Lenny

At a Glance

Origin

English/German (given name, likely a pet form of Leonard)

Gender

Used for both boys and girls

Pronunciation

LEN-eeListen

Lenny has English and German roots as a given name, most likely starting out as a pet form of Leonard. You may come across the claim that it means "brave as a lion," but that meaning actually belongs to Leonard itself, not to Lenny on its own. As a name in its own right, Lenny doesn't carry a separately documented meaning.

Meaning & Origin of Lenny

Origin: English/German (given name, likely a pet form of Leonard).

A common claim: Brave as a lion Actually: 'Brave as a lion' is the meaning of Leonard (Germanic for 'lion' plus 'brave, hardy'), which Lenny is likely a pet form of. Lenny itself has no independently attested meaning of its own.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Lenny

Popularity of Lenny

Lenny hit its high point in 1961, ranking #556 with 199 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had settled much further down the list at #1372, with 137 babies named Lenny.

Names Like Lenny

These names have followed a similar path to Lenny in U.S. popularity over the years.

• Eliot
• Glenn
• Kenny
• Liz
• Jana
• Dina

FAQ

What does the name Lenny mean?

Brave as a lion ‘Brave as a lion’ is the meaning of Leonard (Germanic for ‘lion’ plus ‘brave, hardy’), which Lenny is likely a pet form of. Lenny itself has no independently attested meaning of its own.

How do you pronounce Lenny?

Lenny is pronounced LEN-ee (IPA: /ˈlɛni/).

Is Lenny a popular name right now?

Lenny peaked at #556 in 1961 and is ranked #1372 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1914–2024.)

Make Lenny Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Lenny, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.