How Many People Are Named Leni?
An estimated 1,633 people in the United States have the first name Leni. It is predominantly female (98.5%). The average bearer is 16 years old, and Leni peaked in popularity in 2023 with 208 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Leni 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 Leni paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Leni is a modern name. With an average bearer age of just 16, it has gained most of its popularity in recent years.
Estimated Living Americans
1,633
About 1 in 209,892 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
98.5% confidence
Average Age
16
years old
Peak Year
2023
208 births
Total Registered
1,765
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Leni
Leni is predominantly female (98.5%), though 27 male births have been registered. It functions as a unisex name for a small percentage of bearers.
Leni as a male name
Ranked #10,335 in 2023
7 male births in 2023
Peak: 2023 (7 births)
Leni as a female name
Ranked #1,243 in 2024
187 female births in 2024
Peak: 2023 (201 births)
Leni in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 1,545 people with the first name Leni, which placed it at #9,132 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, Leni was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 1,545 people with this name in that snapshot, 10.0% were male and 90.0% were female. That is less heavily female than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 98.5% female.
Census Count
1,545
people with this name
Census Rank
#9,132
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.51
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Leni was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (59.47%). The next largest recorded groups were Hispanic (16.98%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (16.40%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Leni 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 Leni.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 59.47% | 914 |
| Hispanic | 16.98% | 261 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 16.40% | 252 |
| Two or More Races | 3.64% | 56 |
| Black | 2.80% | 43 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.72% | 11 |
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.
Leni: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Leni span from the 1930s to the 2020s, covering 10 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 2020s, when 752 babies were registered. Leni remains highly popular today, with recent registration numbers near its historical peak.
Leni by Decade
How has Leni 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.
Leni by State
Birth registrations for Leni span all 25 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in California, New York, Minnesota. The lowest are in Virginia, South Dakota, Georgia. On average, about 27 Lenis were registered per state.
Leni + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Leni as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Leni
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
Leni: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leni?
We estimate approximately 1,633 people named Leni 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 209,892 Americans share this first name.
Is Leni a common name?
Leni is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 92.8% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 1,765 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Leni most popular?
Leni reached peak popularity in 2023, when 208 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Leni is approximately 16 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Leni in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 1,545 people with the first name Leni. That placed it at #9,132 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.51 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 Leni 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 Leni?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Leni was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 10.0% male and 90.0% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Leni?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Leni was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (59.47%). The next largest recorded groups were Hispanic (16.98%) and Asian and Pacific Islander (16.40%). 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 Leni a female name?
Leni is predominantly female. 98.5% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Leni 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. Leni peaked in 2023, and the average living bearer is about 16 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Leni Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Leni Smith, Leni Johnson, Leni 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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