Lenamae
A feminine compound name combining "Lena" and "Mae", of uncertain origin.
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Lenamae. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lenamae today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lenamae births was 1916 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lenamae. 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 Lenamae. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1916
8 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,448
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Lenamae: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lenamae from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 23 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
Lenamae 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 Lenamae during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lenamae
Lenamae is a given name with a rich and fascinating history that spans several cultures and centuries. It is believed to have originated from a combination of two names – Lena and Mae.
Lena is a name of Slavic origin, derived from the Greek name Helena, which means "bright" or "shining light." The name Helena has been popular since ancient times and was borne by the legendary Helen of Troy, whose abduction sparked the Trojan War.
Mae, on the other hand, is a English name derived from the biblical name Mary, which has its roots in the Hebrew name Miryam. Mary was the name of the mother of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, and it has been a popular name among Christians for centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Lenamae can be traced back to the late 19th century, when it began to appear in various records and historical documents. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Lenamae Williams, an American educator and civil rights activist who lived from 1889 to 1968.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lenamae. One of the most famous was Lenamae Craven, an American actress and singer who was born in 1924 and appeared in numerous films and television shows during the mid-20th century.
Another notable Lenamae was Lenamae Keyes, an American artist and sculptor who lived from 1901 to 1987. Her works were widely exhibited and can be found in various museums and private collections.
In the literary world, Lenamae Brewster was an American author and poet who lived from 1920 to 2008. She published several collections of poetry and was known for her distinctive writing style and exploration of themes related to nature and the human experience.
In the field of music, Lenamae Swilley was an American gospel singer and songwriter who lived from 1928 to 2010. She was a prominent figure in the African American gospel music tradition and had a significant influence on the genre.
While the name Lenamae may not be as common as it once was, it continues to hold a special place in history, reflecting the diverse cultural influences that have shaped its meaning and significance over time.
People
Lenamae + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lenamae 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
Lenamae: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lenamae?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lenamae 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Lenamae a common name?
We classify Lenamae as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 51 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lenamae most popular?
The single biggest year for Lenamae was 1916, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lenamae is about 11 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 Lenamae in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lenamae a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lenamae 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 Lenamae still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lenamae 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 Lenamae 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 people have the name Lenamae?
See how many people have the name Lenamae on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.