Lael
Girl name · #1943 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Lael? In official American birth records, Lael has been tracked continuously since 1895, giving it 130 years of documented American history.
Lael ranks #1943 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 99 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2382, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,182 girls born in 2025 was named Lael.
The 130-year story
Lael first appears in the Social Security records in 1895, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 99 babies and a rank of #1942. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Lael per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lael in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lael is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lael is most common
State-level data for Lael is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Lael
Statistically, parents drawn to Lael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yael, Jael, Israel, Rochel, and Leya.
YaelJaelIsraelRochelLeyaRaizelAdelLiel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 99 | #1942 |
| 2024 | 65 | #2661 |
| 2023 | 54 | #3047 |
| 2022 | 54 | #3033 |
| 2021 | 53 | #3069 |
| 2020 | 51 | #3091 |
| 2019 | 40 | #3718 |
| 2018 | 46 | #3396 |
| 2017 | 59 | #2835 |
| 2016 | 59 | #2866 |
| 2015 | 77 | #2382 |
| 2014 | 59 | #2888 |
| 2013 | 45 | #3465 |
| 2012 | 69 | #2597 |
| 2011 | 57 | #2989 |
| 2010 | 49 | #3306 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3870 |
| 2008 | 44 | #3645 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4380 |
| 2006 | 42 | #3669 |
| 2005 | 40 | #3646 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4492 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4307 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4767 |
| 2001 | 25 | #4688 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lael?
In official American birth records, the name Lael first appeared in 1895 (over 130 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lael a popular girl name?
Lael ranked #1943 among girls in 2025 with 99 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2382.
When was the name Lael most popular?
Lael peaked in 2025, when 99 American girls received the name (ranked #1942 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Lael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,182 newborn American girls was named Lael. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.