Lerin
From Persian origins, meaning "wailing" or "lamentation".
Name Census estimates that about 210 living Americans carry the first name Lerin. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 87.1% of registrations being female. The average person named Lerin today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lerin births was 1980 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lerin. 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
210
~ 1 in 1,632,164 Americans
Peak year
1980
43 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
1982 SSA rank
#4,841
Tracked since 1979
Gender
Gender distribution for Lerin
Lerin leans heavily female at 87.1% of total registrations, but 29 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Lerin as a male name
- Ranked #4,841 in 1982
- 8 male births in 1982
- Peak: 1980 (8 births)
Lerin as a female name
- Ranked #14,818 in 1996
- 5 female births in 1996
- Peak: 1980 (35 births)
Popularity
Lerin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lerin from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 206 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lerin 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 Lerin 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 Lerin
The given name Lerin is believed to have originated from the Celtic culture, with roots tracing back to the ancient Britons and Gauls who inhabited parts of modern-day England, Wales, and France. The name is thought to be derived from the Celtic word "Leren," which means "elm tree" or "elm grove."
In ancient Celtic mythology, the elm tree was revered as a symbol of strength, endurance, and resilience. It was often associated with deities and spirits that represented these qualities. The name Lerin may have been given to individuals who embodied these traits or were born near elm groves, which were considered sacred spaces.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Lerin can be found in the Annales Cambriae, a medieval chronicle of Welsh history. This text, dating back to the 10th century, includes an entry from the year 828 that references a figure named "Lerin Briensis," who is believed to have been a prominent figure or ruler in the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lerin. In the 12th century, Lerin de Bellefontaine was a French knight and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under the leadership of Richard the Lionheart. Records indicate that he was born around 1165 and died in the early 13th century.
Another prominent figure with the name Lerin was Lerin de Savoie, a 14th-century French nobleman and military commander who served under King Philip VI of France during the Hundred Years' War. He was born in 1315 and died in battle in 1346 at the age of 31.
In the realm of literature, Lerin Arnault was a 16th-century French poet and playwright who was part of the Pléiade, a group of influential Renaissance poets. He was born in 1537 and is known for his contributions to the development of the French poetic tradition.
Moving forward in time, Lerin Blackwood was a 19th-century British explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia. He was born in 1812 and is credited with discovering several new plant and animal species during his expeditions.
Lastly, Lerin Macdonald was a 20th-century Scottish artist and sculptor known for her abstract works. She was born in 1912 and gained recognition for her unique interpretations of natural forms and textures in her sculptures and installations.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Lerin, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Lerin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lerin 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
Lerin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lerin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 210 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lerin 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 1,632,164 US residents.
Is Lerin a common name?
We classify Lerin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 224 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lerin most popular?
The single biggest year for Lerin was 1980, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lerin is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lerin a female name?
Yes, 87.1% of people registered as Lerin 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.