Lance
Boy name · #862 in 2025 · Uniqueness 65/100
Lance ranks #862 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 279 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #604, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,452 boys born in 2025 was named Lance.
The 126-year story
Lance first appears in the Social Security records in 1899, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1970, when 4,160 boys were named Lance — good for #76 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Lance per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lance against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lance in class?
Lance scores 65 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Lance is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lance is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Lances were CA (25), TX (23), FL (19), WA (13), LA (10). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Lance
Statistically, parents drawn to Lance tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Vance, Lawrence, Vince, Laurence, and Terrence.
VanceLawrenceVinceLaurenceTerrenceTerenceReneTerrance
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lance | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 279 | #862 |
| 2024 | 291 | #840 |
| 2023 | 302 | #813 |
| 2022 | 320 | #788 |
| 2021 | 305 | #803 |
| 2020 | 315 | #764 |
| 2019 | 398 | #664 |
| 2018 | 394 | #651 |
| 2017 | 409 | #634 |
| 2016 | 438 | #616 |
| 2015 | 454 | #604 |
| 2014 | 512 | #541 |
| 2013 | 459 | #568 |
| 2012 | 541 | #493 |
| 2011 | 575 | #467 |
| 2010 | 604 | #443 |
| 2009 | 639 | #437 |
| 2008 | 751 | #395 |
| 2007 | 826 | #371 |
| 2006 | 1,003 | #319 |
| 2005 | 1,256 | #263 |
| 2004 | 1,161 | #275 |
| 2003 | 1,167 | #269 |
| 2002 | 1,232 | #261 |
| 2001 | 1,286 | #256 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lance a popular boy name?
Lance ranked #862 among boys in 2025 with 279 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #604.
When was the name Lance most popular?
Lance peaked in 1970, when 4,160 American boys received the name (ranked #76 that year). Since 1970 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lance?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,452 newborn American boys was named Lance. It scores 65/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.