Lenny is a boy's name of Irish origin that means "warlike" or "strong-willed". The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic name O'Maolonain, which was originally a family surname. In medieval Ireland, the O'Maolonains were a powerful clan who held lands in County Mayo.
The name Lenny became popular in the English-speaking world during the 20th century, particularly after the release of the film "Lenny" in 1974. The movie, directed by Bob Fosse and starring Dustin Hoffman, told the story of the comedian Lenny Bruce, whose real name was Leonard Alfred Schneider.
Despite its Irish origins, the name Lenny has been adopted by many different cultures around the world. It is often used as a nickname for longer names such as Leonard or even Lionel. Today, it remains a popular choice among parents looking for a strong and distinctive boy's name with a touch of vintage charm.
Based on the provided statistics, the name Lenny has had a varied history of popularity among parents in the United States over the past century.
The first notable spike in births with the name Lenny occurred around the late 1930s to early 1940s, with the highest number of births recorded being 77 in 1948. This period corresponds with the post-World War II baby boom era, during which many couples were having children.
However, after the 1950s, the popularity of the name Lenny began to decline steadily until it reached its lowest point in recent years, with only 33 births recorded in 1996. This trend continued until around the mid-2000s when there was another slight increase in the number of births with the name.
More recently, the popularity of the name Lenny has shown signs of recovery, with a steady increase since 2015. In 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 133 recorded births with the name Lenny in the United States.
Overall, while the name Lenny may not have been consistently popular throughout its history, it has nonetheless maintained a steady presence among American newborns over the past century.