Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Lenny

Lenny

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced LEN-ee /ˈlΙ›n.iː/Low

Meaning: Brave lion; diminutive of LeonardLow

In 30 seconds: Lenny is a friendly diminutive of Leonard (brave lion, from Old High German lewo-hard) or Glenn. A warm, accessible name with a long history as both a standalone and nickname.
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Origin LowGermanic, English
MeaningBrave lion; diminutive of Leonard
U.S. rank (2024)#1372 β†— Rising
2024 U.S. births137 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1961
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 8,170

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 196119142024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Lenny is a diminutive of Leonard from Old High German leon (lion) and hard (strong, brave), meaning brave lion. It has been used as a standalone name since the 19th century.

Lenny has a warm friendly quality and is associated with comedian Lenny Bruce and musician John Lennon.

Did you know? Lenny Bruce (1925-1966), the groundbreaking comedian who challenged obscenity laws and shaped American comedy, gave the name an association with fearless free expression and artistic courage.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: leonard

Variations

LeonardGlennLenLennie

Nicknames

Len

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Lenny Bruce (1925–1966)
    American stand-up comedian who challenged obscenity laws and shaped modern comedy

If you like Lenny…

Charlieβ€” Same friendly vintage -y nickname style
Bennyβ€” Same -enny diminutive
Freddyβ€” Same vintage -dy nickname style
Kennyβ€” Same era vintage diminutive

Frequently Asked

What does Lenny mean?

Brave lion; diminutive of Leonard

How do you pronounce Lenny?

Lenny is pronounced LEN-ee.

What is the origin of Lenny?

Lenny comes from Germanic, English.

What names are similar to Lenny?

Similar names include charlie, benny, freddy.