Lenny

At a Glance: Name: Lenny – Origin: English/German (given name, likely a pet form of Leonard) – Gender: used for both boys and girls

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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.

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.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name 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.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• 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.

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.)

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