NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Leni

A feminine name of German origin meaning "little lion".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Leni is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Leni popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #478, with 85 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 96 births.

This profile covers 551 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 89% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 578 living people in the UK are called Leni. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Leni ranked #478 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 85 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 96 girls were registered as Leni.
  • Leni ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
  • About 578 living people in the UK are estimated to have Leni as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 93.5% of Leni registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#478

2024

Births in 2024

85

Latest year

Peak year

2023

96 births

Estimated living

578

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Leni

In England and Wales birth records, Leni has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 6.5% of registrations are for boys and 93.5% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

94% girls
Boys38 (6.5%)Girls551 (93.5%)

Leni registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,443 in 2024
  • 9 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2024 (9 births)

Leni registered for girls

  • Ranked #478 in 2024
  • 85 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (96 births)

Meaning

What does Leni mean?

The name Leni has its origins in the German language. It is a diminutive form of the name Lena, which is derived from the Greek name Helena, meaning "light" or "bright one." The name Leni gained popularity in Germanic-speaking regions of Europe during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Leni can be found in the 14th century German poem "Der Arme Heinrich" by Hartmann von Aue. In this work, a character named Leni is mentioned, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Leni. One such person was Leni Riefenstahl (1902-2003), a German film director and actress who is best known for her propaganda films during the Nazi era, including "Triumph of the Will" and "Olympia."

Another famous Leni was Leni Sinclair (1940-2017), an American political activist and co-founder of the White Panther Party, a far-left anti-racist group active in the 1960s and 1970s. She was also a key figure in the Detroit underground rock scene and managed the band MC5.

In the field of literature, Leni Zumas (born 1976) is an American author and professor, best known for her novel "Red Clocks," which explores themes of reproductive rights and women's autonomy.

Leni Reifenstahl (1883-1961) was an Austrian dancer and actress who gained fame in the early 20th century for her innovative choreography and performances. She was also a pioneer in the field of dance on film.

Lastly, Leni Klum (born 2004) is a German-American model and the daughter of supermodel Heidi Klum. She has already made her mark in the fashion industry, appearing on various magazine covers and walking in high-profile runway shows.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Leni over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Leni in England and Wales, from 2004 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Leni, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 85 births in 2024, compared with 96 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0265177102200420142024

Decades

Leni by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Leni was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #764 290 5
2010s #1583 197 10
2000s #2338 64 6

Geography

Where Leni is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Leni. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Leni ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.

Northern Ireland
5
Scotland
4

Across the UK

Leni in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#638 in 2024

4 years of NRS records, 15 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#288 in 2024

3 years of NISRA records, 15 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Leni

  • Leni Harper

    actor

    British actress

    1954-

Related

Names similar to Leni

FAQ

Leni: questions and answers

How popular is the name Leni in the UK right now?

In 2024, Leni was ranked #478 for girls in England and Wales, with 85 births registered.

When was Leni most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 96 babies registered as Leni in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Leni?

A feminine name of German origin meaning "little lion".

How many people are called Leni in the UK?

A total of 551 babies have been registered as Leni across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 15 more in Scotland and 15 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Leni most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Leni ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #288 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.