Leaner
One who relies on or leans upon something or someone.
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Leaner. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Leaner today is around 105 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leaner births was 1917 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leaner. 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
- • The typical person named Leaner is about 105 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Leaners were born before 1931.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Leaner. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1917
17 babies that year
Average age
105
years old
1939 SSA rank
#4,034
Tracked since 1882
Popularity
Leaner: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leaner from the 1880s through to the 1930s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 113 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leaner 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 Leaner during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Leaners live
Origin
Meaning and history of Leaner
The given name Leaner is derived from the Old English word "lænan," which means "to lean or incline." This name has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon culture and can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 5th to 11th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Leaner can be found in the Domesday Book, a historical record commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Leaner of Wessex, who held a significant amount of property in the region.
In the 12th century, Leaner appeared as a character in the epic poem "Beowulf," one of the most important works of Old English literature. The character, a loyal thane to the king, was described as a skilled warrior and a trusted advisor.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure named Leaner Fitzwilliam (1501-1573) gained recognition as a prominent English landowner and courtier during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and was known for his support of the arts and literature.
In the 18th century, Leaner Blackwell (1723-1790) was a prominent English writer and philosopher. She is remembered for her influential work "An Apology for the Conduct of Mrs. Teresia Constantia Phillips," which challenged societal norms and advocated for women's education and independence.
Another notable figure with the name Leaner was Leaner Wilcox (1835-1919), an American poet and writer. Her works often explored themes of feminism, social justice, and spirituality. She was also an active advocate for women's suffrage and is remembered for her contributions to the literary and political movements of her time.
While the name Leaner has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it remains a unique and historically significant name that reflects the rich heritage of the Anglo-Saxon culture and the enduring legacy of those who bore it throughout history.
People
Leaner + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leaner 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
Leaner: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leaner?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leaner 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Leaner a common name?
We classify Leaner as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 373 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leaner most popular?
The single biggest year for Leaner was 1917, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leaner is about 105 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Leaner in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Leaner a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Leaner 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.
Is Leaner still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Leaner in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Leaner can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Leaner?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Leaner at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.