Lennette
A feminine variant of the name Lenore, potentially derived from Latin meaning "light".
Name Census estimates that about 274 living Americans carry the first name Lennette. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lennette today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lennette births was 1963 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lennette. 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
274
~ 1 in 1,250,928 Americans
Peak year
1963
16 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
1995 SSA rank
#14,753
Tracked since 1925
Popularity
Lennette: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lennette from the 1920s through to the 1990s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 126 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lennette 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 Lennette 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 Lennette
The name Lennette is a feminine given name of French origin, derived from the Old French word "leonet," which means "little lion." It is a diminutive form of the name Léon, which traces its roots back to the Latin name Leo, meaning "lion."
In ancient times, the lion was a symbol of strength, courage, and royalty. The name Leo was borne by several Roman Emperors, including Leo I, also known as Leo the Great, who reigned from 440 to 461 AD. He is remembered for his efforts in upholding the doctrine of the Incarnation against the Monophysite heresy.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Lennette can be found in the 12th century, during the High Middle Ages. It was particularly popular among the French nobility and upper classes, likely due to its association with the regal symbolism of the lion.
One notable historical figure with the name Lennette was Lennette de Sainte-Marie (c. 1290-1368), a French nun and mystic who founded the Order of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was renowned for her visions and spiritual writings, which influenced the religious thought of her time.
Another important figure was Lennette de Ballon (c. 1360-1430), a French noblewoman and military leader during the Hundred Years' War. She played a crucial role in the defense of the city of Orléans against the English, earning her the moniker "The Maid of Orléans" before the more famous Joan of Arc.
In the 16th century, Lennette de Bourbon (1516-1572) was a prominent figure in the French Renaissance. She was a patron of the arts and a supporter of the Protestant Reformation, known for her influential salon and her connections with many of the era's leading intellectuals and artists.
Moving forward to the 18th century, Lennette de Laval (1702-1786) was a French aristocrat and philanthropist. She founded several charitable institutions and schools for underprivileged children, earning her a reputation for her compassion and commitment to social welfare.
Finally, in the 19th century, Lennette Durand (1820-1892) was a French painter and sculptor. She was one of the few women of her time to achieve recognition in the traditionally male-dominated art world, known for her portraits and allegorical works that often depicted strong female figures.
People
Lennette + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lennette 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
Lennette: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lennette?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 274 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lennette 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 1,250,928 US residents.
Is Lennette a common name?
We classify Lennette as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 356 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lennette most popular?
The single biggest year for Lennette was 1963, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lennette is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lennette a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lennette 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.