Lasse
An Old Norse masculine name meaning "wanderer" or "pathfinder".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Lasse. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lasse today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lasse births was 2006 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lasse. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Lasse. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2006
6 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2006 SSA rank
#11,470
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Lasse: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Lasse 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 Lasse during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Lasse
The name Lasse originated from the Scandinavian regions, particularly in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. It is a shortened form of the Old Norse name Laurentius, which was derived from the Latin name Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum" or "laurel plant." The name has been in use since the Middle Ages.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lasse can be traced back to the 13th century in Sweden. It was a common name among the rural population and was often associated with farmers and peasants. The name gained popularity across Scandinavia during the Renaissance period.
In ancient Norse mythology, Lasse was sometimes used as a nickname for the god Loki, known for his cunning and trickery. However, there is no direct historical evidence linking the name Lasse to this mythological figure.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Lasse was Lasse Pedersson (1526-1594), a Swedish clergyman and author who translated the Bible into the Swedish language. Another prominent figure was Lasse Lucidor (1638-1674), a Swedish poet and playwright who was a prominent figure in the Swedish literary scene of the 17th century.
In the 19th century, Lasse Maja Carlsson (1801-1888) was a Swedish folk artist and painter known for her naïve style and depictions of rural life in Sweden. Lasse Viren (born 1949) is a Finnish former long-distance runner who won four Olympic gold medals and is considered one of the greatest distance runners of all time.
Lasse Hallström (born 1946) is a Swedish film director and screenwriter best known for his works such as "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "The Cider House Rules," and "Chocolat." He has been nominated for two Academy Awards and has had a significant impact on the international film industry.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Lasse, showcasing its prevalence in Scandinavian culture and its use across various fields, including religion, literature, art, sports, and cinema.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Lasse
People
Lasse + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lasse 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
Lasse: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lasse?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lasse 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Lasse a common name?
We classify Lasse as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lasse most popular?
The single biggest year for Lasse was 2006, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lasse is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lasse a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lasse in the SSA data are male. 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.