Leng
Meaning "gracious, tender, and humble" in Chinese.
Name Census estimates that about 318 living Americans carry the first name Leng. It is a predominantly male name (98.5% of registrations). The average person named Leng today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Leng births was 1991 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Leng. 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
318
~ 1 in 1,077,844 Americans
Peak year
1991
28 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2006 SSA rank
#11,488
Tracked since 1980
Gender
Gender distribution for Leng
Leng leans heavily male at 98.5% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Leng as a male name
- Ranked #11,488 in 2006
- 6 male births in 2006
- Peak: 1991 (28 births)
Leng as a female name
- Ranked #11,953 in 1986
- 5 female births in 1986
- Peak: 1986 (5 births)
Popularity
Leng: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Leng from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 168 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Leng 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 Leng during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lengs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Minnesota, Wisconsin recorded the most babies named Leng, while Wisconsin, Minnesota, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 63 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Leng
The name Leng has its origins in ancient Chinese culture, dating back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC). It is derived from the Chinese word "冷" (leng), which means "cold" or "cool." The name was initially used to describe someone with a calm and collected demeanor, or someone who lived in a cooler climate.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leng can be found in the Book of Songs, an ancient collection of Chinese poetry and song lyrics dating back to the 6th century BC. In one of the poems, a man named Leng is praised for his wisdom and composure.
During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), a famous poet and scholar named Leng Qian (688–701 AD) lived and wrote extensively about Confucian philosophy and the importance of education. His works were highly influential and helped to establish the name Leng as a respected and intellectual name.
In the 12th century, a renowned Buddhist monk named Leng Xiyuan (1107–1181) gained recognition for his contributions to the spread of Buddhism in China. He was known for his profound understanding of Buddhist teachings and his ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner.
Another notable figure in Chinese history was Leng Zhan (1585–1645), a military strategist and general during the Ming Dynasty. He was renowned for his tactical brilliance and his ability to lead his troops to victory against overwhelming odds.
In more recent times, the name Leng has been associated with several influential figures in various fields. Leng Xue (1920–2003) was a prominent Chinese physicist who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics. Leng Shao-chuan (1939–2021) was a celebrated Taiwanese writer and journalist known for his insightful commentary on social and political issues.
While the name Leng may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and cultural significance in Chinese culture have ensured that it remains a respected and meaningful name.
People
Leng + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Leng 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
Leng: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Leng?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 318 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Leng 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 1,077,844 US residents.
Is Leng a common name?
We classify Leng as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 329 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Leng most popular?
The single biggest year for Leng was 1991, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Leng is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Leng a male name?
Yes, 98.5% of people registered as Leng 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.