33 | #4482 |
| 2008 | 23 | #5955 |
| 2007 | 18 | #7092 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5233 |
| 2005 | 11 | #9452 |
| 2004 | 6 | #14179 |
| 1991 | 7 | #10271 |
| 1989 | 7 | #9681 |
| 1988 | 5 | #11798 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Leni a popular girl name?
Leni ranked #1174 among girls in 2025 with 197 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3767.
When was the name Leni most popular?
Leni peaked in 2023, when 201 American girls received the name (ranked #1195 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Leni?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,137 newborn American girls was named Leni. It scores 34/100 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.