Lanise
A feminine name of French origin meaning "the nice one".
Name Census estimates that about 562 living Americans carry the first name Lanise. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lanise today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lanise births was 1972 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lanise. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
562
~ 1 in 609,883 Americans
Peak year
1972
23 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2020 SSA rank
#16,464
Tracked since 1958
Popularity
Lanise: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lanise from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 149 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lanise by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lanise during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lanises live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Illinois, Michigan, New York recorded the most babies named Lanise, while New York, Michigan, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lanise
The name Lanise is believed to have its origins in the ancient region of Mesopotamia, which encompassed parts of modern-day Iraq, Iran, and Syria. It is derived from the Akkadian word "lanu," meaning "to give." This suggests that the name may have been associated with generosity or the act of bestowing gifts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Sumerian cuneiform tablets dating back to around 2500 BCE. These tablets mention a woman named "Lanise," who is believed to have been a priestess in the temple of the goddess Inanna. The name's association with religious practices and deities indicates its cultural significance in ancient Mesopotamian societies.
In ancient Greek mythology, there is a reference to a figure named Lanise, who was a nymph associated with the cult of Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry. This connection further reinforces the name's ties to religious and spiritual contexts.
During the Roman era, around the 1st century CE, there are records of a Roman noblewoman named Lanise Claudia, who was known for her philanthropic endeavors and patronage of the arts. Her influence and impact on society may have contributed to the name's endurance and spread throughout the Mediterranean region.
In the Middle Ages, the name Lanise resurfaced in various European regions. One notable figure was Lanise of Burgundy (1050-1115), a French noblewoman and patron of the arts, who commissioned the construction of several churches and monasteries in the region.
Another prominent individual was Lanise de' Medici (1395-1458), a member of the influential Medici family in Renaissance Florence. She was known for her support of artists and intellectuals, and her role in shaping the cultural and artistic landscape of the city.
Throughout history, the name Lanise has been associated with generosity, spirituality, and cultural patronage, reflecting its ancient roots and the diverse societies in which it has appeared.
People
Lanise + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lanise as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lanise: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lanise?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 562 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lanise going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 609,883 US residents.
Is Lanise a common name?
We classify Lanise as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 603 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lanise most popular?
The single biggest year for Lanise was 1972, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lanise is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lanise a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lanise in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.