How Many People Are Named Laverne?
An estimated 15,485 people in the United States have the first name Laverne. It is used for both genders, with 76.4% female. The average bearer is 72 years old, and Laverne peaked in popularity in 1924 with 1,785 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Laverne as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Laverne paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- With an average bearer age of 72, Laverne is a vintage name most associated with earlier generations. Most living bearers were born before 1964.
- Laverne has fallen dramatically from its peak in the 1920s. Recent registrations are less than 5% of what they were at the name's height.
Estimated Living Americans
15,485
About 1 in 22,135 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Uncommon
Predicted Gender
Female
76.4% confidence
Average Age
72
years old
Peak Year
1924
1,785 births
Total Registered
56,114
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Laverne
Laverne is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (23.6%) and females (76.4%). Out of 56,114 total births registered, 13,245 were male and 42,869 were female.
Laverne as a male name
Ranked #8,671 in 2024
9 male births in 2024
Peak: 1928 (428 births)
Laverne as a female name
Ranked #17,225 in 2003
5 female births in 2003
Peak: 1924 (1,383 births)
Laverne in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 19,866 people with the first name Laverne, which placed it at #1,609 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Laverne was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 19,866 people with this name in that snapshot, 17.1% were male and 82.9% were female. That is more heavily female than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 76.4% female.
Census Count
19,866
people with this name
Census Rank
#1,609
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
6.58
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Laverne was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (53.13%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (39.99%) and Two or More Races (1.99%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Laverne in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Laverne.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 53.13% | 10,555 |
| Black | 39.99% | 7,945 |
| Two or More Races | 1.99% | 395 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.97% | 392 |
| Hispanic | 1.55% | 308 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.37% | 273 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Laverne: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Laverne span from the 1880s to the 2020s, covering 15 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1920s, when 16,669 babies were registered. Laverne has declined significantly from its peak in the 1920s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Laverne by Decade
How has Laverne tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
| Decade | Total | Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 46 | 20 | 26 | |
| 1890s | 226 | 52 | 174 | |
| 1900s | 749 | 168 | 581 | |
| 1910s | 6,899 | 1,860 | 5,039 | |
| 1920s | 16,669 | 4,027 | 12,642 | |
| 1930s | 11,339 | 3,150 | 8,189 | |
| 1940s | 7,723 | 1,862 | 5,861 | |
| 1950s | 6,741 | 969 | 5,772 | |
| 1960s | 3,832 | 561 | 3,271 | |
| 1970s | 1,202 | 244 | 958 | |
| 1980s | 363 | 111 | 252 | |
| 1990s | 170 | 71 | 99 | |
| 2000s | 64 | 59 | 5 | |
| 2010s | 50 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2020s | 41 | 41 | 0 | |
Laverne by State
Birth registrations for Laverne span all 44 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas. The lowest are in Nevada, Connecticut, Massachusetts. On average, about 1,132 Lavernes were registered per state.
Laverne + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Laverne as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Laverne
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
Laverne: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Laverne?
We estimate approximately 15,485 people named Laverne are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 22,135 Americans share this first name.
Is Laverne a common name?
Laverne is classified as "Uncommon" and is more popular than 98.2% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 56,114 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Laverne most popular?
Laverne reached peak popularity in 1924, when 1,785 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Laverne is approximately 72 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Laverne in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 19,866 people with the first name Laverne. That placed it at #1,609 in the published Census first-name tables, or 6.58 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Laverne was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Laverne?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Laverne was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 17.1% male and 82.9% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Laverne?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Laverne was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (53.13%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (39.99%) and Two or More Races (1.99%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Laverne a female name?
Laverne is predominantly female. 76.4% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Laverne have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Laverne peaked in 1924, and the average living bearer is about 72 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Laverne Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Laverne Smith, Laverne Johnson, Laverne Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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